UK Lenders for Non-Resident Shareholders

searcher profile

December 27, 2024

by a searcher in Reykjavík, Iceland

Does anyone know of UK lenders who are open to financing companies with non-UK resident shareholders? Most banks want to run KYC and AML checks, which can get tricky when major shareholders aren’t based in the UK.

Have any of you come across lenders who are flexible with this, or found smart ways to structure ownership or operations to work around it? Would love to hear your experiences.


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Reply by a professional
from Lancaster University in London, UK
Hi Omar, I have never seen this become an issue. UK lenders will seek KYC/AML for shareholders over a certain threshold so you are only really concerned with major shareholders. I have also seen lenders get their heads around relatively complicated non-UK structures so don't think I would call this out as a problem area. Investors don't particularly like it but its part of the price of doing business in the UK (and many other places) and most/all non-UK investors I have worked with accept this. Your professional advisers and bank account providers will probably ask for similar information so you will end up needing it anyway. Good luck!
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