FAQs

In a nutshell, the advice process goes a little like this…

1. You’ll start with a free of charge initial consultation on the phone with one of our dedicated advisers. They’ll tell you a bit more about us, and our obligation to always do what is best for you.

2. We’ll then ask you to complete a ‘fact find’ via our online portal, at a time and a place that suits you.

3. From there, we’ll search the market to find the best deals for your unique situation, and advise on all the options available.

You’ll then receive a personalised ‘illustration’ detailing the key features of what we’re recommending.

We can also obtain a Decision in Principle in as little as 2 hours, with your cooperation.

4. If you like what you see, we can submit an application to the lender on your behalf, and liaise with them to get your mortgage through as quick as possible!

5. We’ll also assist you with the next stages – from finding and managing solicitors and insurance providers, all the way through to exchange and completion! We’ll keep in regular contact with these external professionals to get your transaction finished as soon as possible.

Typically, a good mortgage advisor utilises their experience to save you time and hassle, and most importantly find you the best deal.

They will guide you through the process in simple terms, speaking to lenders and advising you on the best solutions available.

They’ll also take into consideration your future plans and goals, insurance needs, and more – to make sure you’re set up properly.

When it’s time to remortgage, they can help you continue to pay as little as possible.

We work for you. Not the lender.

Hiring a Mortgage Advisor takes a lot of the stress and time investment away, as they do the hard work for you – finding the best deal, submitting paperwork, speaking to lenders, and much more.

We believe in being competitive and transparent on fees.

Your initial mortgage consultation is free. You won’t be asked to pay a fee until we have submitted an application on your behalf.

Our fees depend on the product – see the list below or speak to an advisor.

Residential Mortgage & Remortgage

We charge £395 for a decision in Principle plus £200 once the mortgage offer has been offered.

Total fees payable – £990.00.

Buy-to Let Mortgages & Remortgages
Application fee of £395.00 payable on receipt of the lender’s decision in principle and our broker fee from £595 up to 0.50% of the mortgage offer. For example, loan amount £200,000, broker fee payable could be £1,000.00. Total fees payable £1,395.00. A minimum broker fee of £595.00 will be applied on all buy-to-let applications.

Equity Release Mortgages
Our broker fee of £1495.00 payable on completion of your mortgage. Total fees payable – £1,495.00.

Credit Repair Mortgages
Application fee of £395.00 payable on receipt of the lender’s decision in principle and our broker fee equal to 0.5% of the mortgage offer. For example, loan amount £200,000, broker fee payable could be £1,000.00. Total fees payable – £1,395.00. A minimum broker fee of £595.00 will be applied on credit repair applications.

Life Insurance
No fee will be charged by us. You will receive a free quotation from the policy provider.

Your unique situation and goals will determine the amount you can borrow. 

Contact us today to discuss your borrowing potential and eligibility.

Proving your income will depend on the manner in which you are employed, as well as the type of mortgage you are looking for. But the general rules are:

Employed applicant

• 3 months of payslips and bank statements, depending on the lender.

For Self-employed applicants & business owners:

• 2 years tax calculations and tax Overview statements, available from your accountant or HMRC portal

If you run a limited company, lenders will generally take into consideration the salary you have paid yourself, as well as dividends taken or share of profits made.

For contractors:

Lenders may ask for:

• A copy of your work contract including the amount you are being paid
• For most lenders, 2+ years of continued employment that can be evidenced. More specialist lenders can consider 1 year, but this will affect the available rates

Lenders will also consider your line of work, as some professions are predominantly based on contracts, so the likelihood of continuous employment is higher there. By contrast, other professions centre around contracts on short terms or seasonal work only, and so lenders may be more concerned about periods of being out of work.

For more information about proving income for your specific mortgage type, see our ‘Mortgages’ dropdown on the menu, and select your mortgage type.

You don’t have to get a survey, although it is recommended.

As standard, all lenders will carry out a standard valuation for mortgage lending purposes.  This is not designed to be used by the applicant as it will not highlight defects or provide guidance on recommended work.  Should you wish to obtain a more in-depth assessment, you should contact a surveyor to arrange this.

Surveyors will inspect the property and tell you if there are any problems with its condition, ranging from minor to significant structural problems. Getting a survey therefore highlights any issues before you purchase, it may help negotiate with the seller or plans to make repairs, or even find another property – and generally make a fully informed decision.

There are three levels of survey defined by RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors):

RICS Home Survey – Level 1

The cheapest but most basic survey, suitable if you’re buying a conventional property built from common building materials, that’s in reasonable condition.

The Level 1 survey provides a ‘traffic light’ rating of the condition of different parts of the building, services, and the grounds. It lists problems that require varying degrees of attention and an assessment of their urgency or importance. It also includes a summary of risks to the building, people and grounds.

But the report doesn’t include any advice, a valuation or go into great detail.

RICS Home Survey – Level 2

This covers everything you’d get from a Level 1 survey, plus they check roof spaces and cellars. 

They will also recommend any further investigations if the surveyor is unable to reach a confident conclusion, for example if they cannot fully access an area of the property.

RICS Home Survey Level 2 are offered with or without a valuation. If you opt for a Home Survey Level 2 with Valuation, it will also include a market value and an insurance reinstatement figure.

RICS Home Survey – Level 3

This is the most thorough survey offered by RICS. They are the most costly but are very thorough.

It is a good house survey option if you’re buying a property over 50 years old, of unusual design, a listed building or one in poor condition, if you’re planning to renovate, or if you have concerns about the property.

The Level 3 survey includes everything you get with Level 2, plus they describe the identifiable risks and causes of potential or hidden defects in any areas not inspected, such as a floor cavity. It will outline the likely scope of any necessary remedial work and explain the likely consequences of not doing these repairs. You’ll also get advice on the priorities for repairs, and the likely timescales for them.

Find out more on the RICS website.

Should you wish to complain, and we work hard to ensure you never have the need do, speak to your adviser in the first instance or contact us.  You can also write to us if you prefer – contact details can be found here.

We aim to respond to you as quickly as possible but no later than 8 weeks from receipt of your complaint.  Should you remain dissatisfied with our resolution, you can refer your concerns to the Financial Ombudsman Service for an independent review and adjudication.

Yes, this is possible. The property must be in a mortgageable condition however and you should bear in mind that once you have placed a successful bid, you are obliged to proceed with a transaction. A deposit of typically 10% of the bid price is payable on the day, with the remainder due within time scales set by the auction house. You need to consider the maximum amount you can obtain by way of mortgage along with additional funds you need to cover associated fees or any shortfalls if your bid is higher than the lender’s valuation.

A big part of our role is the prevent any to minimise the risk of any application being declined. We do this by obtaining all the relevant information from you and rigorously checking lenders’ criteria so that if we submit an application on your behalf, we are confident it will come back approved. This is just one of the reasons using a mortgage broker is worthwhile.

Outside of this, however, reasons can include a default or CCJ on a loan within the last six years, or recent missed or late payments. Lenders can take these as red flags around your ability to cover mortgage repayments.  Lenders are required to assess all applications to ensure ongoing affordability and regrettably, we cannot prevent a decline in all instances.

If you’re concerned about your credit and its impact on your mortgage options, speak to one of our experienced advisers to explore your options with confidence.

We take all cases individually, so there is no simple answer to this. However, generally ‘bad’ credit’, otherwise known as ‘adverse credit’ is not a dealbreaker, but it may limit your lender options and increase the rates available. 

Speak to an adviser to get a broad understanding of the options with no obligation – your initial consultation with us is free, only pay when we submit an application on your behalf.