Darlington Building Society is a forward-thinking mutual lender offering manual underwriting, niche affordability, and one of the rarest offerings in the market: up to 95% LTV for borrowers on visas. Whether you’re on a skilled worker, spousal, or graduate visa, or planning a self-build, first-time purchase, or have complex income, Darlington is built for real-life lending.
At Mortgage Knight, we work with Darlington to place cases that need understanding over automation, and we regularly recommend them for borrowers on visas, contractors, and non-standard employment types.
A: Yes — Darlington is one of the very few lenders offering 95% LTV mortgages to visa holders, including those on Skilled Worker (Tier 2), Graduate, or Spouse visas. You must be able to show the right to live and work in the UK and meet affordability criteria.
A: Yes. Darlington is very supportive of self-build and custom-build projects, with staged drawdowns and a flexible approach to unusual property types.
A: Yes. Darlington often accepts just 1 year of trading history, and their manual underwriting allows them to take a more thoughtful approach to fluctuating income.
A: Absolutely. Day-rate and fixed-term contractors are accepted, and umbrella income can be considered if it’s consistent and well evidenced.
A: Yes. Darlington allows capital raising for a range of reasons, including home improvements, debt consolidation, or deposit gifting, subject to standard affordability.
A: Yes. They support both initial shared ownership purchases and staircasing, with flexible income assessments and fair criteria.
A: No — all cases are manually underwritten, making Darlington ideal for clients who need a personal review rather than a computer-based decline.
Darlington Building Society is a rare find — a lender that says yes to complex borrowers, including visa holders up to 95% LTV, self-builders, and the self-employed.
Contact Mortgage Knight today, and we’ll guide your application through to Darlington — personally packaged, clearly presented, and supported all the way through to offer.
