Being self-employed gives you freedom and flexibility, but when it comes to mortgages, many lenders still treat you as high risk. Despite strong earnings, healthy savings, and a stable business, you may find yourself being asked for years of accounts, confusing documents, or even told to wait longer.
At Mortgage Knight, we specialise in helping self-employed people get approved. Whether you’re a sole trader, limited company director, freelancer, or contractor, we understand your income, and we know which lenders do too.
We arrange mortgages for:
Mainstream lenders often:
We know how to present your income properly, explain your setup clearly, and match you with lenders who understand self-employment.
Sole Traders
Each lender varies, but typically:
We’ll help gather everything and package it to support your case.
Status: Charlotte runs a marketing agency and leaves most of her profits in the business. Her personal income was only £30k on paper, but her company had £140k net profits.
Solution: We worked with a lender who assessed retained profits and director’s share, not just drawings
Outcome: Charlotte was approved for a £450,000 mortgage at 85% LTV and didn’t have to change how she pays herself.
Status: Tom left full-time employment to become a freelance web developer and had only 1 full tax return.
Solution: We found a lender happy with just 1 year’s SA302 and bank statements, as his income and industry were stable.
Outcome: He secured a £180,000 mortgage with a 10% deposit, just 15 months after going self-employed.
Status: Sara worked 3–4 contracts per year as a tech consultant. Her income came in lump sums, with gaps in between.
Solution: We used her day rate method, backed by remittance slips and a letter of engagement.
Outcome: Sara was approved for a £350,000 mortgage, with interest-only flexibility for future changes.
A: Yes. Some lenders will accept just 12 months’ trading if the income is strong and your industry is stable.
A: We work with lenders who assess retained profits or total business performance—not just your drawings.
A: Absolutely. Many landlords now use SPVs to purchase and hold commercial or BTL property, and we specialise in this structure.
A: Sometimes, yes. Especially if your returns haven’t been filed yet—we’ll check with the lender.
A: Yes. We explain fluctuations and focus on your most recent and sustainable earnings.
The team made everything easy, even with my complicated income. I'd been turned away before, but not here.
