Which Spanish banks lend to UK buyers in Las Palmas

Spain has dozens of banks, savings banks and regional lenders, but their enthusiasm for non-resident mortgages is not uniform. A bank with a strong branch network and years of experience financing holiday homes in Las Palmas may have almost no appetite in a province where it has never lent to a foreign buyer before. For a reader asking about Las Palmas specifically, the honest answer is: it depends on which banks are active there right now, and that changes.

This is the gap an intermediary is meant to close. We do not apply to one bank and hope; we compare current criteria across more than 20 Spanish banks, check which of them have recent non-resident approvals near Las Palmas, and only then prepare a file aimed at the two or three most likely to say yes.

Las Palmas covers the eastern Canary Islands, including Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura, known for their volcanic landscapes and year-round mild climate. Buyers are often drawn by the subtropical setting and the possibility of outdoor living outside the typical mainland Spanish seasons, including retirees and remote workers.

Airports on the main islands provide regular international connections, supporting both holiday visits and longer stays throughout the year. Property types include coastal apartments, villas, and traditional island houses, with tourism present year-round but often peaking during winter months.

This section brings together dated, sourced data on Las Palmas (province): who lives there, what properties are asking for, how the area connects to the rest of Spain, and its climate. Reading them first should give you a clearer, realistic sense of Las Palmas (province) before you size a mortgage budget.

On 1 January 2025 the INE recorded 1,171,547 residents across the entire province of Las Palmas, a figure that includes every municipality, not just the capital that shares its name. These official population data set the context for the local market figures below. In the province of Las Palmas, 171,235 residents hold a foreign nationality, about 15 of every 100 people registered there. That is a significant but not dominant share, and it varies considerably from one town to another within the province.

On 1 January 2025, INE counted 12,622 British nationals registered in the province of Las Palmas, a real presence without being one of the largest foreign communities there. It still points to a visible, ongoing community across the province. In 2021, 13,948 were registered, more than the current figure. The decline often reflects people leaving the area or dropping off the padrón rather than any sudden exodus. The following table shows the leading foreign nationalities registered in Las Palmas (province) on 1 January 2025, according to the municipal-level data INE makes available.

Beyond the main nationalities listed above, the INE also registers smaller groups, Germans, Italians, Dutch, Belgians or Scandinavians among them, across Las Palmas province. This breakdown reflects 1 January 2022, the last edition counting every nationality individually, a different year from the table above.

Our price bank includes 4,501 homes for sale throughout the province of Las Palmas, with a median of €2,750/m² and a median ticket of €250,000. Both numbers land close to the €3,135/m² median of the 130 towns we track across Spain. Prices vary considerably from one listing to the next, though the bulk of the market, its middle half, falls between €1,840 and €4,020 per square metre.

Based on €250,000, the median asking price in Las Palmas (province), transfer tax at 6.5 % comes to roughly €16,200; add about €3,000 for notary, registry and gestoría costs and the total reaches approximately €19,200. This amount sits outside the mortgage and has to be available in cash before completion. The figures reflect asking prices in listings live on 2026-11-01, rather than prices actually paid. Final amounts are agreed through negotiation and vary with the state, location and orientation of each property.

Below is a comparison of the towns we follow in Las Palmas, covering inhabitants, foreign residents per 100 inhabitants and median asking prices per square metre across the province.

According to INE's experimental estimate from holiday-rental platform listings, Las Palmas (province) had 26,998 tourist dwellings in 05/2026, offering 115,284 bed places and close to 23 per 1,000 residents. The presence is moderate overall, but a regional licence remains necessary for tourist letting.

Las Palmas (province) is served by these commercial airports: Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria (LPA), Aeropuerto de Lanzarote (ACE), Aeropuerto de Fuerteventura (FUE). Readers should check which one connects with their home airport in the season they intend to fly, since this can change throughout the year. The figures that follow reflect conditions in or around Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the provincial capital; elsewhere in the province, particularly inland, at altitude or on other islands, the climate can vary considerably. The mean temperature in January is 17.9 °C (average daily minimum 15.0 °C) and in August 24.6 °C (average daily maximum 27.5 °C), marking a genuinely mild winter. Heating needs tend to be modest compared with much of Europe. Rainfall is low: about 151 mm a year, spread over roughly 22 days with measurable rain. Climate data come from AEMET's 1981-2010 normals, recorded at its Gran Canaria Aeropuerto station around 24 km away; the actual spot may vary a little, particularly further inland or higher up.

13,337 home sales were registered in the province of Las Palmas in the twelve months to 07/2026, according to INE. A market of this size usually means more comparable sales and a wider choice of homes for buyers. Bear in mind that these numbers reflect the province of Las Palmas overall; they shift a great deal between towns and between individual properties. Let us know what you have in mind so we can look at your case.

The transfer tax on a resale home is set by each Spanish region. In Las Palmas the general rate is 6,5 %, and on top of it come notary, land registry and gestoría (roughly one more percent). On a new build you pay 10 % VAT plus stamp duty instead of the transfer tax. This money is not lent by the bank.

Before we tell a UK client which banks are worth approaching for a property in Las Palmas, we look at three things: whether the bank has a branch or a dedicated non-resident desk covering Las Palmas, whether it has recently valued or financed similar properties in the area, and whether its current internal policy still welcomes applicants who are tax resident in the United Kingdom. Policies shift; a bank that was active a year ago can tighten its criteria, and one that ignored an area can suddenly open it up.

We also factor in the type of property. A resale flat in a town centre, a new-build on the coast and a rural finca near Las Palmas are not treated the same way by every lender, because valuation rules and risk appetite differ by asset type as much as by region.

Once we know which banks are realistic candidates for a property in Las Palmas, we help the client assemble a file built around documents most Spanish banks recognise, even though the exact list varies by lender. For a buyer based in the United Kingdom, this typically includes a recent P60 and payslips, the last filed Self Assessment tax return, bank statements from the last few months, evidence of any existing loans or mortgage commitments, and a valid passport. Some banks ask for a sworn translation of these documents, and occasionally an apostille, so we flag this early rather than at the last minute.

Because the United Kingdom uses the pound rather than the euro, we also remind clients to budget for currency conversion and exchange-rate movements when transferring funds to Spain, since this can affect both the deposit and the ongoing mortgage payments.

Choosing a bank is only part of the picture. On top of the price, a buyer in Las Palmas should budget for transfer tax (ITP) set by the region for a resale home, or 10% VAT plus stamp duty on a new build, as well as notary, land registry, gestoría and the bank's own valuation fee. These costs do not change by lender, but the mortgage term offered, running to around age 70-75 and available as fixed, variable or mixed rate, does vary, and that affects which bank suits a particular buyer best.

Once the property is owned, non-residents must file an annual Modelo 210 tax return, and Spain's double taxation agreement with the United Kingdom means a local tax adviser should confirm exactly how rental income or any future gain is to be declared both in Spain and to HMRC. If the property is later sold, the buyer withholds 3% of the price on account of the seller's Spanish tax.

Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.

Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.

Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.