Frequently Asked Questions

The rate you get will depend on the lender most suited to you, and your unique circumstances. Your credit history, employment type, deposit and even the type of property you are buying can affect the rate you are eligable for. As we are able to check the whole of the mortgage market, we can match you with a wide range of lenders and work through their products with you to make sure we get you the most appropriate deal.

A decision in principle is only as accurate as the information used to create it! Its as simple as that. Most lenders will do a credit check at decision in principle stage and this combined with the information provided will determine if it is a success, and if it is a success how much a lender will lend. We work on the basis that we wont do a decision in principle unless we have the full picture of the case – so you can be sure that a decision in principle from us is as an accurate reflection of your ability to gain a mortgage as it can be. And don’t worry. A decision in principle doesnt tie you to a specific lender – if there is a better option once you are ready to move forwards, we will find it for you!! Its all part of the service.

Your monthly payments are determined by the product and lender, as well as the type of mortgage we obtain for you. Our advisers will always go through the details of a product before commiting anything to an application, including the likely costs for any additional extras (such as insurance, ground rent charges and so on). We aim to make sure that you know the whole picture when buying a house.

Absolutely – depending on what those issues are. There are lenders for all circumstances, and our we have specialist advisers who purely deal with clients with a complex history of credit issues. Even if you have been bankrupt in the past, we have potential solutions for you! And even if you arent able to obtain a mortgage right now, we will coach you through getting to a position where you can move forwards. We are in this with you for the long run!

A shared ownership mortgage is where you buy a percentage of the property and the remaining percentage is owned by the housing association. Along with the mortgage on the bit you own, you also pay rent on the part you dont. A common misconception is that shared ownership mortgages are a more affordable way of getting on the property ladder, however the monthly costs normally end up comparable to if you owned the property outright. What does get easier is that your deposit requirements become much lower (as you only need to find enough deposit to cover the requirement for the percentage you are going to own). In short, Shared Ownership mortgages help those with a low deposit, but dont really help if you cant afford the monthly repayments of a property outright

Absolutely. Many lenders have extended their maximum mortgage term up to age 75 or 80. If you are looking beyond that, there are options for Retirement Interest Only, Lifetime Mortgages and other schemes that can assist. Our skilled advisers will be able to talk you through your options, along with your ambitions for the property in those later years.

The deposit you need will really depend on your specific circumstances. There are even products that need no deposit if you fit the lenders criteria! Some things to consider are that you can boost your deposit with gifts, reductions in purchase price (for example, if buying from your landlord at a lower price), and remember that some savings accounts give you a bonus when buying a house. In general, the lower deposit the higher the interest rate and the stricter the lenders are – but our advisers can work through your options whatever your deposit is, and help you plan to be in a position to get the house of your dreams.

There are 3 major credit report agencies – Equifax, Experian and Transunion. Each of these have their own free statuatory reports, and also paid options. However we recommend “Check My File” as the report shows all three agencies in one report. Different lenders report in to different credit reports, so if you have found you have a clean report on Experian but you have been declined at a decision in principle due to credit history, its worth checking out the other two agencies (or get the Check My File report!).

Yes you can – however it should be a last resort as ultimately can be a lot more expensive that managing the repayments on unsecured lender. A second charge loan or further advance can be approached for this purpose, but many lenders will limit the amount you can pull out of the property if the reason is for debt consolidation. Also, if arranging a second charge, your main mortgage lender needs to give permission for the loan to be secured on the property.

Yes they can! There are several options for family to assist – from adding to the deposit, all the way up to helping you by being on the mortgage as an income booster. If you find that this may be a solution for you, we can check through the various schemes available and let you know what options you have.