Proving the source of money requires providing clear, traceable documentation—typically bank statements, tax returns, or legal contracts—that shows the legitimate origin of funds, such as salary, savings, investments, property sales, or inheritance. Evidence should generally cover the past 3 to 6 months, though older documentation may be required for specific, large lump sums.
Examples of Source of Funds
Your solicitor may request the following:
Acceptable proof of funds (POF) generally includes recent bank statements, official bank letters, investment account statements, or money market account statements, showing readily accessible funds for a transaction like a home purchase or visa application. Key requirements are that the document is recent (often <90 days), clearly shows your name and sufficient balance, and originates from a legitimate financial institution, with official letterhead and a bank official's signature being ideal.
The following are typically accepted:
Acceptable proof of funds (POF) generally includes recent bank statements, official bank letters, investment account statements, or money market account statements, showing readily accessible funds for a transaction like a home purchase or visa application. Key requirements are that the document is recent (often <90 days), clearly shows your name and sufficient balance, and originates from a legitimate financial institution, with official letterhead and a bank official's signature being ideal.
Most lenders will lend 4 to 4.5 times your combined annual household income. Your annual earnings will need to be between £66,000 and £75,000 to borrow £300k. This is above the average UK annual salary, currently £39,039 (January 2026).
Evidence of funds held in a bank account
Certified financial statements: If your funds come from structured financial holdings (such as a trust), statements certified by a financial advisor or accountant may be required. Gift letters: A signed letter from a donor confirming that funds given for a down payment or closing costs are a gift and not a loan.
The "$10,000 bank rule" refers to federal laws requiring financial institutions and businesses to report large cash transactions (deposits, withdrawals, payments) of over $10,000 in currency to the government to combat money laundering and financial crimes. Banks file Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) for cash activity over $10,000, while businesses file Form 8300 for similar payments, both sending info to FinCEN and the IRS to track illicit funds.
Suspicious sources of funds
Typical red flags include: Deposits from many different individuals or companies, possibly indicating an attempt to obscure the origin through smurfing. Deposits from multiple geographic areas outside the client's normal business zone often point to attempts to evade pattern detection.
We are required by the anti-money laundering legislation to check where the money is coming from to buy the property. This can be from savings, mortgages and gifts from relatives, inheritances etc, and this is called a “source of funds” check.
Red flag #1: Suspicious sources of funds
Deposits into accounts or online wallets that are “significantly higher than ordinary with an unknown source of funds, followed by conversion to fiat currency, which may indicate theft of funds.”
The most common documents are:
Supporting documents and proof
Acceptable proof of funds (POF) generally includes recent bank statements, official bank letters, investment account statements, or money market account statements, showing readily accessible funds for a transaction like a home purchase or visa application. Key requirements are that the document is recent (often <90 days), clearly shows your name and sufficient balance, and originates from a legitimate financial institution, with official letterhead and a bank official's signature being ideal.
The AML/CTF compliance officer requests that the customer provide documentation, such as bank account statements, to provide evidence of the source of funds.
Another way to get a bank account statement is by contacting your bank's customer service. (US) 1ー844ー479ー1983 (US/OTX)/+1-888-765-2034 You can call the bank's official support number and request a copy of your statement.
Proof of funds
To demonstrate that you have sufficient funds, you must get official letters from any financial institutions where you are keeping money. average balance for the past 6 months.
bank statements of your cash amount (for cash buyers) further bank statements from past months/years to show how your money has built up over time. evidence of you selling a property (if using the funds to buy the new property) if you've been gifted the money, a letter from whoever gifted the money.
Acceptable proof of funds (POF) generally includes recent bank statements, official bank letters, investment account statements, or money market account statements, showing readily accessible funds for a transaction like a home purchase or visa application. Key requirements are that the document is recent (often <90 days), clearly shows your name and sufficient balance, and originates from a legitimate financial institution, with official letterhead and a bank official's signature being ideal.
Whilst breaking the £100k mark can still feel like a personal career high, it's worth being aware of the tax implications of being in the top 2% of the UK's earners throughout the tax year.
However, most lenders still require your score to be at least 600 for an insured mortgage, even with a co-signer. How long does it take to raise my score enough to buy a home? Raising your credit score enough to buy a home (typically up to at least 600–680) can take anywhere from about 3 to 12 months.