Guides
Long-form guides for UK mortgage decisions
Editorial guides covering the shape of the UK mortgage market. Written to be read slowly, without a countdown timer or 'unlock the answer' button. Start with the pillar; the rest fill in the detail.
The first-time buyer guide
Everything from 'am I a first-time buyer?' to agreement in principle, mortgage application, and completion day. The full pillar.
Read →Types of mortgage explained
Fixed, tracker, discount, SVR, offset, interest-only, capital-and-interest, JBSP, guarantor. When each makes sense.
Read →The hidden costs of buying
Beyond the deposit: stamp duty, legal, survey, arrangement fees, broker fees, removals, electronic ID checks. The real day-one number.
Read →How lenders assess affordability
Income multiples are a ceiling. Affordability is a floor. How lenders stress-test, what committed expenditure counts, and how to improve your numbers.
Read →Stamp duty in England, explained
Standard bands, first-time buyer relief, additional-property surcharge, non-resident surcharge — and what changed on 1 April 2025.
Read →Remortgaging for homeowners
When to start shopping, product transfer vs full remortgage, ERCs, typical timelines, the six-month rule.
Read →Mortgage glossary
LTV, AIP, ERC, MMR, MCOB, SVR, JBSP — every acronym on the mortgage journey, with a plain-English definition.
Read →