Preparation guides

Mortgage preparation guides

6 focused educational guides on getting your own information organised before you speak to a qualified mortgage adviser. Each one explains what tends to be asked for, what varies between lenders and which questions are worth taking to an adviser.

Credit

7 min read

Late or missed payments before a mortgage application

A late or missed payment is recorded information, not a verdict. What the record is, how to check what is held about you across the main credit reference agencies, and why no page can tell you how a lender will weigh it. Educational only.

Deposit & LTV

8 min read

Gifted Deposit Letter & Evidence: What to Prepare

Need a gifted deposit letter for a UK mortgage? Build a private preparation draft, see what donor evidence may be requested, and check what varies by lender and conveyancer.

Income

10 min read

Self-Employed Mortgage Evidence: SA302, Accounts & Accountant References

What self-employed mortgage evidence can include, how SA302s and tax year overviews differ, when an accountant reference or certificate may be requested, and how to organise the records you already hold.

8 min read

Mortgage on Probation or After Starting a New Job

Mortgage on probation or starting a new job? See a ten-lender published-criteria snapshot, what evidence may be needed, and how first payslips and future start dates fit in.

8 min read

Mortgage With One Year's Accounts: What Self-Employed Applicants Can Prepare

Only one year of self-employed accounts? See what FCA rules say, a current named lender example, and how to organise SA302s, tax-year overviews and business records.

Applications

8 min read

Mortgage declined? What to check before you apply again

A calm, factual order of work after a UK mortgage application was declined: what you are entitled to be told, the areas worth checking, and how to prepare a one-page summary for a qualified adviser. Educational only.

By situation

Start from where you are

Each hub gathers the guides and tools most relevant to one situation.

First-time buyer preparation
An educational preparation hub for first-time buyers in the UK: what to gather, what to check and what to ask a qualified mortgage adviser before you apply.
Home mover preparation
Educational preparation for home movers: organising evidence, understanding equity and loan-to-value, and preparing questions before speaking to a qualified mortgage adviser.
Remortgage preparation
How to prepare before a fixed or tracker period ends: gathering documents, understanding loan-to-value and building a question list for a qualified mortgage adviser.
Self-employed applicant preparation
Educational preparation for sole traders, partners and company directors: which records are commonly requested, how to organise them and what to ask a qualified adviser.
After a declined application
A calm, educational guide to what to do after a mortgage application was declined: gathering information, checking your records and preparing questions for a qualified adviser.

Check my readiness

Optional preparation resources

Optional educational preparation resources. Nothing here is mortgage advice, a lender or product recommendation, an eligibility assessment or a prediction of whether an application would be accepted.

Mortgage Preparation Starter Checklist
Your answers span more than one area of preparation. This free starter checklist is a simple way to see the usual paperwork and questions in one place before you decide what to tackle next.

Browse free resources