Guides & advice
Mortgage guides, in plain English
Researched, practical guides written and reviewed by the Highhouse Money mortgage team. General information only — not personalised advice.
First-Time Buyers
First-Time Buyer Mortgage Checklist: Documents, Deposit and What Happens Next
From checking your credit file to collecting the keys — the documents, deposit evidence and steps in between, explained in plain English.
Read guideHow Much Can I Borrow? Mortgage Affordability Explained
How lenders look at income, outgoings and stress tests — and why the answer varies between lenders.
Read guideHow Much Deposit Do You Need for a Mortgage?
Deposit sizes, loan-to-value bands, gifted deposits and the evidence lenders expect to see.
Read guideMortgage Agreement in Principle: What It Is and When to Get One
What an AIP does and doesn't prove, when to get one, and how it affects your credit file.
Read guideStamp Duty and First-Time Buyer Relief Explained
How Stamp Duty Land Tax works, who qualifies for first-time buyer relief and where to check the current rules.
Read guideShared Ownership Mortgages Explained
Buying a share, paying rent on the rest, staircasing, lease terms and the lending considerations involved.
Read guideChoosing a Mortgage
Do Mortgage Brokers Charge a Fee?
How brokers are paid and what 'free' means.
Read guideFlexible Mortgages Explained
Overpayments, payment holidays, drawdown and offset.
Read guideMortgage Application Documents Checklist
The documents most lenders ask for, and how to supply them.
Read guideFixed, Tracker or Variable? Choosing a Mortgage Rate Type
How each rate type behaves, the trade-offs in certainty versus flexibility, and questions to ask before committing.
Read guideMortgage Costs and Fees Explained
Arrangement, valuation, legal, broker and exit fees — what each one is for and how to compare true cost.
Read guideHow to Choose a Mortgage Broker
Whole-of-market versus panel, checking the FCA Register, fee models and the questions worth asking.
Read guideHow Long Does a Mortgage Application Take?
The stages from first conversation to completion and what causes delays.
Read guideMortgage Protection Insurance Explained
Life, critical illness and income protection alongside a mortgage.
Read guideComplex Income & Credit
Mortgage Declined? What to Do Next
Why lenders turn applications down and how to approach the next one.
Read guideGetting a Mortgage When You Are Self-Employed or a Limited Company Director
How lenders typically look at sole traders, partnerships and company directors — accounts, SA302s, salary, dividends and variable income.
Read guideSelf-Employed Mortgage Documents: SA302s, Accounts and Bank Statements
Exactly what paperwork to gather, how far back it needs to go and how to avoid delays.
Read guideContractor Mortgages: Day Rates, Umbrella and Fixed-Term Contracts
How contract income can be assessed, and what evidence supports a day-rate application.
Read guideCan You Get a Mortgage After a Default, CCJ or Missed Payment?
What credit events mean, why recency and context matter, and how a specialist approach may help — without any guaranteed outcomes.
Read guideBad Credit Mortgages Explained: What Adverse Credit Really Means
The terminology, how lenders weigh severity and recency, and practical steps to prepare.
Read guideGetting a Mortgage After Bankruptcy, an IVA or a DMP
Discharge dates, records, and how time and evidence change the picture.
Read guideDefault vs CCJ: What Lenders See
How defaults and CCJs differ and how lenders tend to read them.
Read guideRemortgaging
When to Start the Remortgage Process
Early repayment charges, standard variable rates, product transfers versus remortgaging, and a practical decision checklist.
Read guideRemortgaging to Release Equity: How It Works and the Risks
Raising capital against your home — the process, the affordability tests and the risks to weigh first.
Read guideLater Life
Is a Lifetime Mortgage the Same as Equity Release?
How lifetime mortgages fit within equity release.
Read guideLater-Life Mortgages, RIO and Equity Release: What Is the Difference?
Standard borrowing, retirement interest-only mortgages and lifetime mortgages compared — including estate and benefit implications.
Read guideEquity Release Explained: How It Works and What to Watch
How equity release works, the safeguards that apply and the long-term implications for your estate.
Read guideLifetime Mortgages Explained: Roll-Up Interest, Drawdown and Safeguards
Roll-up versus interest-served plans, drawdown facilities and the Equity Release Council standards.
Read guideAlternatives to Equity Release You Should Consider First
Downsizing, RIO mortgages, standard borrowing, benefits and family options compared.
Read guideRIO vs Lifetime Mortgage: Key Differences
Monthly payments, balance growth and estate impact compared.
Read guideBuy to Let & Landlords
Buy-to-Let Mortgages Explained: Rental Cover, Deposits and Tax
How rental stress tests work, typical deposit expectations and the tax questions to take to an accountant.
Read guideLimited Company Buy to Let: How SPV Mortgages Work
SPV structures, personal guarantees and how company applications differ from personal ones.
Read guideHMO and Multi-Unit Freehold Block Mortgages
Licensing, valuation approaches and lender expectations for HMOs and MUFBs.
Read guideSpecialist Property Finance
High Net Worth and Large Loan Mortgages Explained
Bespoke underwriting, complex income and large loans.
Read guideCommercial Mortgages Explained: Owner-Occupier and Investment
How commercial lending is assessed, from trading accounts to lease strength and property type.
Read guideHow Do Self-Build Mortgages Work? Stages, Deposits and Common Pitfalls
Staged funding, valuations, cash-flow gaps, warranties and the documentation a self-build project usually needs.
Read guideSelf Build Mortgage Deposits Explained
Planning your contribution across plot and build stages.
Read guideBridging Loans Explained: How Short-Term Finance Works
Uses, costs and why the exit plan matters most.
Read guideCan't find what you need?
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