Mortgage & Home Buying Guides
Free, in-depth guides covering every stage of the UK home buying journey — from checking your credit file today to collecting the keys.
New: Lender Questions Hub
Which UK lenders will actually lend to me?
35 plain-English questions — probation, CCJs, visa, cladding, foreign-currency income and more — each with a live list of the UK lenders that accept your specific situation.
Most-read guides
The guides readers arrive at most often from Google — probation, redundancy, maternity leave, bankruptcy and the questions lenders ask about them.
Which Lenders Accept Benefits?
Universal Credit, DLA, PIP, and other benefit income.
Read guideMade Redundant Mid-Purchase
Disclosure duty, legal position, and the options that save the deal.
Read guideMortgage on Probation — Lender Pool
Around 30 UK lenders accept probation with a signed permanent contract.
Read guideMortgage on Maternity Leave
Which lenders use your return-to-work salary vs SMP — lender-by-lender.
Read guideMortgage After Bankruptcy
How soon after discharge you can borrow — and from whom.
Read guideLender Income Multiples Compared
4.5× vs 5× vs 5.5× vs 6× — which lenders go where.
Read guideMortgage Declined on Affordability?
What to do next — including switching lenders for £50-100k more.
Read guideLenders Accepting Ex-Council & High-Rise Flats
Storey caps, LPS construction and fire-safety rules — full lender lists.
Read guideMortgage After Separation or Divorce
Buying out an ex, transfer of equity, maintenance as income.
Read guideGifted Deposits Complete Guide
Who can gift, how much, the letter, and inheritance tax rules.
Read guideChanging Jobs Mid-Application
When a new job offer helps vs hurts your pending mortgage.
Read guideChildcare Costs & Your Mortgage
How nursery fees change your maximum — and why lenders differ so much.
Read guideBrowse all 117 guides by topic
Every guide on the site, grouped by where you are in the process. Each topic opens the full list.
The Buying Journey
An 11-stage walkthrough of buying a home in the UK, plus deep dives on each stage.
15 guidesAffordability Explained
How lenders assess what you can borrow and how to maximise your figure.
21 guidesBuyer Situations
Specialist guides for first-time buyers, joint applicants, SE/directors, and later-life buyers.
39 guidesBad Credit & Adverse Mortgages
Specialist lender criteria for CCJs, defaults, arrears, IVAs, bankruptcy and DMPs — plus how much you could borrow with adverse credit.
7 guidesSellers & Movers
For homeowners selling, moving, chain-managing, or keeping their current home as a rental.
8 guidesBuy-to-Let & Landlords
Affordability, structures and property types for landlords — new and experienced.
10 guidesHome Buying Essentials
Critical moments and decisions during the buying process.
11 guidesAfter Completion
Paying off faster, remortgaging, or planning for the long term.
6 guidesCalculators & Tools
Interactive tools for every stage of the journey.
How Much Can I Borrow?
Check affordability across 58 UK lenders
Self-Employed Income Calculator
The income each lender would assess — sole trader, director or CIS
Shared Ownership Mortgage Calculator
Borrowing on your share with rent and service charge counted
Should I Fix for 2 or 5 Years?
Compare total cost and break-even rate
Completion Cost Calculator
Every cost on top of your deposit
Move Timeline Tool
Predict your completion date
Stamp Duty Calculator
SDLT for FTBs, movers, BTL and second homes
Mortgage Repayment Calculator
Monthly payment by loan, rate, term
Mortgage Overpayment Calculator
Save on interest and finish early
Deposit Savings Calculator
Time to target deposit
Buying Costs Calculator
Total cost of buying
Monthly Budget Calculator
Affordable monthly mortgage payment
Rent vs Buy Calculator
Compare over the long term
Adverse Credit Timeline
When your credit events drop off
Looking for something specific? The full guide index lists every guide, calculator and page on the site.
Ready to Check Your Affordability?
Check how much 58 UK lenders would offer you. Free to start, no credit search.
Check Your Affordability
