Key documentation required for a French mortgage application French lenders rely almost entirely on supporting documentation to make prudent lending decisions.
You will find below a list of the documentation required for a mortgage application: this is a "general" list covering many different client circumstances and situations and you need to draw from this documentation menu the specific items which relate to your own particular circumstances. The documentation relevant to your circumstances will be needed, along with an appropriate application form(s) for the mortgage scheme concerned, which can be emailed to you. Good quality photocopies of the majority of the items listed are perfectly acceptable - except where indicated in the list below that "originals" are required.

Note: if you wish to apply to "pre-qualify" for a mortgage prior to finding a property, then you can (initially) ignore all items which specifically relate to a property transaction, such as a "compromis de vente" or other types of sales contract etc. However, all other items would need to be available to make this type of initial mortgage application.

Please note when presenting your material to us, it helps us greatly if you DO NOT staple items together if possible, please.

Standard items (required for each and every mortgage applicant)

Passport (the photo and personal details sections only). Please note that the photo itself must be reasonably clear - photos which come out in "silhouette" form are not acceptable.

Birth certificate(s). Please note it is not essential for male applicants to provide a birth certificate (i.e. if it cannot be located) provided that a copy of the passport (i.e. as under point 1 above) is provided. However, for female applicants, it is very important to provide the birth certificate in all cases.

Marriage Certificate (and if any applicant is divorced, the Decree)

Most recent (yearly) mortgage statement for ANY / ALL mortgages held (or your "rent book", if you rent your current home - unless all monthly rental payments show on your current account bank statements).

Most recent Credit Card statement(s) for all cards held - regardless of balances owing.

Last 3 months' personal bank statements. If you have more than one current account you will need to provide statements for ALL current accounts you may hold. Self employed clients should note that business bank statements are not required - only personal bank account statements are relevant.

Proof of your property deposit - please provide a photocopy of the savings / bank account(s) holding your deposit monies in Sterling (or your local currency, if different - or in Euros of course) - At this stage, this can be in an account based anywhere - it does not have to be in France itself. If you intend to borrow the deposit money, then please contact us so this can be discussed and the means of verification discussed.

Most recent loan statements(s) - if you have any personal loans with a bank / finance company etc, you should provide the most recent statement, or obtain it asap from the lender(s) concerned. Please note for self employed clients that this is NOT required if the loans concerned are paid from your business bank account and the costs of the loans are already taken into account in the profit and loss figures for your business etc.

Recent and original Utility bill (less than 3 months old) - ie a recent bill / statement for Gas, Electricity, Phone or similar basic utilities, which should show your name and main residence address.

Employed applicant(s) - excluding those with more than 20% of the shares of the "employing company" - for whom separate guidance is give further below

Last 3 months' payslips

Last two P60s (an annual summary of tax and national insurance paid - for US clients the equivalent certificate is known as a "W-2")

Original letter from your current employer, addressed to French Mortgage Connection, 20 Park Road, Fordingbridge, Hants, SP6 1EQ stating the following:-

~ Job Title
~ Length of Service
~ Gross annual salary
~ Any bonus or other payments made
~ That the job is a permanent position.

This letter must be on Company letterhead and signed by a duly authorised person within the company.

Clients with "other" income sources - including "Buy to Let" rental income(s) - i.e. income which is not directly from either "Employment" or "Self Employment"

If you have any other sources of income (income which is not from employment or self employment) - for example: pension, investment or rental incomes.Please provide appropriate evidence of any such income - by way of banking or investment account statements, pensions statements etc showing the income actually received. If the income derives from renting out property, please provide copies of all tenancy agreements currently in force together with copies of the last yearly lenders' statement - if the property you rent out is currently mortgaged (i.e. its a "Buy to Let" type property arrangement).

Company Directors (with their own Limited Company) who own 20% or more of the total shares.

If paid partly under PAYE, please provide payslips for the last 3 months, and your last two P60s, and the last two self assessment returns. A lender may (or may not) call for profit and loss accounts for the business, on a ad hoc basis.

"Self Employed" applicant(s) who are Sole Traders or Partners in business Partnerships etc

Last 2 years Profit and Loss accounts (and if applicable) Balance Sheets. If your business is not required to provide such accounts then please contact us for further guidance.

Last 2 years Self Assessment Income Tax returns

Documentation in respect of the French property

1. Copy of the Compromis de Vente / Promesse de Vente. Please note that, if necessary, the Compromis / Promesse can be sent on later. Please do not delay your application purely on account of the availability of this particular item. However, it will be required - asap. If you are buying a "brand new" property, please see points 3 or 4 (below) for the documentation required.

2. If you are buying an existing second hand property (ie not a new build), then please provide a photo of the exterior of the property either via email (if you have any digital images etc), or via more traditional means. If you have no images of your own to pass to us, but have a set of Estate Agents' details, please provide those if they have a photo of the property, or if the property is featured on a website, please provide the website address (ie the precise URL / website address which brings up the property entry concerned etc). Providing photos of what you are buying can sometimes speed up the processing for your application very significantly - ie if a lender can see what they are lending on. This suggestion is especially important for cases where you are applying for a mortgage in excess of 70% of the purchase price. If you also have some internal shots of the property, these are useful, although external ones are the more important. Please do not send us MORE than five digital images by email or post - we do not want / need to see every last aspect of the property !

3. If you are wishing to borrow for renovation work(s) to an existing property, then we will require full written estimates for all proposed works. These must be from a properly registered French builder. If planning permission is required for the works in question, then a copy of this will also be required by the lender, at outset.

4. For brand new property on a development / complex, where stage payments are required by a developer, we will require (1) a copy of any / all available brochures, floor plans and specifications, (2) the "Vente l'Etat futur d'achevement", (known as a "VEFA" contract - for short) and the "Contrat de reservation", which should confirm the price, dates and amounts of stage payments, full technical specification, and (3) any separate "Notice Descriptive / Presentation Generale" (the schedules of internal finishes, fittings etc)

5. For individual property construction, where the buyer is buying a plot of land and then having a house constructed to their own individual specification, we will need (1) a copy of the full plans, the planning permission (le Permis de construire) (2) the formal contract with the builder, (3) the Notice Descriptive / Presentation Generale (schedule of internal specifications) and (4) the contract for the purchase of the land. Please note that builders must be properly registered in France and able to offer all appropriate insurances for both the construction (known as "l'assurance Dommages Ouvrages") and a guarantee for the completion of the project in the event of their own insolvency etc (known as "un Attestation nominative de Garantie de Livraison / les garanties nominatives de livraison").

Our contact details

Postal Address: French Mortgage Connection, 20 Park Road, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1EQ. United Kingdom

Tel: + 44 (0) 1425 653408

Fax Nos: + 44 (0)1425 655221 OR (if the fax is busy) + 44 (0) 845 2992276

Email: info@french-mortgage-connection.com

Statutory Warnings: Your home is at risk if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loan secured upon it.
The Sterling equivalent of your liability under a foreign currency mortgage may be increased by exchange rate movements.
A Life Insurance policy will be required for each mortgage borrower.
All mortgages are subject to Status and are not available to those under age 18 years. Written details upon request.