Self Employed Mortgage Advice
Find the ideal mortgage options for your unique needs
Think you can’t buy a rental property, your first home or move house because you’re self employed? Think again. We’ll help you find the mortgage you need.
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Expert Mortgage Advice for Contractors, Freelancers & Business Owners
Getting a mortgage shouldn’t be harder just because you don’t fit into a standard 9-to-5 job. At Broadbench, we specialise in helping contractors (both inside and outside of IR35), freelancers, limited company directors, and self-employed professionals access the right mortgage for their circumstances—whether you’re buying your first home, moving, remortgaging, or investing in property.
We understand that your income might come from dividends, day rates, or project-based contracts: not payslips or predictable monthly salaries. That’s why we work exclusively with mortgage lenders who recognise the unique earning structures of independent professionals. With years of experience in contractor mortgages and access to a wide range of specialist lenders, we can help you secure the property finance you need, without jumping through unnecessary hoops.
We regularly help clients with:
- Mortgages for limited company directors
- Self-employed and freelancer mortgage advice
- Day rate contractor mortgage deals
- Buy to Let mortgages for business owners
- Remortgages for high earners without PAYE income
Where most banks see complexity, we see opportunity.
Our Mortgage Products
First-Time Buyer
Buying your first home is exciting, but for contractors, freelancers, or limited company directors, the process can feel needlessly complex. Traditional lenders often rely on payslips and fixed salaries, which means your income structure may not fit their criteria. That’s where we come in.
Home Mover
Moving house shouldn’t be harder just because you run your own business. If you're a contractor, small business owner, or freelancer looking to move, you’ve likely encountered lenders who don't understand your income model or ask for years of accounts that you may not have.
Remortgages
Whether your fixed deal is ending, you're looking to unlock equity, or you just want a better rate, remortgaging can be a smart financial move. But if you’re self-employed, a freelancer, or a contractor with irregular income, finding the right lender can feel like a maze.
Buy to Let
Investing in property is a powerful way to grow your wealth, but getting a buy-to-let mortgage as a contractor or self-employed investor can be tricky. Many high street lenders require traditional employment history or restrictive affordability criteria.
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FAQs
What is an independent professional mortgage?
It’s a standard mortgage but assessed differently. Lenders consider your annualised contract rate instead of traditional income methods, helping independent professionals borrow based on true earnings. A specialist broker can help you access competitive rates.
Read our A-Z of Mortgage Terms.
Can I get a mortgage as a contractor?
Yes. While most high-street lenders struggle to assess contractor income accurately, specialist lenders can assess affordability based on your day rate or contract value. Broadbench works with lenders who understand contractor income structures, helping you borrow in line with your actual earning capacity rather than being limited by payslip-based assessments.
Does IR35 affect my mortgage application?
Yes. Your IR35 status affects how lenders assess your income. Outside IR35, specialist lenders can use your day rate to calculate affordability. Inside IR35, your employment income from your umbrella company or client payroll is used. In both cases, Broadbench will identify the lender and assessment method that gives you the most favourable outcome.
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.
Read our A-Z of Mortgage Terms.
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.
