There was a time when, unless you were a traditional 9-5 employee, your chances of being able to secure a mortgage (at a reasonable rate of interest) were slim. In recent years, the major mortgage lenders have relaxed their lending criteria in line with the changing nature of the UK’s workforce.
- Are lenders happy to provide mortgages to contractors?
- Can contractors get access to ‘high street’ rates?
- Do contractors have access to 95% LTV mortgages?
- How much can I borrow?
- What mortgage products are available to contractors?
- Top 5 tips for a successful application
- Get a quote from a specialist mortgage broker
Despite this, some contractors may still have difficulty accessing ‘high street’ mortgages, especially if they are unable to prove their income (for example, if they have only recently started contracting, or don’t have several years’ company accounts).
For this reason, we’d recommend using a specialist IFA who has access to ‘contractor-friendly’ mortgage lenders who understand the way contractors work in practice.
Read on for answers to the most commonly-asked questions about securing a mortgage as a contractor.
How does the mortgage application process work?
In the past, contractors would typically have to wait until they have several years’ company accounts before approaching mortgage lenders. Some lenders prefer to lend only on multiples of your salary, not a combination of salary plus dividends. However, thankfully this is no longer the case.
Many lenders are now far more aware of non-traditional ways of working, and all you need to produce now is a copy of your current contract, your photo ID, 3 month’s bank statements, and proof of address (typically a utility bill).
So, there are no time restrictions these days. A specialist contractor-friendly broker will be even be able to secure a mortgage offer on the first day of your contract.
Read our dedicated article – how does the mortgage application process work.
Can contractors get access to ‘high street’ mortgage rates, or will they have to pay a premium?
If you are applying direct to the lender then they may charge a premium depending on what your accounts show and how long you have been contracting, or they may insist that you pay a higher deposit.
However, a contractor-specialist broker will be able to access ‘high street’ mortgage rates – giving you access to the same mortgage products as permanent employees.
We would recommend you use a contractor-specialist as they will know which lenders to approach, and exactly what type of information and proof of income you will need to produce to secure a mortgage offer.
Can I get a 95% contractor mortgage?
The answer is yes, however more competitive deals are usually available to borrowers with a minimum of 10% deposit.
If you are a contractor and have only got a 5% deposit, then a specialist lender can help in two ways either via the Help To Buy scheme where an additional 20% (40% in London) deposit is provided by a Government-backed loan scheme in order for you to purchase a new build property.
Or with lenders offering both 95% products and a contractor-friendly policy. Multiple High Street lenders are willing to lend using specialist contractor criteria to contractors with a 5% deposit.
How much can I borrow?
Unsurprisingly, this depends on a number of factors, including:
- The size of your deposit.
- Your contract rate / other income.
- Any existing financial commitments you may have.
- Your credit rating.
- How many applicants there are.
However, in general, contractors should be able to borrow up to 5 times their annualised rate via our partner’s mortgage lenders.
What mortgage loan products are there?
Depending on your personal circumstances, there are a number of mortgage products on offer to contractors.
Your mortgage will either be fixed rate (where the interest rate remains constant over a fixed period of time), or variable rate (where the rate may change – such as when the Bank of England raises the base rate).
The majority of mortgages are repayment (where you repay part of the capital loan, plus interest each month). Interest-only mortgages are far less widely available these days, as the mortgage industry has had to tighten up its lending criteria following the credit crunch a decade ago.
There are many types of variable rate products available – including those which offer discounted, tracker, and capped rates.
Your mortgage broker will be able to present you with a variety of mortgage options. Make sure you know what the real cost of each option is, once you take any introductory fees, and other charges into account.
Read our dedicated article – what mortgage products are available to contractors.
Top 5 tips to securing a mortgage
- The higher the deposit you can raise, the more products will be available to you, and better rates of interest.
- Try to avoid lengthly gaps between contracts.
- Consider mortgage products which allow overpayments, without any penalties.
- Make sure you have all of your paperwork in place (ID, proofs of income, contracts) to minimise delays.
- Try to keep your credit rating strong – make sure you’re on the electoral roll, and don’t miss any credit payments.
For more, read our Top 10 contractor mortgage tips and Mortgage FAQ.
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