Definition of "main residence"

*Adam*

I've tried searching/googling for this but just can't seem to find the right answers, so if anyone on here can help I would appreciate it!

Both currently live and work in the Midlands, but partner is from Northern Ireland and wants to buy back home. We would be first time buyers. If we find what seems to be the perfect house now, our plan is to keep living in our rental over here on a rolling contract, and flying back home in the weekend (fly Fri, fly back Mon). This would mean 4 nights in Birmingham and 3 nights in NI. 

Would this be enough to satisfy the "main residence" parts of the mortgage? We have budgeted to pay council tax over in England and Rates in NI so it's not like we would be trying to avoid those - and we would register to vote in NI. I can't see why this would be an issue as the house wouldn't be "empty", we have family in the local area so it could also be checked regularly.

Any advice someone with more knowledge than me could give would be greatly appreciated!

theartfullodger

What definition of "main residence" (if any) is given in mortgage paperwork, please?

user1977

For how long do you expect to be continuing this arrangement? It's one thing to be staying in weekday "digs" during, say, temporary work contracts away from home (which wouldn't become your main residence), but if you're retaining your current main residence and staying in work permanently, what would make the NI house not just a weekend holiday home?

(and you're allowed to register to vote at holiday homes, so that doesn't in itself prove anything)

Snookie12cat

The mortgage company might not like that you are clearly not living in it full time and that your work is so far from the house to be your main residence. It's more likely to be a holiday home in NI and then you would need s different mortgage.

You are best to speak to a broker, because the house being non commutable to your work place is likely to raise alarm bells with a lender.

*Adam*

The aim would be to either switch to a WFH contract where I am only in the office for 2 days within my current employer, which would mean 1 night in the Midlands and in that situation I would just stay in a hotel, or ask for a transfer to an office in Northern Ireland (both options are potentially on the table as I am employed in the public sector). My partner is a Specialist Optometrist and it is normal in her line of work for people to work for multiple employers - so she could reduce her hours over here and arrange work in Northern Ireland as well, which is the long term plan.

The problem we are having is that in order to get positions over there, we need to live over there. But can we buy the house first before looking for work, because it seems like we need to live over there first but we can't if we work over here, if you get me?

FYI - we havent made any offers yet, but found a house we might offer on.

user1977

As mentioned above, lenders are wary about purchases far away from your (current) workplace, as it's often a flag of somebody actually buying a BTL or holiday home. May be easier to rent there while looking for work.

K_S

@*Adam* If your income is large enough (as per lender calcs) to support the rental property and the desired size of mortgage in NI, and your deposit is sizeable enough, you should be able to find a lender willing to lend on the NI purchase at mainstream/ish rates. 

What you've outlined is uncommon but not very uncommon to be honest. When I used to work in Canary wharf, pre-covid, there were plenty of finance professionals working in the City or Canary Wharf that lived a flight away from London City Airport and flew in on Monday morning and back on Thursday/Friday afternoon. Never had any significant issues placing their residential mortgages outside London tbh.

I very very rarely do NI mortgages, so the above is based on EWS. The fact that the property is in NI will thin the number of potential lenders but hopefully you'll be able to find one that uses common sense underwriting.