Handelsbanken v Main Street Banks/BS Mortgages

Hello All,

I'll soon be venturing down the Buy to Let Mortgage path and I've been shopping around for best mortgage rates.

One fella I went to see got in touch with Handelsbanken and put forward my cirumstances/money, etc and they replied that they would like to do business with me.

In a week or so I'll be going in to chat with the Manager. Until this point I had never heard of the bank. At present they are opening up a new branch every 10 days in the UK or so they say. This is a private bank and apart from what I have read in articles I have dug up on the internet and a bit about them on this forum and on their limited website I'm not sure exactly what to expect.

Basically if they offer me an mortgage interest rate that isn't as good as one of the high street banks then I'll be going with the high street bank.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with them regarding mortgages and especially buy to lets?

The thought of a local branch 5 mins drive away in the car where I can speak to someone who actually remembers me appeals, but at the end of the day I want the best rate and once I get a mortgage up and running if I have to speak with a bank regularly then there's problems somewhere along the line.

Any advice whatever your opinion is appreciated.

Cheers
bb

Comments

  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    This is a private bank and apart from what I have read in articles I have dug up on the internet and a bit about them on this forum and on their limited website I'm not sure exactly what to expect.

    This is a listed Swedish bank that has been in existance for many years. Behaves in the way UK banks did some 25 years ago. Old fashioned style. With a personal relationship at the core.
  • Jimbo1976
    Jimbo1976 Posts: 498 Forumite
    They are very much an old school lender. Lending decisions are taken locally, rates agreed locally. Local managers do not have lending targets.

    They don't tend to do much "transactional" lending, ie lending to a customer who they are never going to see again. They prefer lending in the local community to local business people who they will deal with in the future.

    They come highly recommended

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21630828

    Good luck
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