When applying for a mortgage there are a few fundamental pieces of information and documentation you will likely need. Having these to hand will not only make your life a little easier when you apply but by having all that is needed by the lender at the outset it should also help in the time it will take them to formally agree your mortgage. So, if you want to know how to get a mortgage, we’ve put a handy list of what you will need below and why they are required.

Identification

You will need to prove that you are the person who is applying for the mortgage. ID theft is one of the major types of fraud and can have catastrophic consequences for those on the receiving end of it. The name on your ID can also be used to ensure all is spelt correctly on your application and in turn the formal mortgage offer document.

Proof of address

Whilst many lenders will be able to verify if you reside at your current address when they carry out a voters roll search when doing the credit check, you may still be required to provide documentation to verify this. Typically, the document will need to be dated within the last 3 months to ensure it has been issued recently. Typical documents accepted are council tax notifications, bank statements and utility bills.

Proof of income

When you apply for your mortgage you will have advised the lender of your income and at this time they will have made an assessment of the loan amount you require meeting their affordability criteria. The lender will then require you to be able to verify this. Different documentation will be required depending on your employment status and also if you are using any additional income such as overtime, commission or bonuses. Certain documents will also be required if any of your income is derived from benefits. The list here will give you some guidance of some of the typical income requirements:

Basic pay – latest 3 months’ payslips

Regular overtime/commission/bonuses – latest 3–6 months’ payslips and P60

Annual bonus – last 2 payslips showing bonus paid and P60

Self-employed – last 2 years’ tax calculations and tax overviews and/or last 2 years’ accounts

Benefits – latest 3 months’ bank statements and/or latest benefits awards letter

Bank statements

Whilst you will likely have provided details of your income and expenditure on your application, a lender will usually ask to see your bank statements. Your statements can provide a snapshot of your finances and enable a lender to see a more detailed overview of your day-to-day spending habits.  They can also be used to verify that the amount on your payslips corresponds to that which is paid into your account. If you have more than one account it is best to have these prepared for each one.  In today’s age of online banking, it is also advisable where possible to have them in PDF format and ensure they can be identified as your account(s) i.e., with your name and possibly also your address showing.

Credit report

When you apply, should this be for an HSBC mortgage, a NatWest mortgage or with any other lender they will cross reference the information you submit to that which they can see on your credit report. We therefore recommend that, whilst the lender will not require a copy to be provided to them by yourself, if you obtain one prior to applying you will be able to see exactly what is registered and thus ensure the data corresponds. It is also strongly advised that you obtain a copy of your report should you know or have concerns regarding any bad credit history as this too will enable you to pinpoint specific information such as dates that will be critical to your application.

Of course a lender could ask for other documentation not noted above that very much depends on your individual circumstances however, if you have wondered how to apply for a mortgage, hopefully the above list will stand you in good stead for being as prepared as you can be for the documentation you will likely require.

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