You are in section Home Mortgages Mortgage guides First time buyers What documents might I need to have?
Applying for a mortgage means putting your serious hat on for a bit and getting prepared. Outside of ensuring you can afford the payments, you’ll also need a fair bit of paperwork to hand before you make an application.
It can vary from bank to bank, but if you want to know which docs we need you'll find them here.
A countersigned, full and valid UK or foreign passport, or a photocard driving licence (full or provisional) that displays your current address will be acceptable. An EU National Identity Card may be accepted but always check with your lender up front so that you can gather the documents.
Most lenders should accept household bills from the last 3 months, such as utility bills, benefit award letters and Council tax statements. Bank statements less than three months in age are also usually asked for (print-outs might not be accepted, so you may have to contact your bank ahead of time for copies). A driving licence in paper or card form should be accepted if it details your address (sorry it can't be used for both proof of address and ID).
You may need your last P60, which shows your salary and how much you were taxed in a 12-month period, as well as your last 3 months’ worth of pay slips. If you receive things like benefits payments, such as Tax credits or child benefit, gather your latest award letters or highlight the payment on a bank statement.
What you might need:
Your last P60
Benefits payments
Tax credits
Child benefits
Savings Accounts/Pensions
Two years income if you’re self-employed
Get hold of statements from any savings accounts and pensions as well, as those may be taken into consideration too.
If you’re self-employed, you’ll probably be asked to provide evidence of your income for at least 2 years’ such as accounts audited and signed off by a qualified accountant, as well as your self-assessment tax forms in the shape of the last 3 years SA302 from HMRC. These can be downloaded from the HMRC portal or they should be provided to you for free if you call up with your URN 10-digit tax code and National Insurance number. It could take a couple of weeks for these to arrive so best to do it now.
Lenders will probably want to see your money going in as well as all your regular payments going out to get a real view of what you can afford on your mortgage. Your bank statements from the last 3 to 6 months will likely be accepted by most lenders.
If you have expenditure coming out of different accounts, you might need statements for all of them.
You might be asked to provide latest annual statements if you’re remortgaging or you have a mortgage on another property.
Your credit report will give a mortgage provider a lot of detail about any other loans or credit cards you have open or have had open in the past, like if you’re paying off a car on finance. It might be worth getting a copy of your credit report before you apply for a mortgage so that you are aware of the detail.
When you find your dream home and you’ve had your offer accepted, you’ll usually need to find a solicitor or licensed conveyancer who can manage all of that legal stuff for you. When you have their details your mortgage provider may need these, along with the details of the property and the estate agent.
If you have any of these types of insurance policies in place you may be asked to give the details to your mortgage provider.
Whether you’ve found your dream home or you’re still on the hunt, getting your paperwork together could put you ahead of the game. So you could be in a great position when it’s time to apply for a mortgage.
The material contained in this document is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice.
You should obtain relevant legal or other advice if you are unsure about the effect on you of any matter in this document.
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