Is mortgage advice worth it?

Colin Payne — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 07:46:37 +0000

Is mortgage advice worth it?

We think so. Take the stress out of homebuying with a qualified adviser.

Buying a house is one of the biggest financial commitments you can make and, for most of us, a mortgage is an essential way to get there. But the mortgage market can be complex, and the time and effort demanded by the homebuying process can be substantial.

Working with a qualified mortgage adviser can make things a lot easier. Here are five reasons to consider seeking mortgage advice.

They know the market

There’s a plethora of providers and products out there beyond the big high-street brands. But navigating the market is a mortgage adviser’s bread and butter. They’ll use their deep knowledge of different lenders and products to recommend the right mortgage for your situation, doing all the research so you don’t have to.

That can be especially valuable if your financial circumstances might limit your options, for example if you’re self-employed or have blips in your credit history. Mortgage advisers know which lenders are more comfortable taking on people in your situation, and they’ll help you adjust your finances to give you a better chance of meeting a lenders criteria.

They know what a good deal looks like

Low rate might seem like the most attractive option but other factors, like fees, loan conditions and the term, can have a substantial impact on the overall affordability of a mortgage.

An adviser will help you look beyond the headline rate and understand the total costs associated with a given product. That could save you thousands or even tens of thousands in the long run.

They do the hard work for you

Advisers do so much more than just find you a mortgage. They’ll help you complete your paperwork, liaise with solicitors and surveyors on your behalf and suggest other products to help boost your financial security.

You can do all this yourself if you wish, but support from a qualified adviser could alleviate a lot of the stress associated with buying a house, especially if it’s your first time.

They’re highly qualified

Our mortgage advisers are fully qualified and work to rigorous standards of excellence that ensure they provide fantastic service. They’re backed up by knowledgeable head office teams and they have a fantastic range of lenders and products to choose from. No matter your situation, they’ll find the right mortgage for you and make the homebuying process as smooth as possible.

Still not sure if advice is right for you? Contact one of our advisers today for a no-obligation chat about your mortgage needs.

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

Chapelgate Private Finance is a trading name of Chapelgate Associates Ltd which is an appointed representative of Altura Mortgage Finance, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Self-employed and looking for a mortgage

Colin Payne — Tue, 01 May 2018 22:08:53 +0000

Another tax year has just passed us by and for the self employed, attention will turn over the coming months to submitting your tax return for 2017/2018.

Conversations will take place with accountants with a view to mitigating the tax liability as far as possible, but by being overzealous you may find if you’re looking to buy for the first time, move house or just remortgage that the level of borrowing you require is not available.

If you’re a sole trader lenders base your affordability on your net profit and for company directors generally with a shareholding of 20% or more, a lender will typically view your salary and dividend income.

While you may feel you can afford to pay the mortgage, if the evidence available to the lender doesn’t support this, then they simply won’t lend.

Nowadays lenders will generally request the past two years tax calculations and tax year overviews, the former being, in effect, a summary of your tax return and the latter confirmation of the tax paid.

Some lenders may still insist on an accountant’s reference which asks for information about the business to include trading figures.

How lenders treat the income varies: if it is increasing most lenders will take an average of the figures but occasionally a lender may take the latest year’s earnings.

This is very much on a case by case basis but if your income is decreasing the latest year’s figures will be used.

What is worth being aware of is for company directors some lenders will look at the share of net profit plus salary as opposed to salary and dividend income, this effectively means they are looking at the base profitability of the business rather than just what the directors have taken out of the business.

If you have recently set up as self employed and haven’t been trading for over two years and don’t have a couple of years figures, all is not lost as there are lenders that will consider a mortgage after just one year of trading subject to credit score.

The information on this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore targeted at consumers based in the UK, no representations are made as to whether the information is applicable or available in any other country which may have access to it.

Chapelgate Private Finance is a trade name of Chapelgate Associates Ltd which is an appointed representative of Altura Mortgage Finance, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Chapelgate Associates Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales 05539901 whose registered office is situated at 192 West End Lane, London, NW6 1SG.

Buy to Let – Chapelgate Private Finance

Is mortgage advice worth it?

Self-employed and looking for a mortgage

Another tax year has just passed us by and for the self employed, attention will turn over the coming months to submitting your tax return for 2017/2018.