Mortgage Advice for the Self Employed
Get expert property purchasing guidance specific to independent professionals.
If you’re self employed and need a mortgage to buy a home or rental property, you need expert advice from people who know how you work.
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First Time Buyer
Traditional lenders often struggle to accommodate those earning a day rate instead of a fixed annual salary. Without regular payslips or a lengthy financial history, securing a mortgage—particularly your first—can be challenging. We work exclusively with providers who understand your way of working.
Find out moreHome Mover
Let us help reduce the moving home headaches. As a business owner, professional or contractor, you don’t have the regular payslip that most mortgage providers look for. But that shouldn’t stop you from moving home if you want to. That’s why we calculate what you can afford based on your day rate and only select mortgage providers that understand the way you receive your income. Find out moreRemortgages
Looking for a better mortgage deal when you’re not on PAYE can be tough. Without a steady salary or several years of accounts, many lenders simply aren’t interested. But if you’re hoping to secure better rates to save money or release equity from your property, you need expert advice and a lender who understands your income structure.
Find out moreBuy to Let
There are numerous ways to make your money go further, and property investment is one of the most effective. However, getting a Buy to Let mortgage can be challenging if you don’t have a regular monthly salary. For those earning a day rate, meeting the strict requirements set by most lenders can be difficult, making it harder to secure a mortgage of the right size and causing valuable investment opportunities to slip away. We’re here to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
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Get your free Mortgage guide
Whether you’re buying your first home, remortgaging, moving house or investing in a Buy To Let property, our mortgage guide is packed with useful advice. Explore the available products and find plenty of tips to help make the process as straightforward as possible.
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FAQs
Can I get a mortgage if I earn a day rate, rather than PAYE?
Yes. Of course, there are factors that impact a contractor’s eligibility, but just by being self-employed, you should not expect to be turned down by a lender as long as they understand contractors and contracting. However, factors that would prevent anyone from securing a mortgage, such as a poor credit history or a bad payment record will apply just as much. to contractors as to employees.
Can I get a mortgage if I have only just started contracting?
Yes! As long as we can see you’ve got a history in the same line of work and in the same industry in which you are now contracting, there are lenders who accept new contractors.
What is a freehold?
The freeholder of a property owns it outright, including the land it’s built on. If you buy a freehold, you’re responsible for maintaining your property and land, so you’ll need to budget for these costs. Most houses are freehold but some might be leasehold – usually through shared-ownership schemes.
Why should I use a specialist Contractor broker?
By all means, go to a high street lender to satisfy your curiosity, but in most cases, the lender will have issues with how income reaches the contractor. High street lenders understand dividends, but business owners, professionals and contractors who are tax efficient and only draw down a minimum salary and dividends to meet their needs won’t look good. Specialist brokers like us go to the same lenders you see in the high street but at the head office underwriter level. This means they are speaking to people with a bigger lending mandate and a knowledge of this sector contractors, and they use the contract to define a contractor’s income.
Do I need three years of company accounts before I apply?
Lots of contractors have the misconception that they cannot get a mortgage without three years of accounts. Whereas that might have been the case several decades ago, this is certainly no longer true.
What is a key facts illustration?
A key facts illustration, or ‘KFI’, is a document given by a lender that details all of the important information relating to your mortgage and loan. It is specific and tailored to you and should be checked over before your full mortgage application is made by your adviser.
Do I qualify to be assessed for a mortgage on contract value?
Lenders who specialise in mortgages for those earning a day rate typically assess the amount that can be borrowed on the annualised contract value. Each client is evaluated on the basis of their personal circumstances, generally, they can borrow a multiple of their annualised contract value.
However, they need to be in a contract at the time of the application and must be able to demonstrate continuity. A contractor applying with their first contract can get a mortgage as long as they have had continuity of employment before approaching the broker.