Mortgage guides

Mortgage guides for the questions we’re asked most.

Eight in-depth guides from Keyholder Mortgages, written by Harry Mansell, CeMAP. Each one takes the questions clients ask us most and answers them in plain English, with what we need to know and how the process works.

  • 8 in-depth guides
  • 140+ questions answered
The guides

Which mortgage guide do you need?

Every guide is built around real questions, with the answer straight underneath each one. Pick a topic below to narrow the list, or browse all eight.

Showing all 8 guides

  • 01Buying a home

    First-time buyer guide

    Deposits, borrowing, stamp duty and the support available, plus every stage from mortgage in principle to collecting your keys.

    Questions it answers
    • How much deposit do you need as a first-time buyer?
    • Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
    • How long does it take to get a mortgage as a first-time buyer?
    12 min read · 19 questions
  • 02Credit history

    Bad credit mortgage guide

    Defaults, CCJs, debt management plans, IVAs, bankruptcy and missed payments, with what we need to know about each one.

    Questions it answers
    • Can you get a mortgage with a default?
    • Can you get a mortgage with a debt management plan?
    • How do mortgage lenders check your credit?
    8 min read · 19 questions
  • 03Already a homeowner

    Remortgage guide

    Switching before your deal ends, releasing equity, adding or removing someone and changing your term or repayment type.

    Questions it answers
    • Can you remortgage before your deal ends?
    • Can you remortgage to release equity?
    • Can you remortgage to add or remove someone from the mortgage?
    8 min read · 20 questions
  • 04Self-employed

    Self-employed mortgage guide

    Written for sole traders and limited company directors, from just starting out to a drop in profit, salary and dividends, and whether you need an accountant.

    Questions it answers
    • Can you get a mortgage if you’ve just become self-employed?
    • Can you get a mortgage if your profit has dropped?
    • Can you get a mortgage if you pay yourself a low salary and dividends?
    8 min read · 19 questions
  • 05Landlords

    Buy-to-let guide

    Letting to family, renting out your current home, different property types and using equity in your home as a deposit.

    Questions it answers
    • Can you get a buy-to-let mortgage to rent to a family member?
    • Can you rent out your home without a buy-to-let mortgage?
    • Can you use equity in your home as a buy-to-let deposit?
    7 min read · 17 questions
  • 06Landlords

    Portfolio landlord guide

    How a whole portfolio is assessed, property schedules, business plans, and holding properties personally and in a limited company.

    Questions it answers
    • What is a property schedule?
    • Do portfolio landlords need a business plan?
    • Can you release equity to grow your portfolio?
    7 min read · 17 questions
  • 07Later life

    Retirement interest-only guide

    Borrowing in retirement and paying only the interest, including when an interest-only mortgage has ended, applying on your own and moving home.

    Questions it answers
    • Can you get a retirement interest-only mortgage if your interest-only mortgage has ended?
    • Can you get a retirement interest-only mortgage on your own?
    • What happens to a retirement interest-only mortgage when you die or go into care?
    6 min read · 18 questions
  • 08Later life

    Equity release guide

    Releasing money tied up in your home from age 55, with a mortgage still in place or to help family, and how it compares with RIO.

    Questions it answers
    • Can you get equity release if you still have a mortgage?
    • Can equity release affect your benefits?
    • How does equity release compare with a retirement interest-only mortgage?
    7 min read · 19 questions

Written by Harry Mansell, CeMAP, Mortgage Specialist at Keyholder Mortgages. Harry writes every guide from the questions clients ask, and each one shows when it was last updated.

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