This website is for the use of FCA authorised mortgage intermediaries only.
Packaging requirements
When you submit a full mortgage application, we'll ask you to upload relevant supporting documentation. Please ensure these documents are uploaded under the relevant headers to avoid delays in the underwriting assessment.
Please note that if all documents are not received within 30 days of application submission, the application will be cancelled.
In addition to providing the correct documentation, please ensure:
- The details on the documentation/evidence provided match the details submitted on the application.
- The applicant(s) name and address are the same on all the documentation provided.
- Accurate email addresses and phone numbers are included within the application for the applicant(s).
All customers
- Appropriate documentation to verify the customers stated income
- Bank statements are no longer needed to verify credit commitments, and will be requested by exception only
To assist with the document verification process, please ensure that:
- Only one document is added per page upload
- The document is captured clearly (not photographed on computer screen / crumpled document / blurred photo)
- The details are entered on the application exactly as the document shows:
- Payslip shows Smith and Co then Employer name should be keyed as Smith and Co (not Smith & Co)
- Payslip shows HSBC (UK) Ltd then Employer name should be keyed as HSBC (UK) Ltd and not just HSBC.
Trouble shooting guide if you experience issues when uploading documents, please check:
- Use Google Chrome
- The file name should contain no special characters and not be too short a file name, e.g. only 1 letter
- File size max 7MB
- Acceptable files formats are PDF, JPEG or PNG only
- Make sure the document is not password protected
- Ensure to click on ‘submit’ at the bottom of the screen
Buy to let
Income from employment
- Evidence of employed income must be provided in line with the Residential lending criteria
Income from self-employment
- For self-employed applications pleased provide the Latest years finalised accounts or Latest years Tax Calculation* and corresponding Tax Year Overview
*Tax Calculation can be an online print out from HMRC website, an SA302 or the computation produced by the customer’s accountant using commercial software and submitted to HMRC.
No further income verification / validation is required for self-employed applicants beyond the above.
- For income in a foreign currency other than GBP, the amount should be converted using an appropriate currency conversion tool and input the gross income in GBP into the application.
Documentation
- Latest months bank statement dated within 35 days of the application. This will verify existing Buy to let rental income and support the identification of Professional/Portfolio Landlords.
- For customers who have their current property in either Northern Ireland or Scotland, we require a mortgage statement to evidence their owner occupier status.
Employed customers
- For all customers, we require the latest months payslip dated within the last 35 days. For any variations to the frequency of pay, please refer to the Residental Evidential Documents Matrix
. - Documentation is required for bonus, overtime, commission and shift allowance in line with the Residental Evidential Documents Matrix.
- For customers on or about to take maternity leave, we ask for details including whether their income is affected by reduced hours - if it is, please provide an employer's letter.
- Evidence of any other income the customer wants us to take into account such as pensions, benefits, investments or rental income.
Foreign national customers
Foreign Nationals resident in the UK
EU Settlement Scheme
Customers will be required to provide evidence of their status under the Settlement Scheme to support their mortgage application. This can be obtained from the GOV.UK website.
The EU settlement scheme provides two statuses:
- Settled – this allows a permanent stay in the UK
- Pre-settled – this allows a stay in the UK for 5 years before a new application is required
For customers with Settled status, Indefinite Leave to Remain, Indefinite Leave to Enter or Right of Abode, we will process applications subject to our standard residential lending criteria.
For customers with Pre-settled status, or without Indefinite Leave to Remain, Indefinite Leave to Enter or Right of Abode, we will process applications if they meet our foreign national criteria as detailed below:
- The customer must evidence that they have lived and worked in the UK for a minimum of 12 months at point of application:
- For EU/EEA/Swiss customers this can be evidenced by tenancy agreement or voters roll and evidence of 12 months employment
- For all other countries this can be evidenced by current valid passport with visa stamp or work visa showing date of entry into the UK and evidence of 12 months employment
- The customer must have a work permit / visa with at least 12 months left to run until expiry at point of application
- Maximum LTV of 75% for mortgage borrowing and additional lending.
- If you intend to capitalise a booking fee then the loan amount plus the added fee must remain within the LTV restrictions stated above.
- The above maximum LTV also only applies where the total loan size is not exceeded.
- Please refer to the Loan section for further information on LTV limits.
- Additional lending cannot be used for debt consolidation
- Deposit is funded from the customer's own resources. Gifts and builder's cash backs are not acceptable, unless they are in addition to the 25% deposit provided from the applicants own resources
- Foreign nationals without indefinite leave in the UK or no right of abode entitlement not meeting the above criteria are subject to the same criteria as Non-UK residents, as set out below
Non-UK Residents
For overseas customers looking to purchase a property in the UK please see the overseas customers section.
Proof of address
When you submit an application, we'll ask for one of the following documents (Only a full UK photocard Driving Licence can be used as a single document for both identification and proof of address purposes. For all other documents a separate document will be required for proof of identification.)
- Current UK photocard Driving Licence – Full or Provisional (a provisional photocard driving licence can only be used for Address Verification if there is a satisfactory other document for ID. A Full UK photocard Driving Licence can be used for both ID and Address Verification – however the address on the Driving Licence must match the applicants current address
- Rest of the World Driving Licence – includes Jersey Guernsey and Isle of Man. This must be a Full Licence showing the customers address, a Provisional Licence is not accepted
- Council Tax bills. Must be from the current billing year (usually 1 April – 31 March) and dated within the last 13 months, or the next billing year and dated within the last 4 months. They must contain the issuing council name and the applicants name and address
- Mortgage Statements. Must be dated within the last 6 months and on official headed paper. They must also include the issuing company’s name, the applicants name and current address. Online statements are not acceptable. Mortgage statements from First Direct and M&S are acceptable
- Credit Card Statements. Must be dated within the last 4 months. Online statements are only acceptable when issued within the UK and accompanied by a Passport, UK photocard Driving Licence or National Identity Card (EEA and Swiss Nationals only). Bills from Private Bank, John Lewis Partnership Card, M&S and First Direct are acceptable. Online statements issued outside the UK are not acceptable. Statements issued outside of the UK must be from a credit or financial institution in the UK or a country with equivalent legislation and financial standards
- Bank, Building Society and Credit Union Statements. Must be dated within the last 4 months. Online and branch printed statements are only acceptable when issued within the UK and accompanied by a Passport, UK photocard Driving Licence or National Identity Card (EEA and Swiss Nationals only). We cannot accept HSBC UK bank statements as proof of address.
- Insurance/Investment Documents. Must be dated within the last 4 months and indicate that a customer/financial relationship exists. We do not accept Online statements, John Lewis Partnership, Marks & Spencer, First Direct or HSBC documents. Home, Motor and Travel Insurance documents are also not acceptable
- Solicitor's letter confirming a house purchase or land registry confirmation. Must be dated within the last 4 months, be on official headed paper and contain the applicants name and address. Verification of applicant’s previous address must also be obtained.
- Letter from a university, college or known language school (accredited by the UK Border Agency) – only for students on a qualifying course. Must be dated within the last 4 months, on official headed paper, confirm the applicants name and address, be addressed to the applicant, the bank or to Whom It May Concern, confirm that the customer is enrolled or accepted onto a course at the institution, and include a contact name, address and telephone number or email address (of the person writing the letter so they can be contacted if necessary)
- National ID card – only acceptable only acceptable for ID cards for EEA and Swiss Nationals. Front and back of card must be copied, and must include applicant’s full first name and surname, applicant’s photograph, applicant’s date of birth, applicant’s current residential address, the place and country of issue and date of issue
- Tenancy agreement, Rent card or Rent book. Must be from a Local Council or reputable letting agency in the UK (documents from a private landlord are not acceptable) and include the applicants name signed by the landlord/letting agent, the applicants current address and the name of council/letting agency. The card/book must not have expired. In addition, Tenancy Agreements must be on headed paper or include a covering letter on headed paper with contact details, include Period of Tenancy and be dated in the last 12 months
For more information about the types of documents we accept, see Verifying a customer's address (EN.PDF 1.3MB).
*To find out if a particular country has equivalent legislation and financial standards, please call the helpdesk
Proof of identity
When you submit an application online, we automatically run an electronic identity check. If the customer's identity cannot be verified electronically, we'll accept a valid full UK photo card driving licence, this can be used to both identify themselves and verify their address.
If a customer does not have a valid full UK photo card driving licence, we'll ask for one of the following documents. A separate document will be required to verify proof of address.
Non-certified scanned documents for identification are accepted for business submitted through our broker platform.
Our preferred forms of identification are:
- Signed Passport
- UK Driving Licence (Photo Card)
- National Identity Card (EEA and Swiss Nationals only with the exclusion of Romanian and Greek National ID Cards)
If the applicant doesn't have any of the above documents, we can accept one of the following:
- Benefits Agency Letter
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office letter (foreign diplomatic staff only)
- HMRC Tax Notification (PAYE coding notice, HMRC Notification of Working Family Tax Credit, HMRC Notification of Children's Tax Credit, HMRC Notification of Disabled Persons Tax Credit or HMRC Tax Calculation)
- Northern Ireland Voter's Card
- Armed forces Identity card
- Group Identification form
For more information about the types of documents we accept, see Verifying a customer's identity (EN.PDF 1.6MB).
Post approval changes
Where an application has been approved and completion is imminent, if an amendment to the lending is requested, you must ensure any acting Solicitors / Conveyancers are informed of the change.
Self-employed customers
For more information, please refer to the Residential lending criteria section.
| Criteria | Evidential Documents Required |
|---|---|
Sole traderWe will consider the average net profit over the last 2 years. However, if the latest year is lower than the average, that figure will be used |
Additional information (i.e. business bank statements, further HMRC documentation) may be required by the underwriter to support the application. |
PartnershipsWe will consider the average of the applicant's share of the net profit over the last 2 years. However, if the latest year is lower than the average, that figure will be used. |
Additional information (i.e. business bank statements, further HMRC documentation) may be required by the underwriter to support the application. Customers changing from an employed position to a partner within the same business in the last two years In these instances, a combination of evidence can be accepted to confirm income:
|
Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP’s) with less than 200 partnersWe will consider the average of the applicant's share of the net profit over the last 2 years. However, if the latest year is lower than the average, that figure will be used. |
Additional information (i.e. business bank statements, further HMRC documentation) may be required by the underwriter to support the application. Customers changing from an employed position to a partner within the same LLP in the last two years In these instances, a combination of evidence can be accepted to confirm income:
|
Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP’s) with 200 or more partnersWe will consider the average of the applicant's share of the net profit over the last 2 years. However, if the latest year is lower than the average, that figure will be used. |
|
Limited CompaniesWe will consider the applicant's share of net profit after corporation tax averaged over the last 2 years, along with their salary (often referred to as director's remuneration or emoluments) averaged over the last 2 years. If the latest year is lower than the average, that figure will be used. |
Additional information (i.e. business bank statements, further HMRC documentation) may be required by the underwriter to support the application. As part of our Underwriting checks, we will validate the information provided by undertaking a check on Companies House. As such there is no longer a requirement for all accounts to be signed. Please note, a Companies House search will not be available for International customers who provide financial accounts for a Limited Company based overseas, therefore the finalised financial accounts must be signed by an accountant to meet our self-employed policy. Customers changing from an employed position to a director within the same business in the last two years In these instances, a combination of evidence can be accepted to confirm income:
|
Company Director with less than 25% shareholding |
Applications that meet affordability on employed income should not have net profit details included in the assessment. Please note: where the application fails affordability based on employed income alone, the application can be progressed using both employed income and net profit. Where net profit is required for affordability, the application must be evidenced in line with the self-employed income policy requirements. |
Company director with 25% or more shareholding |
If there are multiple directors within the business, and the financial accounts do not confirm the distribution of salary to each director, then evidence will be required from either;
|
Customers trading for less than two years or do not have the first two years trading accountsThe one year’s finalised financial accounts or HMRC documentation will be averaged over a 2 year period for the affordability assessment | For new business entities (i.e. trading for less than two years), we will consider applications for all customers based upon a minimum of:
The primary concern with new businesses will be gauging the ability of the applicant to meet the regular monthly payments as they fall due. Applications will be assessed on an individual basis and careful consideration should be given to:
|
Customers trading for less than two years or do not have the first two years trading accounts - LLPs with 200 or more partners |
|
For customers where there is a change in the business entity of an existing business within the last two yearsWhere an existing business continues trading but as a different business entity and does not have two years financial accounts/HMRC documentation as the new business entity. The new business entity must be a continuation of the old business i.e. the only change is the trading name. For an entirely new business or where the ownership of an existing business changes the “Customers trading for less than two years” policy must be followed | Sole trader/Partnership converting to a Limited Company
|
For customers changing from an employed position to a partner or director within the SAME business within the last two years - Sole Traders, Partnerships, LLPs with less than 200 partners and limited company directors | Where the employee has become a partner: Where the first year’s HMRC documents for the partnership HAVE NOT been provided:
Plus, for Partnerships, one of the following two options:
Plus, for LLPs with less than 200 partners, one of the following three options:
Where the first year’s HMRC documents for the partnership HAVE been provided:
Plus, for Partnerships, one of the following two options:
Plus, for LLPs with less than 200 partners, one of the following three options:
Where the first year’s finalised financial accounts for the Limited Company HAVE NOT been provided:
Where the first year’s finalised financial accounts for the Limited Company HAVE been provided:
Please note, a Companies House search must be completed in all instances when we use finalised financial accounts as part of the income assessment, irrespective of whether the financial accounts have been signed or not. These must match to confirm the accounts received are finalised. In all scenarios, we require the following:
As part of our Underwriting checks, we will validate the information provided by undertaking a check on Companies House. As such there is no longer a requirement for all accounts to be signed. Please note, a Companies House search will not be available for International customers who provide financial accounts for a Limited Company based overseas, therefore the finalised financial accounts must be signed by an accountant to meet our self-employed policy. |
| For customers changing from an employed position to a partner within the same LLP in the last two years – LLP with 200 or more partners |
Where an individual changes employment status within the latest year:
Please note: the share of future profits cannot be included in the income calculation until they have been received. |
| For customers changing from an employed position to a partnership of a different LLP in the last two years and in the same line of work – LLP with 200 or more partners |
Where an individual changes employment status within the first year:
AND
Please note: the share of future profits cannot be included in the income calculation until they have been received. |
Sub-Contractors (SC) including Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) Contractors and individuals working for an Umbrella CompanyContractors who will pay their own tax will be treated as Self-Employed. We will classify applicants that pay tax at source but do not receive p60s as they submit tax returns as self employed.Sole Traders/Partnerships: Refer to the evidential documentation requirements for Sole Traders/Partnerships (including LLP with fewer than 200 partners) Limited Companies: Refer to the evidential documentation requirements for Limited Companies | |
Foster CarersFoster Carers Income will be treated as self-employed income as per HMRC guidance. We will consider the average income over the last two years, however if the latest year is lower than the average then the latest year’s figure will be used. |
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