Single mortgage application when married (Uk)

In this brief guide, we are going to discuss getting a single mortgage application when married in the UK.

There are many reasons why you may want to get a single mortgage application even if you are married in the UK.

Your partner may have bad credit and hence a single mortgage application may be much better as the mortgage lender will not have to consider your partner’s bad credit when making a mortgage lending decision.

You may also be trying to get a  buy to let property and you only want this in your name so you can claim suitable tax benefits which you may not be entitled to if you get a joint buy to let mortgage with your partner.

Or maybe your partner will not be eligible for some of the government schemes or stamp duty reliefs which may be available only to a first-time buyer.

How to get a single mortgage when married in the UK

To get a single person mortgage application in the UK even if you are married you should first look to speak to a mortgage broker who will be able to advise you on the best mortgage lenders available to you.

There are different factors you may need to consider depending on the type of mortgage you are after.

If you want to get a single mortgage application when you are married in the UK then there are a few things you may want to consider:

• When looking to get a single mortgage application in the Uk even though you are married, you should remember that the mortgage lender will not consider your partner s income and hence you must be able to afford the mortgage on your own.

• Most buy to let mortgage lenders are more willing to offer single mortgage applications to married borrowers as they understand the potential tax benefits with having only your name on the mortgage.

• There will be a bigger pool of mortgage lenders who are willing to look at single mortgage applications from borrowers who are married if you are applying for a second home mortgage which will no be your main residence.

• As your partner won’t be on the title deeds their income won’t be used on the mortgage affordability assessments. This is in opposition to a joint mortgage with sole proprietorship where the borrower’s income is used for mortgage affordability but the borrower is not on the title deeds.

• most mortgage lenders will not be keen on a single mortgage application when you are married in the UK but may accept a joint mortgage application if you are not married.

• If your partner is not going on the mortgage but gifting you the mortgage deposit then most mortgage lenders will require a gifted deposit letter. You can get a sample template of what the mortgage ender requires by asking them.

• If your partner is gifting you the mortgage deposit and also lives in the property then you may have an issue as most mortgage lenders may not approve a mortgage due to foreseeing future difficulties with ownership rights and possible ownership claims from the partner who is not on the mortgage.

• Some mortgage lenders may still require to see the credit file of your partner and if your partner has bad credit they may decline you. There are however other mortgage lenders that will choose to offer a mortgage to the borrower with a clean credit record.

• There are also some mortgage lenders who will insist you have a joint mortgage 

• You can get a single mortgage application even if you are still married but are in the process of divorcing. You will have to prove to the mortgage lender that you are in the process of divorcing and that you are able to afford the monthly mortgage repayments.

Do you have to get a joint mortgage if you are married?

No, you do not have to get a joint mortgage if you are married. Although most mortgage lenders will prefer a joint mortgage application some mortgage lenders will still accept a single mortgage application even if you are married.

Can you still get a single mortgage application if you have bad credit?

If you have bad credit then getting a single mortgage application will depend on how bad your credit was and how far back it occurred. 

Many mortgage lenders will look past your bad credit if it was over a certain timeframe.

Bad credit could include:

• Missed credit repayments
• N credit score or history
• Low credit score
• Arrears
• Defaults
• County Court Judgements (CCJs)
• Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs)
• Debt Management Plans (DMPs)
• Bankruptcy
• Repossession

You may want to use a bad credit mortgage broker to assist you in getting a mortgage.

Can you get a mortgage if your partner has bad credit?

If your partner has bad credit then a single mortgage application may be possible even if you are married. Some mortgage lenders will not consider your partner’s credit score at all but there are some who will.

Using a mortgage broker

You may want to consider using an independent mortgage broker to get a mortgage.

Mortgage brokers are important as they can access mortgage products from across the whole of the market in some cases.

This could be over 11,000 mortgage products. This may have some advantages rather than going directly to a mortgage lender.

A mortgage broker will look to understand your financial circumstances and then provide recommendations on which mortgage products may be suitable for you based on your mortgage affordability.

After giving you these mortgage recommendations, most mortgage brokers will seek your consent to apply for a mortgage in principle. 

This will allow you to shop for your home easier as more estate agents and sellers may take you seriously or it will give you confidence that your mortgage is indeed a possibility before you make a full mortgage application. 

Once you have found a home you want to buy and are satisfied with the mortgage offer for your mortgage then the mortgage broker will then look to get you a mortgage offer.

This will come with a key facts illustration document which details out the features of your mortgage including how much you will pay per month.

It will also contain information on if there are any limits such as early repayment fees, or annual overpayment limits.

If you are happy with everything you can then go on to secure your mortgage with the help of a conveyancer.

Your conveyancer will manage the legal searches on the property to ensure there aren’t any issues with it.

They will oversee the sales agreement to ensure it is in your best interest, they will manage the transfer of mortgage funds, exchange contracts with the seller or their conveyancer and set a completion date with the seller or their conveyancer.

FAQs: Getting a single mortgage when married in the UK

In this brief guide, we discussed getting a single mortgage application when married in the UK.

If you have any questions or comments please let us know.

If you need financial advice and you live in the UK then you could contact the Money Advice service over the phone or via chat for impartial advice.

You can also contact the debt charity “Step Change” if you are in debt and need help.