Self-employed mortgage broker Brighton

If you’re a sole trader, lenders will usually assess your net profit rather than your turnover. Many average your profits over the last two or three years, although some will place greater emphasis on your most recent trading figures where their criteria allow.

We’ve helped sole traders across Brighton secure mortgages after they assumed fluctuating profits or legitimate business expenses would prevent them from borrowing. Before recommending a lender, we’ll review your accounts, explain how your income is likely to be assessed, and identify any areas that could affect affordability before your application is submitted.

Running a limited company often creates a disconnect between how successful your business is and how lenders assess your income. Many high-street lenders focus on salary and dividends, while some specialist lenders may also consider retained profits where their lending policy allows. If you’d like to explore this in more detail, read our guide to limited company mortgages.

We’ll look at how you’re paid, how long you’ve been trading, and your company’s financial position before recommending a lender. This is particularly valuable for directors who reinvest profits back into the business instead of drawing a higher personal income.

Contract income isn’t assessed in the same way by every lender. Some are comfortable using day rates or contract values, while others prefer a longer trading history or additional evidence of ongoing work.

Whether you’re an IT contractor, consultant, designer, engineer or creative freelancer working across Brighton, we’ll recommend lenders that understand contract-based income and explain exactly what evidence is needed to support your application.

If you’re paid on a fixed-term or day-rate contract, you can also learn more about our contractor mortgages service. The goal is to present a clear, consistent picture of your earnings from the outset.

Partnership income can be more complex, particularly where profits are shared differently between partners or vary from year to year.

We’ll review your partnership accounts alongside your individual income to understand how lenders are likely to assess affordability. Where additional explanation is needed, we’ll ensure it’s presented clearly before your application reaches an underwriter, helping reduce unnecessary questions and delays.

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is, “I need at least two or three years of accounts before I can get a mortgage.” That’s not always the case.

Several lenders are willing to consider applicants with just one year’s trading history, provided the business is performing well and the rest of the application is strong. We’ve helped newly self-employed clients explore these options by identifying lenders whose criteria fit their circumstances rather than waiting years unnecessarily.

If you’ve recently become self-employed after working in the same industry, that’s useful context too, and we’ll make sure it’s reflected in your application where relevant.

Your business structure shouldn’t limit your mortgage options. The key is applying to lenders that assess your income in a way that reflects how your business actually operates. That’s where specialist advice makes the difference. Rather than trying multiple lenders and hoping one says yes, we’ll identify the most suitable options from the outset and guide your application through every stage.