https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/ Plain-English guides and answers on UK mortgages from MortgageExplained. en-gb https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/mortgage-protection-insurance/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/mortgage-protection-insurance/ UK mortgage protection insurance explained: decreasing and level life cover, critical illness, income protection, cover for losing your job, and how it is sold. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/changed-circumstances/changed-job-after-aip/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/changed-circumstances/changed-job-after-aip/ You have an Agreement in Principle and a new job. What the lender reassesses, the evidence usually asked for, and when it is worth changing lender. Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/deed-of-gift-template/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/deed-of-gift-template/ A free UK deed of gift template for gifting money, with the clauses lenders and solicitors expect: outright gift not a loan, no interest retained, source of funds, solvency. Plus how a deed of gift differs from a gifted deposit letter. Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/first-time-buyer-costs/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/first-time-buyer-costs/ Every cost of buying your first home in one budget sheet: deposit, stamp duty, legal fees, searches, survey, lender and broker fees, removals and insurance. Downloadable CSV with no invented averages: you fill in real quotes. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/gifted-deposit-letter-template/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/gifted-deposit-letter-template/ A free gifted deposit letter template with the declarations lenders and solicitors expect: gift not loan, no interest in the property, donor details and solvency. Plus what to check before using any template. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/house-viewing/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/house-viewing/ A printable UK house viewing checklist: what to check in every room, the building, outside and the area, plus the questions to ask the estate agent or seller before you offer. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/mortgage-application/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/mortgage-application/ A printable UK mortgage application checklist shaped as a timeline: before an agreement in principle, the AIP, the full application, the offer, and completion, with what not to do mid-application. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/mortgage-documents/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/mortgage-documents/ Printable checklist of the documents needed for a UK mortgage: what everyone needs, plus the extra evidence for employed, self-employed and limited company director applicants. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/moving-house/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/moving-house/ A printable UK moving house checklist, week by week: 8 weeks out to moving day and after. Includes the admin most lists miss: post redirection, council tax, electoral roll, meter readings and TV Licence. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/remortgage-switching/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/remortgage-switching/ A printable remortgage checklist: start 3 to 6 months before your fixed rate ends, find your ERC and deal end date, compare product transfer against remortgaging, and time completion to skip the SVR. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/sa302/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/checklists/sa302/ Step-by-step: get your SA302 tax calculation and tax year overview from HMRC online, through your accountant's software, or by phone. Why lenders want both documents, and a printable checklist. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/mortgage-underwriting/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/mortgage-underwriting/ What mortgage underwriting is, what an underwriter checks (income, credit, the property, affordability), how long it takes, and how to give a clean case. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/porting-a-mortgage/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/porting-a-mortgage/ What porting a mortgage means, how it works when you move, what happens if you borrow more or need less, and when porting beats a fresh remortgage. Plain. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/bad-credit/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/bad-credit/ Can you remortgage with bad credit? How a CCJ, default or missed payment affects a remortgage, why a product transfer can be simpler, and how a specialist. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/debt-consolidation/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/debt-consolidation/ Remortgaging to consolidate debt can lower your monthly payments, but it moves unsecured debt onto your home and can cost more over time. The honest. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/home-improvements/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/home-improvements/ Remortgaging to release equity for home improvements: how it works, whether an extension or renovation adds enough value to justify it, and the alternatives. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/how-much-can-i-borrow/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/how-much-can-i-borrow/ A free calculator for self-employed and company-director borrowers. See how lenders that average two years, use your latest year, or take the lower figure. Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/doctor/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/doctor/ Mortgages for doctors and GPs: training rotations, salaried GPs, GP partners as self-employed, additional NHS sessions and private work. Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/nhs-healthcare/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/nhs-healthcare/ Mortgages for NHS and healthcare staff: unsocial-hours enhancements, bank shifts, additional sessions and locum income, and how much of your real pay. Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/police/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/police/ Mortgages for police officers and staff: shift and hard-to-fill allowances, overtime, London weighting, and how lenders treat the variable parts of police. Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/teacher/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/key-worker-mortgages/teacher/ Mortgages for teachers: pay scales and progression, supply and agency work, second income from tutoring or marking, and newly qualified teachers. Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/how-lenders-decide/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/how-lenders-decide/ How UK lenders decide on a mortgage: the credit score, affordability stress test, criteria and the property valuation, and how they combine. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/how-to-improve-your-chances/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/how-to-improve-your-chances/ Practical, plain-English steps to strengthen a mortgage application before you apply: credit, deposit, debts, evidence and choosing the right lender. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/will-i-be-accepted/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/will-i-be-accepted/ Will you be accepted for a mortgage? What actually decides a yes or no, why one lender is not the whole market, and how to put yourself in the best position. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/will-my-mortgage-offer-be-withdrawn/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-readiness/will-my-mortgage-offer-be-withdrawn/ A mortgage offer is not unconditional. What can lead a lender to withdraw it before completion, what to avoid, and how to protect your offer. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/eu-and-foreign-nationals/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/eu-and-foreign-nationals/ Getting a UK mortgage as an EU or non-UK national: settled and pre-settled status, a thin UK credit file, foreign income, and a deposit from abroad. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/agreement-in-principle/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/agreement-in-principle/ What a mortgage in principle (AIP or DIP) is, soft and hard credit checks, how long it lasts at four lenders, and what it does not guarantee. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/do-i-need-a-mortgage-broker/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/do-i-need-a-mortgage-broker/ When a mortgage broker is worth it and when going direct is fine. The situations where a broker genuinely earns their keep, and the ones where it is optional. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/documents-you-need/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/documents-you-need/ A mortgage document checklist by borrower type: proof of ID, income and deposit for employed, self-employed and contractor applicants. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/how-mortgage-brokers-get-paid/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/how-mortgage-brokers-get-paid/ How mortgage brokers are paid: client fees, lender commission (procuration fees), or both. What is typical, what to ask up front, and how to spot good value. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/how-much-can-i-borrow/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/how-much-can-i-borrow/ A free affordability calculator and plain-English guide: an indicative borrowing range, the stress test, and what you can afford each month. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/mortgage-broker-vs-going-direct/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/how-mortgages-work/mortgage-broker-vs-going-direct/ Use a mortgage broker or apply directly to a lender? An honest side-by-side on choice of lenders, advice, protection, cost and who each route suits. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgage-rules-2026/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgage-rules-2026/ How self-employed mortgages work in 2026: years of accounts, one-year acceptance, retained profit, day-rate and CIS, and why the right lender matters most. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/after-bankruptcy/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/after-bankruptcy/ A mortgage after a discharged bankruptcy is possible in the UK. How time since discharge, deposit and clean conduct shape your options with specialist. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/after-dmp/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/after-dmp/ Can you get a mortgage during or after a DMP? Often yes with a specialist lender. How lenders view an active vs completed plan and the conduct they want. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/after-iva/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/after-iva/ Getting a mortgage after an IVA: borrowing while it is active, on completion, and once it drops off your file after six years. What specialist lenders look. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/ccj/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/ccj/ Can you get a mortgage with a CCJ? Often yes. How county court judgments are judged by age, amount and whether satisfied, and how options widen over time. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/default/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/default/ A default does not block a mortgage. How lenders judge a default by age, amount and type, why recency matters most, and how the picture improves over time. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/missed-payments/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/adverse-credit-mortgages/missed-payments/ Missed or late payments do not always stop a mortgage. How lenders read them by account type and recency, with mortgage and loan arrears mattering most. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/borrow-more-on-my-house/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/borrow-more-on-my-house/ Want to release equity or borrow more against your home for an extension, debt or a deposit? How a further advance or a remortgage works, in plain English. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/fixed-rate-ending-what-to-do/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/fixed-rate-ending-what-to-do/ Your fixed rate is ending soon? The simple steps: start early, avoid the standard variable rate, and compare staying with your lender against remortgaging. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/help-my-child-buy-first-home/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/help-my-child-buy-first-home/ The main ways parents help a child buy: a gifted deposit, JBSP, or a guarantor mortgage. How each works, and the trade-offs, in plain English. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/is-now-a-good-time-to-remortgage/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/is-now-a-good-time-to-remortgage/ Whether now is a good time to remortgage depends on your deal, not the headlines. When to start, why timing is about your fix ending, and the honest answer. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/missed-a-mortgage-payment/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/missed-a-mortgage-payment/ Missed a mortgage payment? What happens next, why contacting your lender fast matters, the effect on your credit file, and how to recover. Plain English. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/mortgage-after-divorce/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/mortgage-after-divorce/ Separating and need to take over the mortgage or buy out a partner? How a transfer of equity and a remortgage in one name work, and what affordability. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/mortgage-going-up-cant-afford/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/mortgage-going-up-cant-afford/ If your mortgage payment is rising and you are worried, here is what to do first, what options exist, and where to get help. Plain English, not advice. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/only-one-of-us-earns-enough/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/only-one-of-us-earns-enough/ Buying as a couple when one income does most of the work? How lenders combine two incomes, and the options if one of you earns much more than the other. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/overpay-or-save/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/overpay-or-save/ Overpay the mortgage or save? The plain-English trade-off: your mortgage rate vs your savings rate, your overpayment allowance, and your safety net. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/self-employed-can-i-get-a-mortgage/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/answers/self-employed-can-i-get-a-mortgage/ Yes, self-employed people get mortgages all the time. The plain-English version of how lenders read your income and why the right lender matters most. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/authors/adam-parker/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/authors/adam-parker/ Adam Parker is the founder of MortgageExplained. CeMAP and CF qualified, over eight years as a mortgage adviser at Just Mortgages, plus commercial finance. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/hmo/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/hmo/ HMO mortgages for houses in multiple occupation: room-by-room valuation, licensing, Article 4 areas and experience requirements. Specialist buy-to-let. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/holiday-let/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/holiday-let/ Holiday let mortgages: how UK lenders assess seasonal rental income, the deposit and personal-income rules, and how a holiday let differs from buy-to-let. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/limited-company-spv/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/limited-company-spv/ How limited company (SPV) buy-to-let mortgages work: why landlords use an SPV, the SIC codes lenders expect, rates and personal guarantees. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/personal-name-vs-spv/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/personal-name-vs-spv/ Own a buy-to-let in your own name or a limited company (SPV)? A plain side-by-side on tax, rates, the rental stress test and admin to help you decide. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/portfolio-landlord/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/portfolio-landlord/ Portfolio landlord mortgages: the 4-property rule, the extra underwriting on your whole portfolio, and how background stress tests apply across the board. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/remortgage/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/buy-to-let-mortgages/remortgage/ Buy-to-let remortgage in 2026: passing the rental stress test at higher rates, releasing equity, and whether to switch lender or take a product transfer. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/expat/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/expat/ Living abroad but buying or remortgaging in the UK? How expat mortgages work, the income and currency checks lenders make, and why this is specialist lending. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/maternity-leave/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/maternity-leave/ On maternity or parental leave? Many UK lenders assess your return-to-work income, not your reduced leave pay. What they ask for and how to evidence it. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/new-job/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/new-job/ A new job or probation period need not stop a mortgage. How lenders treat a recent start, a signed contract, and probation, and which are most flexible. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/second-home/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/second-home/ A second home mortgage is for a property you use yourself, like a holiday home, not a let. How it differs from buy-to-let and the stamp duty surcharge. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/visa-holder/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/eligibility/visa-holder/ A foreign national on a UK visa can get a mortgage. How visa type, time left and UK residence history affect lender choice, and what improves. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/95-mortgage/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/95-mortgage/ A 95% mortgage lets you buy with a 5% deposit. How 95% loan-to-value deals work, what to expect on rates, and how to strengthen your application. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/gifted-deposit/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/gifted-deposit/ Using gifted money for your mortgage deposit: who can gift, the gifted deposit letter lenders want, and how a gift differs from a family loan. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/guarantor/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/guarantor/ A guarantor mortgage lets family back your borrowing with their income, savings or property. How it works, the difference from JBSP, and the guarantor risks. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/how-much-deposit/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/how-much-deposit/ Most UK lenders want at least a 5% deposit, but 10% or more opens more lenders and lower rates. How loan-to-value works and what size deposit to aim. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/jbsp/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/jbsp/ A JBSP mortgage lets a parent boost your borrowing without owning the home. How joint borrower sole proprietor works, who it suits, and the stamp duty angle. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/new-build/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/new-build/ New build mortgages need extra care: offer timing and exchange deadlines, valuations, higher deposits on some flats, and incentives. How to get it right. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/right-to-buy/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/right-to-buy/ Right to Buy lets eligible council and housing-association tenants buy their home at a discount. How the discount can act as your deposit on the mortgage. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/shared-ownership/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/first-time-buyer-mortgages/shared-ownership/ Shared ownership lets you buy a share of a home and pay rent on the rest. How the mortgage works, staircasing, leasehold points, and which lenders offer it. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/affordability/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/affordability/ Declined on affordability? Lenders use different income multiples, stress rates and expenditure models, so one bank no can be another lender yes. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/bad-credit/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/bad-credit/ Declined for bad credit? A high-street no is often a specialist lender yes. How recency and type of credit issue decide your options, and what to do next. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/self-employed/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/self-employed/ Declined for being self-employed? The bank read your income narrowly. How another lender can use retained profit, a day rate or one year of accounts. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/try-another-broker/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/mortgage-declined/try-another-broker/ Yes, you can use a different mortgage broker. Why one broker no is not the whole market, when a second opinion helps, and how broker panels and access differ. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/2-year-vs-5-year-fix/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/2-year-vs-5-year-fix/ Should you fix for 2 years or 5? An honest comparison of certainty, flexibility, early repayment charges and what tips the balance for your situation. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/early-repayment-charges/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/early-repayment-charges/ What an early repayment charge (ERC) is, how it is usually a percentage of the balance, when it applies, and when leaving your deal early can still be worth. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/should-you-switch-or-stay/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/should-you-switch-or-stay/ A free, no-email-gate tool to compare staying on a product transfer against remortgaging to a new lender, including fees and any early repayment charge. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/vs-product-transfer/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/vs-product-transfer/ Remortgage to a new lender or take a product transfer with your current one? An honest side-by-side on rates, fees, affordability checks and speed. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/when-fixed-rate-ends/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/remortgage/when-fixed-rate-ends/ When your fixed-rate mortgage ends you move onto the lender standard variable rate unless you act. What the SVR is, why it is dear, and how to avoid it. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/cis-subcontractor/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/cis-subcontractor/ CIS subcontractors can be assessed on gross CIS pay, not just net profit. How it works and why it can raise how much you borrow. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/complex-income/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/complex-income/ Bonus, commission, overtime and second income are read differently by UK lenders. How much counts toward a mortgage, and how to find a lender that uses more. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/contractor-day-rate/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/contractor-day-rate/ How contractor mortgages work in the UK: lenders that annualise your day rate instead of demanding accounts, and the contract history they want to see. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/limited-company-director/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/limited-company-director/ Salary plus dividends, or retained profit? How UK lenders assess a limited company director for a mortgage, and why the choice changes how much you borrow. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/one-years-accounts/ https://mortgageexplained.co.uk/self-employed-mortgages/one-years-accounts/ Can you get a mortgage with only one year of accounts? Yes, with the right lender. How it works, what they want to see, and where it falls down. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT