How to a get a mortgage with Better.co.uk

A step-by-step guide to how getting a mortgage with us works

Steps to get a mortgage with Better.co.uk

Create your Better.co.uk account so you can complete and track your mortgage application.

Your account will let you:

  • save and continue at any time

  • skip sections and come back to them when you have the information ready

Tell us about your finances and property to complete our easy online mortgage or remortgage form. 

We use bank grade encryption to keep your data secure. 

Once you’ve completed your profile, you’ll get a personal mortgage adviser. 

Your adviser will:

  • check through your details

  • search through 12,000 deals from 100+ lenders to find a mortgage that’s right for you

  • send you your mortgage recommendation and explain why they chose it for you

  • contact you, often within 5 hours to talk you through your options

You can choose this deal or speak to your adviser if you want some advice or would prefer a new deal.

Our experts will find you a deal that is more than just the lowest cost. 

They’ll look at the total cost with fees, how much you’ll have left to pay after your initial period and your personal situation. 

This may help you pay your mortgage off quicker which could save you money in the long run. 

Learn more about our mortgage recommendations.

When you’re happy with your deal, we’ll get your application ready for the lender. 

We’ll ask you to upload some documents.

The documents will depend on your situation and your lender but often include:

  • bank statements

  • payslips

  • proof of ID

  • proof of address

  • proof of deposit

Read more about uploading documents.

When you’ve uploaded your documents, we’ll check them against the information you gave us earlier. 

Once you’ve uploaded your documents we’ll:

  • let you know if anything’s missing or if it does not match the information you gave us

  • help you get everything ready and guide you through the next steps

  • submit your application to the lender when everything’s ready

  • contact you if they need any extra information

This takes 24 hours on average but can take up to 2 days depending on your situation.

Your case manager will chase the lender to make sure everything’s on track and keep you in the loop every step of the way. 

Once we’ve sent your application to the lender:

  • they’ll start the initial underwriting to check your credit history, affordability, eligibility and property details (this often takes around 3 to 5 days. We’ll email you when it’s done)

  • your case manager will let you know if they’ve asked for any extra information

  • you’ll upload the information to your Better.co.uk profile

  • your case manager will work with the lender until they instruct the valuation. This helps your lender check if you’re paying too much or not enough for the property

  • you’ll book a date and time for the valuation to take place

  • your case manager will tell you if and how much the lender is willing to lend you based on the result of the valuation

It’s important to check if you could keep paying your mortgage if something happens like if you get too ill to work. 

Protection can help put your mind at ease so you can avoid losing your home. 

One of our expert protection advisers will get in touch to see if you have enough mortgage protection for:

  • long term sickness and disability

  • life threatening critical illness

  • early death

  • unemployment 

Once the lender has your application, they’ll review your details and do a credit check to make sure you can afford the amount you’re looking to borrow. 

They’ll want to do a valuation of the property to check it’s worth the amount you’ve agreed to pay for it. 

You can also ask to pay for a more detailed survey to check for any structural issues if you want. 

If it’s all okay, the lender will accept your application and send you a mortgage offer letter. 

If you’re buying a home, your solicitor or conveyancer will:

  • confirm everything’s in place to secure the mortgage with the lender

  • agree a completion date with the seller and their solicitor

The day you transfer the money to your solicitor, you’ll be able to pick up your keys from the estate agent and move in. 

When the initial period on your mortgage ends, you’ll be moved onto your lender’s standard variable rate (SVR).

The SVR is usually much higher, which means your mortgage repayments can increase by a lot.

We’ll get in touch when it’s time to start looking for a new mortgage deal. It’s a good idea to start looking for a new deal about 6 months before the end of your initial period.

Ready to buy a home?

See what you could afford to borrow and download your free mortgage in principle (MIP). 

Estate agents are likely to ask to see it before you view a property to check if you’re a serious buyer. 

Your home could be repossessed if you don't keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Ready to remortgage?

Check if it’s time to remortgage and see how much you could save by switching to a new deal. 

You may have to pay an early repayment charge to your existing lender if you remortgage.

Any savings will vary depending on personal circumstances.

Is Better.co.uk free?

We get paid by your lender when you complete your mortgage or remortgage.

This is known as the "procuration" or "proc" fee. Most brokers, even the ones that charge you for their services, get a proc fee from the lender when they arrange a mortgage on your behalf.

If we help you arrange insurance, the insurer pays us when you complete the purchase, and your cover starts. 

When you receive your product information, it will break down the fees that we earn from your lender or insurer.

We do not give our advisers incentives to recommend specific insurers or lenders, so you will always receive impartial advice.

Our initial consultation service is free for all customers.

Some customers may be required to pay a fee when applying for a mortgage through Better.co.uk. This will depend on your circumstances and credit history.

Get a mortgage with Better.co.uk today

  • Our remortgage customers saved an average of £290 a month in August 2023*

  • Better.co.uk is a fee-free mortgage broker

  • 5-star Trustpilot rating from over 5,000 reviews

  • Compare mortgage deals from over 100 lenders

  • Skip the paperwork: apply online any time

What people are saying about Better.co.uk...

 
 
 
 

Important info & marketing claims

You may have to pay an early repayment charge to your existing lender if you remortgage. Your savings will depend on personal circumstances.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

*The savings figure of £506 is based on Better.co.uk remortgage customers in December 2023. Read more on our marketing claims page.

We can't always guarantee we will be able to help you with your mortgage application depending on your credit history and circumstances.

Average mortgage decision and approval times are based on Better.co.uk's historic data for lenders we submit applications to.

Tracker rates are identified after comparing over 12,000 mortgage products from over 100 mortgage lenders.

As of January 2023, Better.co.uk has access to over 100 lenders. This number is subject to change.

For buy-to-let landlords, there's no guarantee that it will be possible to arrange continuous letting of a property, nor that rental income will be sufficient to meet the cost of the mortgage.