Experience & Vision
We’re passionate about customer services and exceeding expectations, using our extensive knowledge, experience and passion, we can navigate the mortgage and protection market to bring you the very best it has to offer.
We’ll make sure you have a dedicated mortgage expert who will work with you to understand exactly what you’re looking for in your mortgage product. We won’t try to sell you something you don’t want, we will tailor a recommendation towards your needs.
Russell is one of the founding members of TRANSPARENT mortgage services, working as an Independent mortgage adviser for the last 10 years, Russell has extensive knowledge of the mortgage and protection market. Often called upon to resolve complex cases to navigate a solution for his clients, he has a reputation for working strategically with mortgage lenders to ensure clients are placed to the most appropriate lender for their circumstances.
Matthew is one of the founding members of TRANSPARENT mortgage services, Matthew has extensive knowledge and experience in commercial property and the finance sector. He has a proven track record for problem solving for complex property acquisitions. Matthew specialises in structured finance packages for Large portfolio Landlords and high net worth property developers.
Katie has 15 years’ experience within the financial services industry and most recently worked for the largest mortgage brokerage in the UK for over 8 years. This means she has in depth knowledge of the mortgage and protection industry and specialises in both residential and buy to let purchases and remortgages. Katie works meticulously and delivers an exceptional service ensuring all client’s needs are dealt with in an extremely professional and friendly manner.
Hannah is the office Co-Ordinator; she works due diligently to ensure the office mechanics are performing optimally to enable us to deliver unrivalled customer service.
There are online calculators however we recommend you avoid these, we believe you are far better to call us, we are the experts, we shall conduct a brief financial review and offer a far more precise borrowing figure.
When you conduct the online calculators, you could be missing key information that could widely alter the results, or simply applying to the wrong lender who is not generous to your circumstance, where an alternative lender might be.
Our charges are based on two considerations: the loan amount and the complexity of your individual circumstances. We will provide you with a free initial consultation and we will always explain exactly what you will be charged before you choose to proceed with an application. As we offer a bespoke service our charges can vary.
We typically charge £499, this is payable on receipt on mortgage offer, we shall submit the full mortgage application, package your case and present it to the mortgage lender in the best possible light, we communicate and represent you to the underwriter to ensure a smooth process.
Once the underwriter agrees the mortgage, the property is then inspected (mortgage survey) once the survey results are back with the lender, the mortgage is then formally offered, confirmation of the formal offer is posted to all parties (you and your solicitor).
At the mortgage offer stage, (back end, after conducting all our work) we then take payment from you of £499.
Our fees apply to all regulated mortgages including consumer buy to let’s. Certain mortgages, primarily business buy to lets and commercial mort-gages, are not regulated. Fees for non-regulated mortgages can vary de-pending on your requirements and circumstances.
The client fee doesn’t merely cover the administration of your loan application. It also covers our extensive research, our in-depth knowledge of the market and the independent mortgage advice you receive from us.
Please contact us directly for more guidance.
In some cases, such as a re mortgage then this is an option, for purchases this is restricted its lender dependent.
Yes, we are independent and unbiased, being an independent mortgage broker means we have a unique ability to search the whole of the market to get the best mortgage for our clients and their individual situation.
The difference from us to a bank adviser, we have a vested interest to get the mortgage through to offer, we work independently so we will conduct extensive research to find the most competitive rates resulting in significant savings for you. A Bank adviser will only ever tell you what the bank they work for will you, what about all the other banks and buildings society’s proposition, therefore it's best to seek unbiased independent advice.
Generally 5% but there are other options such as family assisted mortgages, offering the ability to purchase property with no deposit (subject to status).
Usually yes, there are many lenders that are tailored to offer mortgages to people with bad credit, the severity of the impaired credit will reflect in the interest rate the lender charges.
The date of the adverse credit will play an important roll in your ability to obtain a mortgage. Don’t guess, let us take the guess work out of it, speak to us, we will guide you and find out if a mortgage is available to you, if not now we will tell you a date a mortgage will be available to you, given you a target date to work towards.
You can obtain an up to date credit report, Check My File are who we recommend, Try it FREE for 30 days, then £14.99 a month – cancel anytime.
No, with can obtain a mortgage for someone who is self-employed with only 1-year accounts. We know the lenders who compliment a self-employed client whether sole trader, partnership or director, we tailor you to the lender who will be most accommodating to your circumstances resulting in the best rates or largest mortgage obtainable or both.
No, with can obtain a mortgage for someone who is self-employed with only 1-year accounts. We know the lenders who compliment a self-employed client whether sole trader, partnership or director, we tailor you to the lender who will be most accommodating to your circumstances resulting in the best rates or largest mortgage obtainable or both.
Extensive documents list:
- Proof of income – last 4 months payslips
- Proof of income – lasts P60
- Credit Card Statements-for all credit cards / store cards held – latest statements only
- Latest Statement OR original finance agreement document for any financial commitments
- Personal Bank statements- for 4 whole months showing latest 3 months credit (e.g. salary) into the account. The statements provided needs to include your name, address, account number, bank logo, and the dates of the transactions.
Note- Should you have a Joint account or any additional current accounts, where bills are paid- 4 whole months required for this account. - Proof of address- recent utility bill / council tax / credit card statement- dated within the last 3 months.
- Identification (ID)- valid passport or driving license
- Current (Residential Mortgage Statement) -(no older than 3 months, must show mortgage payment, balance and account number- you may need to call your current lender to obtain, ask if they can email it for speed
- Insurance Documents- For any protection relating to the property or Mortgage- Buildings & Contents, Life Insurance, Critical illness and Income Protection (policy documentation such as an illustration or policy schedule)
- Proof of Deposit-This must show the funds are in your name and the available balance (Bank statement / ISA statement/ Help to buy ISA/ Bond Statement) If it’s in various account, this is fine however, please provide statements cover the full deposit amount.
IF the Deposit is a GIFT:
- gift donors ID
- Bank statement –ISA- Bond-, to show gift donors names on statement and amount of funds available.
- Gift letter- we shall provide this to you.
Self Employed:
- Business Bank – statements for 4 whole months showing latest months credit (e.g. salary) into the account. The statements provided needs to include your name, address, account number, bank logo, and the dates of the transactions.
- Self-employed, SA302 (or tax Computation) and Tax over views for the last 3 years (To get these usually you need to call HMRC and request or request from your accountant) or Full Completed accounts for the last 3 years.
- Accountants Details, Name of the firm, name of your accountant, their email address, telephone number and address
Yes, If your parents are willing to sell this to you at below its current market value, at least 10% less than its true current market value, not only could you buy it from them, you could place down no deposit.
Yes, If you have been renting the property for over 12 months. If the Landlord was willing to sell this to you at below its current market value, at least 10% less than its true current market value, not only could you buy it from them, you could place down no deposit.
Do you need it, no, should you have it - likely. We tailor our protection recommendation to you, everyone circumstances are different. We will provide you with a comprehensive protection recommendation to ensure you are protected should life take an unexpected turn for the worse.
The Help to Buy ISA can help you save towards the deposit on your first home. Under this scheme the government will top up your savings by 25%. For every £200 you save each month, the government will contribute £50 up to a maximum of £3,000 on savings of £12,000. The maximum amount you can pay into your Help to Buy Isa each month is £200 but, as a bonus, when you first open the account you’re allowed to make an additional contribution of £1,000, meaning you can save £1,200 in the first month.
Unlike the other Help to Buy schemes the ISA is only available for first-time buyers. So you won’t be able to open one if you currently own a property or have owned one in the past. The government bonus is paid only when you buy a property, so you won’t get the 25% top-up if you use the money for something else. You can use the Help to Buy ISA to purchase a property worth up to £250,000 – or, if you’re buying in London, £450,000. The money you save in the Help to Buy ISA isn’t limited to new build homes.
How do I get a Help to Buy ISA?
To be eligible for a Help to Buy ISA you need to be a first-time buyer. It’s worth speaking with your existing bank or your local building society to see if they back the scheme and who can offer you the best overall rate.
Help to Buy ISA - Gov.uk
The process of buying a home isn’t always smooth and you may need to go back and forth at a few stages but all being well, this is how you buy a house.
1. TALK TO A MORTGAGE BROKER OR ADVISER
At this stage, you’ll be able to establish how much you may be able to borrow and the type of mortgage that’s best for you. You may even be able to get a ‘decision in principle’ which you can show when it comes to putting in an offer on a property.
2. FIND A PROPERTY
This is the fun bit! Searching for a home can seem stressful but try to remember that it’s also exciting to purchase something you can truly call yours. So, enjoy shopping around and be sure to ask all the questions we noted earlier in this guide.
3. PUT IN AN OFFER
Once you’ve found ‘the one’ it’s time to put your money where your mouth is and put in an offer. Your estate agent will be able to advise you on whether or not to go in at the asking price or above/ below. Remember, in order to get your mortgage approved, your lender will need to carry out their own valuation so you may have to renegotiate if they think the property is worth less than your offer.
4. OFFER ACCEPTANCE
Success! Your offer has been accepted by the seller! Now we’re getting serious!
5. MAKE A FORMAL MORTGAGE APPLICATION
Now it’s time to go back to your broker or adviser to apply for your mortgage. It’s at this stage that the recommended lender will run their own checks on you and the property you want to buy to ensure you’re ‘safe’ to lend to. When satisfied, they will issue a formal mortgage offer to you and your solicitor.
6. CONVEYANCING
This is when the lawyers come in to do their thing. They’ll check that everything is above board and draw up all the relevant contracts. They’ll also take care of things like the local authority search and land registry amendments.
7. EXCHANGING CONTRACTS
This is pretty much the final hurdle. Contracts get signed, sealed and delivered and you’re the proud owner of a home… on
8. COMPLETION
You’ve done it! The money changes hands, the keys are released to you and all that’s left is to arrange your move in date and get that house warming party arranged. On a more serious note, you should also tell some more ‘official’ people you’ve moved.
