United Overseas Bank (UOB) launched on Thursday an online calculator to help buyers work out how big a property loan they can take.

The tool will help buyers' determine their total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) for mortgage loan applications.

UOB said in a press release it was developed in response to an earlier bank survey which found that one in three home buyers were unaware or did not understand the TDSR criteria for property loans.

UOB said its tool is "the most comprehensive in the market", covering loans to purchase and to re-finance properties across all property types, including private residences, HDB) flats, international properties and commercial properties.

It offers detailed options for users to pledge various financial assets as additional income streams and can also evaluate the TDSR or mortgage servicing ratio for up to four borrowers.

With this calculator, UOB said it wants to provide consumers with a self-help solution where they can have a clear indication of their loan commitments before they decide to purchase a property.

The calculator is free and is available at: www.uob.com.sg/TDSR. The results are displayed onscreen without requiring consumers to leave their contact details on the website.