People often believe the myth that if you are self-employed, you can’t get a mortgage. This is simply not true. Here’s our guide explaining how you can still get a mortgage if you are self-employed.
When you are self-employed, it can be harder to get a mortgage however this is mainly because you have to prove a reliable income. Getting a mortgage, however, when you are self-employed is not impossible.
Lenders will view you as self-employed if you own more than 20% to 25% of a business, from which you earn your main income. You could be a sole trader, company director or contractor.
How do you get a mortgage when self-employed?
If you are self-employed, you will have access to the same range of mortgages as everyone else and you will still need to pass the lender’s affordability tests. The difference is that as you don’t have an employer to vouch for your wage, self-employed people need to provide more evidence of their income. At the end of the day, the lender needs to be convinced that you can afford your mortgage before they agree to lend you the money.
What proof do I need to provide to a lender?
When self-employed and applying for a mortgage, you will need to provide:
- two or more years of accounts prepared by a qualified, chartered accountant
- SA302 forms or a tax year overview from HMRC for the past two or three years
- evidence of any upcoming contracts (if you are a contractor)
- evidence of dividend payments or retained profits (if you are a company director)
Don’t worry if you only have accounts for one year. Having evidence that you have regular work or proof of future commissions can also help.
Having a healthy deposit, especially if you are a first-time buyer and a good credit history can also help secure a mortgage when you are self-employed.
When sourcing your mortgage on your behalf, we will also ask for the following documentation: passport, driving licence, council tax bill, utility bills dated within three months, six months of bank statements. Lenders look at bank statements to look into how much you spend on bills and other costs to see if you can afford your mortgage repayments. We therefore may ask about household bills, childcare, socialising, holidays, credit card repayments, car finance agreements etc.
How to increase your chances of being accepted for a mortgage
- Save as much money as you can for a deposit
- Check your credit rating with checkmyfile
- Get on the electoral roll
- Speak to a mortgage broker
- Look for a mortgage with a specialist lender
If you are self-employed and would like to speak to us about getting a mortgage, please get in touch.
*Please note: Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debt secured on it.