Is Mortgages Finder mortgage advice?

Mortgages Finder provides general information, calculators and adviser callback options. The website content is not personalised mortgage advice.

Are calculator results guaranteed?

No. Calculator outputs are estimates only. Actual mortgage availability, rates, costs and repayments depend on lender criteria and your circumstances.

Can this page guarantee a mortgage approval?

No. Mortgage approval is never guaranteed and depends on lender assessment, affordability, credit history, property details and other checks.

Mortgage guides by borrower type

Different mortgage situations need different lenders. Use these guides to understand what may apply to you, then request a callback from a mortgage adviser.

First-Time Buyer Mortgages

Deposit, affordability, schemes and documents explained.

Remortgage

When your fixed deal ends, how to compare, and what to consider.

Self-Employed Mortgages

Sole trader, contractor and Ltd director income assessments.

Buy-to-Let Mortgages

Landlord lending criteria, rental cover, and SPV options.

Bad Credit Mortgage Options

Defaults, CCJs, IVAs and how specialist lenders assess applications.

Contractor Mortgages

Day-rate income, gross annualised contracts, and lender approach.

Ltd Company Director Mortgages

Salary + dividends, retained profit, and how lenders interpret income.

Over-50s Mortgages

Lending into retirement, RIO and later-life mortgage options.

Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor

Parents or family can boost your borrowing without going on the deeds.

Shared Ownership Mortgages

Buy 25–75% of a property, pay rent on the rest, staircase over time.

Help to Buy & Government Schemes

What's still available in 2025: LISA, Shared Ownership, First Homes, Mortgage Guarantee.

Mortgage type comparison tables

Use these tables to compare common UK mortgage types, borrower situations and lender assessment areas. They are general information only.

Mortgage risk warning: Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Fixed vs variable mortgage types

Compare how common rate types behave before looking at lender-specific products. The right choice depends on your budget, plans and attitude to payment changes.

Mortgage type	How payments usually work	May suit	Points to compare
Fixed rate	Payments are set for an initial period, such as 2, 5 or 10 years.	Borrowers who want payment certainty for a defined period.	Initial rate, product fee, early repayment charge and what happens after the fix.
Tracker rate	Payments can move up or down when the tracked rate changes.	Borrowers who can tolerate payment changes and want a rate linked to a benchmark.	Tracker margin, collar or floor, fees and whether there is an early repayment charge.
Discount variable	Payments follow a lender variable rate with a temporary discount.	Borrowers comparing flexibility against payment certainty.	How the lender variable rate is set, the discount period and exit costs.
Standard variable rate	Payments can change at the lender discretion after an initial deal ends.	Usually a fallback to review, not a product to assume is suitable.	Current payment, remortgage options, product transfer options and fees.

Repayment vs interest-only mortgages

Repayment method affects how the balance changes over time. Interest-only can reduce monthly payments, but the debt still needs a credible repayment plan.

Repayment method	Monthly payment covers	Balance during the term	Important considerations
Capital repayment	Interest and part of the mortgage balance.	Designed to reduce over the mortgage term if all payments are made.	Higher monthly payments than interest-only on the same loan, but a clearer route to clearing the debt.
Interest-only	Interest only, with the original balance due later.	The mortgage balance does not reduce unless separate payments are made.	Lenders usually require a suitable repayment strategy and may apply stricter criteria.
Part and part	Interest-only on one portion and repayment on the rest.	Only the repayment portion reduces automatically.	Useful to compare where affordability and repayment planning both matter.
Overpayment approach	Normal payment plus optional extra payments where allowed.	Can reduce faster if overpayments are accepted and maintained.	Check annual limits, early repayment charges and whether overpayments are affordable.

Mortgage type by borrower situation

Different borrower situations can lead to different documents, deposit expectations and lender criteria. This table is a starting point, not a personalised recommendation.

Situation	Common purpose	Information lenders may review	Useful next comparison
First-time buyer	Buying a first home.	Deposit source, income, commitments, credit history and property details.	Deposit size, affordability and first-time buyer costs.
Home mover	Moving from one property to another.	Sale proceeds, porting terms, new borrowing and affordability.	Porting an existing deal versus applying for a new product.
Remortgage	Replacing a current mortgage or product.	Current balance, property value, equity, income and existing deal end date.	Product transfer versus remortgage to a new lender.
Buy-to-let	Buying or refinancing a rental property.	Rental income, landlord status, property type, tax position and deposit.	Rental cover, fees, stress testing and personal versus company ownership.

Employed vs self-employed mortgage checks

Income assessment can vary materially between lenders. A broker or adviser partner can explain what documents may be needed for your circumstances.

Income type	Typical evidence	What can vary by lender	Comparison note
Employed	Payslips, bank statements and employment details.	Treatment of bonus, overtime, commission and probation periods.	Compare how stable and variable income are assessed.
Sole trader	Accounts, tax calculations and tax year overviews.	Number of trading years and whether average or latest-year profit is used.	Compare lenders that use different self-employed income methods.
Limited company director	Salary, dividends, accounts and sometimes retained profit.	Whether retained profit is considered and how ownership share is treated.	Compare salary plus dividends against salary plus profit approaches.
Contractor	Current contract, day rate, history and gaps between contracts.	Annualised day-rate treatment and minimum contracting history.	Compare specialist contractor criteria against standard employed assessment.

Deposit and LTV comparison

Loan-to-value, or LTV, compares the mortgage amount with the property value. Lower LTV can widen product choice, but available rates and criteria still depend on lender rules.

Example LTV band	Deposit or equity position	Typical comparison focus	Caution
95% LTV	Small deposit or equity position.	Maximum borrowing, affordability and product availability.	Criteria can be tighter and not every property or borrower will qualify.
90% LTV	Around 10% deposit or equity.	Rate, fee and affordability differences versus 95% LTV.	A slightly larger deposit may or may not improve total cost enough to justify waiting.
75% LTV	Around 25% deposit or equity.	Broader product choice and total initial-period cost.	Headline rate still needs comparing with fees and incentives.
60% LTV or lower	Higher deposit or equity position.	Whether lower-rate products offset product fees.	The cheapest headline rate is not always cheapest for smaller mortgage balances.

Specialist mortgage type comparison

Specialist does not mean a lender will accept the case. It means the case may need a lender whose criteria match the borrower, property or ownership structure.

Mortgage type	When it may be relevant	Extra checks to expect	What to compare
Bad credit mortgage options	Past missed payments, defaults, CCJs, IVA or bankruptcy history.	Date, value, settlement status and reason for the credit issue.	Specialist criteria, deposit level, rate, fees and whether waiting may improve options.
Joint borrower sole proprietor	Family support where not every borrower will own the property.	Affordability for all borrowers, legal guidance and age at term end.	Affordability benefit, responsibilities and future exit plans.
Shared ownership	Buying a share of a property and paying rent on the rest.	Housing association rules, rent, service charge and staircasing plans.	Mortgage payment plus rent and service charge, not mortgage payment alone.
Later-life or over-50s borrowing	Borrowing close to, or into, retirement.	Retirement income, term, repayment method and long-term affordability.	Mainstream, retirement interest-only and later-life options with suitable guidance.

These comparisons do not show live lender products. Actual rates, fees and eligibility depend on your circumstances, the property and lender criteria.

If you request a callback, an adviser or broker partner can explain their service, any fees and whether they can discuss options with you.

Browse mortgage calculators Compare repayment, borrowing and stamp duty estimates. Check your borrowing estimate Estimate a possible borrowing range from income and deposit assumptions. Estimate monthly repayments Model repayments using your own rate, term and deposit assumptions.

Built around adviser introductions

Mortgages Finder focuses on matching your circumstances with a UK mortgage adviser partner. Calculator results and guides are starting points only; any product discussion depends on your full circumstances and lender criteria.