British citizens and residents with foreign-sounding names are encountering additional scrutiny and delays when attempting to purchase property in the UK, a property law firm has claimed. Tatiana Sharposhnikova, Chief Executive of Sharpwell Property Law, stated that discrimination exists in the British property market.
According to Sharposhnikova, lenders are applying heightened due diligence based on names rather than actual risk factors. She reported cases where a foreign-sounding name alone was enough to invite extra scrutiny, delay, or refusal.
The firm also reports acting for an increasing number of British residents and citizens whose property purchases are partly financed by family members abroad. These transactions, which may involve parental contributions or inherited funds, are reportedly triggering the same level of scrutiny typically reserved for high-risk transactions.
Sharpwell Property Law suggests that these additional checks are causing delays of several weeks, collapsed property chains, and transaction failures. Sharposhnikova argues that the current system fails to distinguish between legitimate family gifts and genuine risk indicators, stating that due diligence should manage genuine risk, not penalise ordinary financial support.