4.8 Out of 5
Mortgage Broker
- Whether you're buying a home, investing in property, or financing commercial premises — we work with 130+ lenders to find the right mortgage for your circumstances, including complex cases that high-street banks won't consider.
Questions
What is a Mortgage?
A mortgage is a long-term loan secured against property, used to fund the purchase or refinance of a home, investment property, or commercial premises. The property itself acts as collateral for the lender — meaning repayments must be kept up or the lender has the right to repossess.
Directly from a lender
Mortgages in the UK are provided by banks, building societies, and specialist lenders. Borrowers can approach lenders directly, but working through a broker gives you access to a wider range of products — including specialist lenders who don’t deal directly with the public — and the expertise to match your circumstances to the right lender and structure.
Through a mortgage broker
Our consultants have access to over 130 lenders across the full mortgage market, covering residential, commercial, buy-to-let, and second-charge products. Whether your situation is straightforward or complex, we will identify the right option and manage the process through to completion.
Case studies
Some of our projects
Land Bridge for 220 Apartments
£10,400,000
Airspace Development
£1,200,000
CBILS Refinance for 4 Detached Houses
£3,400,000
Enquiry to Completion in 4 weeks
£3,600,000
our team
team of experts
FAQs
Common Questions & Answers
What is the difference between a residential and a commercial mortgage?
A residential mortgage is used to purchase or refinance a property that you or a family member will live in. It is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which means lenders must assess affordability using set criteria and borrowers have certain protections.
A commercial mortgage is used for property that is occupied by a business, held as an investment, or is non-residential in nature — such as offices, retail units, warehouses, or mixed-use buildings. Commercial mortgages are largely unregulated, assessed primarily on the property’s income potential and the borrower’s business profile, and typically require a larger deposit (25–35%) and carry higher interest rates than residential products.
Second-charge mortgages and buy-to-let mortgages sit in between — buy-to-let mortgages are sometimes regulated (where the landlord or a close relative will ever occupy the property) and sometimes not, and second-charge mortgages secured against a main residence are always regulated.
Can I get a mortgage if I've been declined by a bank or have a complex financial situation?
Yes — being declined by a high-street bank does not mean you cannot get a mortgage. Banks apply standardised, automated criteria that reject many applications that are perfectly viable when assessed more carefully. Specialist lenders, which make up a significant portion of our panel of 130+, take a more flexible approach.
Complex circumstances we regularly place include: self-employed borrowers with variable or non-PAYE income, limited company and SPV structures for buy-to-let, adverse or historic credit issues, non-standard property types, and portfolio landlords with multiple properties. If you have been declined elsewhere, we will review your situation honestly and tell you what is achievable before you commit to anything.
How much deposit do I need for a buy-to-let or commercial mortgage?
For buy-to-let mortgages, most lenders require a minimum deposit of 25%, though some will consider 20–25% for strong applications. For limited company or portfolio landlord applications, 25% is typically the minimum.
For commercial mortgages, the standard minimum deposit is 25–35% of the purchase price, depending on the property type, the strength of the business case, and the lender. More specialist or higher-risk properties (such as hotels, care homes, or properties with short leases) may require a higher deposit.
For second-charge mortgages, there is no deposit as such — instead, the amount you can borrow is determined by the equity available in your existing property and the combined loan-to-value (CLTV) that the lender is prepared to accept.
What types of mortgage can Finspace help with?
We broker four main types of mortgage. Residential mortgages, for individuals purchasing or refinancing their home, including complex cases involving self-employment, non-standard income, or unusual property types. Second-charge mortgages, for homeowners looking to borrow against the equity in their property without refinancing their existing mortgage. Buy-to-let mortgages, for landlords and investors purchasing or refinancing residential properties to rent out, including HMOs, portfolio landlords, and limited company structures. Commercial mortgages, for businesses purchasing or refinancing non-residential property, including offices, retail premises, warehouses, and mixed-use assets.
In each case, we work with over 130 lenders to find the right product for your circumstances and handle the application from start to completion.
Do I need a mortgage broker, or can I go directly to a lender?
You can approach lenders directly, and for straightforward cases with mainstream lenders this can work well. However, using a broker has several advantages — particularly for more complex situations. A broker has access to lenders and products that are not available directly to the public, can compare a much wider range of options in one conversation, and can present your application in the way most likely to succeed with a given lender.
Broker fees vary — in many cases the broker is paid by the lender and there is no direct cost to you, though for more complex cases a fee may apply. We are always transparent about fees before we begin work. For straightforward cases, going direct may be equally effective; for anything involving complexity, specialist lenders, or unusual property types, a broker will almost always produce a better outcome.
