The mortgage market is larger and more varied than the high street suggests. For every mainstream lender with narrow criteria, there are specialist lenders with manual underwriting, genuine flexibility and an appetite for the cases that everyone else declines.
A decline from a standard lender is not always the end, because specialist lenders with manual underwriting consider complex income, adverse credit, non-standard properties and specialist borrowers. Not every case can be placed, and specialist lending often carries higher rates and fees, so the application needs to go to the right lender first time.
Getting to those lenders, and knowing how to present a case they will look at favourably, is what specialist broking actually is.
This is the core of what we do.
Self-employed directors, contractors on day rates, CIS workers, people with multiple income streams, recent incorporation, income that a tax return understates significantly.
Missed payments, defaults, CCJs, previous bankruptcy or IVA, thin credit history. The age, severity and reason for the adverse event all affect which lenders will consider the case.
Unusual construction types, short leases, properties above commercial premises, high-rise flats, properties with previous fire or flood damage, non-standard title situations.
Expat and foreign national applicants, non-UK income, complex residency situations, first-time buyers with non-standard circumstances.
We assess your situation, identify the lenders with genuine appetite for your case, and present the application in a way that gives it the best possible chance.
A declined application leaves a mark on your credit file. Placing the application correctly the first time matters.
Lender criteria varies and is subject to change. Not every complex case can be placed. We do not guarantee outcomes. What we do is bring the expertise and lender relationships that give your application the strongest possible foundation.
For regulated mortgage products, your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Specialist lending often carries higher rates and fees than mainstream lending. Full terms will be set out in the documentation issued before any application.
If you are self-employed, see our self-employed mortgage guide. If your income is structured through a limited company, read the company director mortgage guide or, if you contract, the contractor mortgage guide. If you work under the Construction Industry Scheme, see CIS mortgages.
Mortgage application declined? The common reasons lenders refuse, what you can do about each one, and how a broker improves your chances next time.
A clear UK guide to getting a mortgage with credit defaults: which defaults matter most, how long they last, affordability, and how a specialist broker can help.
What a non-standard mortgage is, examples of non-standard construction, why these properties need specialist finance, and how a broker can help.
Five practical tips for self-employed mortgage applicants: prepare documents, build credit, show consistent income, balance deductions and use a broker.
Step-by-step instructions for downloading your SA302 and tax year overview from HMRC online, the documents lenders ask self-employed applicants for.
UK expat or foreign national looking for a UK mortgage? Specialist lenders exist for those the high street turns away. Expert advice from The Mortgage Consultancy.
Struggling to pay your mortgage? A supportive UK guide to your options, talking to your lender, arrears, government help like SMI, and where to get free debt advice.
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