Case Study: Securing a £1.8m Mortgage in London Using RSUs and Bonus Income

Location: London

Loan Amount: £1.8 million
Finance Category: Residential Mortgage

The Story

A senior executive at a leading global tech firm approached us to purchase a £3 million family home in London. While their base salary was substantial, much of their annual income came from Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and sizeable performance bonuses.

Many mainstream lenders were reluctant to fully consider these income streams, making it challenging for the client to secure the borrowing power they genuinely qualified for. This is a common issue for professionals in the tech sector — as we cover in our guide to using vested stock and RSUs for mortgage affordability.

Understanding the Client’s Needs

Our advisors quickly identified that the client’s income structure was non-standard but consistent:

• A high base salary that was reliable, but insufficient on its own.
• A large annual cash bonus, variable but paid regularly for the past five years.
• RSU awards vesting quarterly, forming a predictable and significant income stream.

The client needed a lender who would treat RSUs and bonuses as credible, long-term income, not just “extras” — a challenge many borrowers face when looking for the best mortgage lenders for annual bonus income.

The Challenge

Most high street lenders undervalue or even exclude RSUs and bonus income from their affordability models. For this client, that would have reduced their borrowing capacity by hundreds of thousands of pounds, forcing them to compromise on their family home.

We needed to find a lender who could:

• Count vested RSUs as reliable income.
• Recognise a strong track record of annual bonus payments.
• Offer a high-value mortgage product suitable for prime London property.

The Solution

By leveraging our relationships with private banks and specialist lenders, we identified institutions accustomed to working with senior executives and high-net-worth mortgage clients whose wealth structures don’t fit neat lending boxes.

Through careful negotiation, we secured:

• A £1.8 million mortgage facility.
• Full consideration of vested RSUs and 75% of annual bonus income.
• A flexible structure, allowing overpayments when bonuses were received.
• Competitive interest rates reflecting the client’s strong financial standing.

Client Satisfaction and Long-Term Relationship

This structure allowed the client to comfortably secure their London home, with the flexibility to pay down the loan as their RSUs vested and bonuses came in.

They were delighted not only with the outcome but also with finding a lender that understood the realities of modern remuneration in the tech industry. The success of this case has led to an ongoing relationship, with the client now engaging us for future investment planning.

Strive: Your Mortgage Advisor in London

This case highlights our ability to handle complex income structures for high-net-worth professionals, particularly where bonuses and RSUs form a major part of total earnings.

At Strive, we specialise in presenting these cases to the right lenders, ensuring our clients achieve the borrowing power they truly deserve. If you’re in a similar position — whether in tech, finance, or another high-paying sector — speak to a trusted mortgage advisor in London today.

👉 We’ll help you secure the right lender, the right structure, and the right long-term solution.