Mortgage Guides
Our range of mortgage guides are tailored to explain mortgages in simple terms, without any jargon or sales talk. Read the guides below for helpful mortgage tips for navigating the UK property market.
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Dive into our collection of user-friendly mortgage guides, crafted specifically to shed light on the mortgage process in clear, straightforward language. We've eliminated the jargon and sales pitch to provide you with pure, practical advice.
Whether you're a first-time buyer, looking to remortgage, or stepping into the world of property investment, our guides are packed with invaluable tips to help you confidently navigate the UK property market. Each guide is designed with you in mind, making complex concepts accessible and understandable.
Start exploring our guides below and equip yourself with the knowledge to make informed, savvy decisions on your property journey. Your path to mortgage mastery begins here!
Buying Your First Home
From the definition of a first-time buyer, through the steps to buying a property and the costs you’ll face - everything you need to know is in our guide.
Moving House Checklist
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or this is the first time you’re selling your home, our guide will take you through the journey.
House Buying Mortgage Guide
Are you looking to buy your first home? Or perhaps want to move to a new area? Our step-by-step guide will tell you everything you need to know about buying a house.
Mortgage Types
Our guide explains everything you need to know about the different types of mortgages, including: interest rates, features, repayment methods and more.
Stamp Duty Tax Guide
Here you’ll find everything you need to know about Stamp Duty: what it is, who pays it, exemptions and relief, the rates at which you pay it and more.
Second Home Stamp Duty
What is second home Stamp Duty? Learn how second property tax works & use our calculator to work out how much Stamp Duty you'll pay on a second home in the UK.
Tax on Rental Income
What don’t you know about the tax on rental income? Our guide gives landlords insight on how it’s applied, the rates you’ll pay and your allowances.
Applying for a Mortgage
Applying for a mortgage couldn’t be simpler with our easy and simple guide from application to accepting your offer.
Help to Buy Guide
Support from the government-backed Help to Buy initiative is available for first-time buyers and existing homeowners who are finding it difficult to move up the housing ladder.
Remortgaging Guide
Remortgaging means to switch to a new deal with a different lender but stay in the same property. Learn about remortgage costs, valuations and see our advice.
Buy to Let Guide
You can now get a buy-to-let mortgage at interest rates to suit almost any circumstances. Our guide takes you through the choices involved in more detail.
Buy to Let Tax Changes
Our buy-to-let tax changes guide takes you through the latest regarding the Stamp Duty holiday, buy-to-let mortgage interest tax relief and more.
Becoming a Landlord
You can make a lot of money from becoming a landlord – if you make smart choices. Our guide explains how it all works and contains tips to help you be successful.
Funding Home Improvements
There are a few ways to finance work on a house: get a home improvement loan, remortgage for home improvements, ask your lender for a further advance & more
Borrowing into Retirement
In this guide we’ll outline the options, paths and solutions available to you, from remortgaging, to extending your mortgage and releasing the equity you’ve built up in your home.
Property Finance for Expats
In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you should be aware of and prepare yourself for when looking to arrange an expat mortgage or remortgage in the UK.
Protecting Your Home and Property
It's important to understand what protection you must have in place to buy a home and the options open to you to provide you with peace of mind.
Buy to Let Limited Company
Considering buying a buy-to-let property through a limited company? Read about tax efficiencies, setting up a buy-to-let LTD company, advantages & disadvantages
Freehold and Leasehold
Before you buy a property, you need to decide whether you want a freehold or leasehold. In this guide, we explain what they mean and how they affect your mortgage.
House Mortgage Deposit
Saving a mortgage deposit for a house is definitely one of the biggest hurdles you face as a buyer. In our guide we explain how deposits work and ways you can save.
Capital Gains Tax Guide
You pay Capital Gains Tax on the profit you make from the sale of a property that’s not your main residence. In our guide we answer all your questions about CGT.
Types of Houses
There are a few common types of houses in the UK. This guide explains how they’re different, as well as how they can affect your mortgage and insurance needs.
Right to Buy Guide
The Right to Buy government scheme helps current council tenants and some previous council tenants buy their home at a discount. Find out if you’re eligible in our guide.
Tenants in Common
If you buy a property with someone as tenants in common, you each own a separate share. Find out how this works, how it’s different from joint tenants and more in this guide.
Divorce and Mortgages
It’s vitally important that you understand your mortgage options during or following a divorce or separation from a partner. John Charcol’s guide provides the perfect starting point.
Second Property Mortgages
Are you looking to buy a second home and need advice on a second property mortgage? Perhaps you’re planning to buy a holiday home? Read our guide to find out more.
Shared Ownership Guide
Did you know you can part buy, part rent a property through shared ownership? In this guide, we explain how shared ownership works so you can decide whether it would suit you.
Guarantor Mortgages
With a guarantor mortgage, a relative guarantees to meet your mortgage payments if you can’t. We explain how this works and the benefits in our guide.
Equity Release Guide
Equity release is where you extract money from a property you own. There are 2 types of equity release: lifetime mortgages and home reversion schemes.
Types of House Surveys
There are a few common types of house surveys. This guide explains how they’re different, how much they cost and how long they take.
Green Mortgages UK
Want to know if a green mortgage could be right for you? Our resident green mortgage expert Nick Mendes explains what they are, how they're changing and more.
Mortgage Deposit Guide
How much deposit will you need for your mortgage? We explain how mortgage deposits work, what LTV is, how your deposit affects your mortgage and more.
No Deposit Mortgage
Learn about no deposit mortgages in our guide - what they are, how they work, how to get one, the benefits and disadvantages, alternative options and more.
Where Can My Mortgage Deposit Come From?
Want to know where your mortgage deposit can come from? See our guide for information on legitimacy and which sources lenders deem acceptable and unacceptable.
Proof of Deposit for Mortgage
Learn about providing proof of deposit for a mortgage here. We explain what lenders ask, when you need to give proof, which sources are legitimate and more.
Second Home Mortgage Deposit
Learn about a second home mortgage deposit in our guide - what it is, when you need one, how much you need, what options and LTVs there are and more.
Can I Borrow Money for a Deposit on a House?
Learn when you can borrow money for a deposit on a house in our guide. From family loans to bridging – find out everything you need to know here.
Buy-to-Let Mortgage Deposit: How Much Is It?
Find out how much you need for a buy-to-let mortgage deposit. We also explain how buy-to-let mortgages work, how much you can borrow and more.
Family Springboard Mortgage or Family Deposit Mortgage
The Family Springboard Mortgage is one of multiple family deposit mortgages currently available. Learn all about it & other similar products here.
How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Mortgage?
Learn how much deposit you need for a mortgage in our guide. We explain what the minimum deposit needed for a mortgage is, what you can do to save and more.
Mortgage Deposit Amounts
Learn all about the different mortgage deposit amount options, how they affect your mortgage, how they vary depending on what type of borrower you are & more.
Gifted Deposit Mortgage
Can you get a mortgage with a gifted deposit? Find out in our guide. We explain what a gifted deposit is, how it works, the benefits, risks and more.
Cryptocurrency and Mortgages
Can you pay your mortgage deposit with cryptocurrency? Learn about cryptocurrency and mortgages here: what it is, which lenders accept crypto deposits and more.
Joint Mortgage with Parents
A joint mortgage with parents could be a way for you to borrow more. Find out how joint mortgages work, the drawbacks & what alternatives are out there.
Bad Credit Guide
Having poor or bad credit doesn’t always mean you won’t get a mortgage. There are mortgage options specifically for people with a poor credit history or low credit scores. We’ll go through them in this guide.
How Do Offset Mortgages Work?
In our guide we explain how mortgage offset savings accounts work, who they're suitable for & the types of offset mortgage products available.
Rent to Buy and Other Low Deposit Mortgage Schemes UK
Are you a first-time buyer struggling to get on the property ladder? We’ll explain how to get low deposit mortgages, rent to buy approval, and more.