Can my grandson get a mortgage to buy a property in England after three years in Ireland? 

My grandson is 25 years old and has been working as a freelance writer in Ireland for the past three years.

He has decided to return to the north of England later this year, and we have about £40,000 for a down payment so he can buy a property.

He has recently approached Monmouthshire Building Society where he has a small amount of money, and he has also approached his bank Barclays where he has held an account for several years.

Both have told him that he must live in the UK for two years to apply for a mortgage. Is this a legal requirement, or just bank policy, and is there a way around it?

MailOnline Real estate expert Myra Butterworth replies: Before looking at properties for sale, it’s essential to get your finances straight, not least knowing your budget and what type of home you can afford.

This is exactly what you are doing, and it means that you have time to deal with some of the problems that have arisen.

Different lenders have different lending criteria and so you should shop around for a deal that suits your circumstances.

We speak with a mortgage advisor for some suggestions on who to approach and how much you can possibly borrow.

Mark Harris, from mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, replies: ‘Policies regarding applicants and their residency status vary by lender.

Some require the applicant to live in the UK for three years, while others will borrow from day one when the applicant returns to the UK.

However, it should be noted that all applications are also subject to a credit score or profile acceptable to the lender.

Not all mortgage lenders accept foreign income and some only accept pounds sterling

Another area that may limit your grandson’s options is the fact that his income has been in dollars.

Not all lenders accept foreign income and some only accept pounds sterling. In this case, his application would have to wait until a track record is proven and available to the lender.

Finally, the type of work your grandson returns to in the UK can make a difference. Should he move to a PAYE role, some first day lenders will find this acceptable. But if he continues down the road of self-employment, that same lender may require proof of income for 12 months before agreeing to borrow.

Based on the assumptions of a UK national returning to the UK, with an income in Euros and who is self-employed, the good news is that there are options for your grandson without having to wait two years to get a mortgage to get.

Lenders such as HSBC would be happy to accept day-one loans and use Euro income – although a reduction in income would be used for a self-employed applicant.

While no income data is provided, your grandson could use a rough income of 4.75 times — if the mortgage is less than 85 percent loan value — as a guideline. However, at the time of application, he will be faced with a full affordability assessment.

Average house prices in the North East and North West are £163,000 ad £214,000, according to government figures for January, with £208,000 for Yorkshire and the Humber.

So a £40,000 down payment would be substantial, although your grandson would need to allocate some of that money towards the costs associated with buying a property. The good news is that as a first-time buyer, he pays no stamp duty on a purchase of up to £425,000.