Compare Mortgage Rates from Hampden & Co Against the Market starting at 3.47%

About Hampden & Co

Headquartered in Edinburgh’s historic Charlotte Square, with a major office in London, Hampden & Co was established to provide a traditional, service-led alternative to the automated, computer-driven banking of the high street.

Their lending philosophy is manual and bespoke and they do not use rigid credit scoring. Instead, a dedicated banker and credit committee assess every mortgage application on its individual merits. This makes them a key lender for people with complex financial circumstances, such as entrepreneurs, partners in law firms, or those with multi-currency income.

Mortgage & Property Finance Products

Hampden & Co offers a range of bespoke borrowing solutions. They generally do not have "off-the-shelf" products with fixed interest rates published online; terms are tailored to the client.

• Residential Mortgages:

  • Complex Income: They specialise in lending to professionals with irregular income (e.g., bonuses, profit shares, dividends) that high-street banks struggle to verify

  • High Loan-to-Value (LTV): While many private banks require huge deposits, Hampden & Co can be flexible, potentially lending up to 95% LTV for the right client (e.g., a high-earning professional purchasing their first home)

  • Guarantor / Family Mortgages: They offer "Family Assist" style mortgages where parents can help children onto the property ladder using their own assets or income as security

• Buy-to-Let (BTL):

  • For clients building a property portfolio

  • They can lend to Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and limited companies

  • They are experts in Holiday Let finance for short-term rental properties

• Self-Build Mortgages:

  • A specialist product for clients building their own home. They can lend up to 70% LTV of the land and build costs, releasing funds in stages as the project progresses

• Retirement Interest-Only (RIO):

  • Lending for older borrowers who wish to release equity or manage inheritance tax planning. They assess affordability based on pension and investment income

• Multi-Property Mortgages:

  • A single facility secured against multiple properties (e.g., a main home and a holiday home), allowing for easier management of total borrowing

Pros and Cons of Hampden & Co

Here is a balanced overview of choosing Hampden & Co for your lending.

Pros:

• Bespoke Underwriting: Decisions are made by humans who understand complex wealth. If you have £2m in assets but low monthly "salary," they can structure a loan that works for you

• Single Point of Contact: You deal with a named Private Banker, not a call centre

• Speed: Despite being a private bank, they are known for moving quickly on decisions because the decision-makers are in-house

• Flexible Terms: They can often create terms that suit your cash flow, such as interest-only periods or lending against diverse asset classes

Cons:

• High Entry Barrier: As a private bank, they typically require you to move your day-to-day banking to them. There is usually a monthly fee for the banking service, and they generally look for clients with high income (e.g., £100k+) or significant assets

• Interest Rates: Private bank mortgage rates are often variable (linked to the Bank of England Base Rate) and can be higher than the ultra-low fixed rates offered by mass-market lenders like HSBC or Santander

• No Branches: They have offices in Edinburgh and London, but no high-street branch network

Customer Service and Reviews

Hampden & Co has built an exceptional reputation for service.

• Awards: They were voted "Private Bank of the Year (UK)" at the Spear’s Wealth Management Awards and have won "Best Private Bank" accolades multiple times

• Client Satisfaction: In their own client surveys, they consistently report very high Net Promoter Scores (NPS), with clients praising the return to "old-fashioned" banking values where the banker knows the client's family and business inside out

How to Apply for a Mortgage

You cannot apply via a comparison site. Access is relationship-based:

1. Become a Client: Typically, you must become a private banking client to access their mortgage lending. You can enquire directly via their website or phone to arrange a meeting with a banker

2. Through an Intermediary: Hampden & Co works closely with a select network of mortgage brokers and professional advisers (accountants, solicitors). A broker like ourselves can introduce you to the bank and help present your complex income case to the lending team. Get started now to speak with one of our knowledgeable advisers