Almas Uddin
Founder and Mortgage Advisor
04 Jul 2023
Applying for a Mortgage With a New Job
It isn't uncommon to be rejected for a mortgage if you have recently started a position, with lenders being cautious about accepting borrowers without a longer-term work history.
However, applying for a mortgage with a new job is usually possible with support from an experienced, whole-of-market broker.
We'll run through the most important information here, but if you would like help finding a competitive mortgage with a new job, give us a call on 0330 304 3040, or email the mortgage Brokers team at [email protected].
Why Getting a Mortgage With a New Job is Harder
Most high street lenders will only accept a mortgage application from borrowers who have been in their role for at least a year - with some demanding a minimum of three years.
This stance isn't exhaustive, and there are plenty of niche lenders out there with far more flexible policies!
Applying for mortgage with new job can make it harder since the lack of a stable income from your current employer makes the application a higher risk.
Generally, a role is more vulnerable to dismissal or redundancy during the initial employment period.
Advice for Applying for a Mortgage With a New Job
The crux is that a lender will consider your income more reliable if you have been in continuous employment for some time.
They'll be confident that you aren't at risk of losing your job or failing to pass a probation period and be unable to keep up with your mortgage repayments.
However, there are lots of variables between lender policies, for example:
- Some will be happy to consider applicants in a new job, provided they have been in ongoing employment beforehand, sometimes with the rule that it must have been in the same sector or type of role.
- Others will want to see between one and three years of back-to-back jobs and decide that's sufficient to prove affordability.
- Alternative lenders may be more flexible and deem any ongoing roles acceptable over three to six months, even between different jobs.
We mentioned earlier that some select mortgage providers will lend to new applicants without a minimum employment history but note that isn't the norm.
You'll usually pay higher interest and fees on new job mortgages.
The key to applying for mortgage with new job is to work with a skilled broker to highlight those potential stumbling blocks in your application and guide you through ways to strengthen your prospects.
For example, if you can attach a contract of employment for a certain number of years or prove that you have other income sources, your job history may not be a deciding factor.
Can You Get Mortgage With New Job Contracts That Have Just Started?
Getting a mortgage with a new job if you have been offered a contract but are staying with the same employer depends on the lender.
Some will accept the application but base their affordability assessment on your previous salary until you have at least three months of payslips at your new pay structure.
How does a new job affect getting a mortgage if I want to apply to my current bank? Other lenders are rigid, and if you are in a new position, they won't offer a mortgage for at least a year, even if the employer is the same.
New Job Mortgages After Changing Contracts
A lot depends on whether you're staying with the same employer, or contracted to the same company, or whether the new contract is with a completely different organisation.
New job mortgage lenders may also wish to examine the terms of your new contract:
- If there isn't a probation period attached, a lender might view a new contract as a positive indication that your income will soon rise.
- They may not calculate your maximum mortgage borrowing based on the new salary if you don't have one to three months of payslips at your new contracted rate, but others will if you aren't on a probation period.
- New roles that carry probation, with the caveat that you will revert to your old, permanent position if things don't work out, are normally acceptable since there is a minimal risk you'll lose your job altogether.
Can you get mortgage with new job if you're self-employed? Being self-employed means the situation changes somewhat, and specialist lenders are often a better bet. If you've got a solid trading history and want to borrow based on a new contract, they'll still look over the last two or three years to make a risk assessment.
How Does a New Job Affect Getting a Mortgage?
Mortgage lenders can be cagey about lending to applicants in a new job because they are obliged to lend responsibly, according to UK regulations.
If they can't verify how much you earn a year or how much you're likely to earn in the years ahead, it can be tricky to make an offer.
This caution is why some mortgage lenders will outright refuse any applicant who hasn't been in their existing position for a minimum period.
Others won't be concerned about the duration of your current contract provided you have been in continuous employment for a number of years.
We often work with clients in a range of situations, such as:
- Having just taken up a role with a brand new employer.
- Applicants who have changed contracts within the same business.
- Mortgage borrowers with a newly received pay rise.
- Those who are about to start a job within the next few months.
- People who have a contract but are on probation.
- Workers with short-term or temporary contracts.
- Professionals and self-employed tradespeople who are newly qualified.
Can you get mortgage with new job if you have no proof of income? The best way to proceed if you don't have ample proof of your income or have recently started a new role is to work with a professional broker.
We can recommend lenders with a certain degree of flexibility, enhance the stability of your application, and negotiate rates and terms on your behalf.
New Job Mortgages After Receiving a Pay Rise
In most cases, if you've had a pay rise, it will improve your mortgage prospects because your future earnings will be higher and - theoretically - you can borrow more.
However, that can be less straightforward if you base your mortgage value on your new salary but don't have any evidence such as bank statements or payslips.
How does a new job affect getting a mortgage and limit my borrowing value? Lenders will usually limit the amount they lend according to the earnings they can see on your documentation, often in respect of the regulatory rules we mentioned before.
Some mortgage providers don't always deal directly with the public and will treat a pay rise as a given as long as you've got written documentation.
Can you get mortgage with new job and any paperwork? You’ll usually need a letter of offer or a copy of the new contract evidencing the amount you will earn from now on.
Is it Better to Wait Until Getting a Mortgage With a New Job UK?
In some cases, it can be wise to wait six months or so before you apply for a mortgage, particularly if you're set on applying to a high street bank or a mainstream mortgage lender you've worked with before.
If you can't wait that long, need to move home quickly, or simply aren’t keen on delaying your move, we'd strongly recommend getting in touch for help getting a mortgage with a new job UK.
Although it can be more difficult to find a new job mortgage, some lenders will approve your loan, usually if you have two or three years of steady employment history and can provide details of your exact income.
Lender Attitudes to New Job Mortgage Applications
Getting a mortgage with a new job UK all depends on choosing the right lender.
Some mortgage providers will be happy to base your mortgage offer on your new salary, provided you have a contract letter and at least one bank statement.
Less flexible lenders will only make an offer based on your old salary until you have several months of income records at the new pay rate.
Getting a Mortgage With a New Job UK While on Probation
As with these other scenarios, some lenders will decline any applicant in a probation period since there isn't a guarantee that the position will become permanent.
Others will be happy with applicants on probation but will ask for information about your industry experience or qualifications to be assured that you'd be likely to find a similar role should the probation period not work out.
New Job Mortgages When on Probation
Probationary periods are a problem because a lender can't know whether you will be offered a permanent or long-term role when it ends.
Most employers have the right to dismiss a probationary employee without notice if the position doesn't work out, so even lenders that do offer new job mortgages will want to look at:
- Whether you've got a long track record in your sector or position.
- If you've been in continuous employment without a break before.
- How the probationary period factors into your contract.
- The length of the probation, and if the contract is permanent after that.
Getting a mortgage with a new job and any added risk factor will be subject to extra scrutiny at the underwriting stage, so they'll also consider your deposit value, credit history and other circumstances to make a balanced decision.
Expert Advice on Getting a Mortgage With a New Job UK
The key to getting a mortgage with a new job is to work with a whole-of-market broker who can recommend lenders who are in the best position to approve your application.
Can you get mortgage with new job in any circumstances? It is possible to find a competitive mortgage if you're in a new job, within a probation period, have just received a pay rise, or switched roles with the same employer.
The pitfall is that finding the right lender is crucial - most high street banks offer little to no flexibility.
They will reject your application outright or offer incredibly high fees to consider taking the loan on.
Contact the Revolution Brokers team on 0330 304 3040 or email us at [email protected] for personalised support to find the home loan you require at the best rates on the market.
FAQ's
Can You Get Mortgage With New Job Employment?
Usually, yes, as long as you work with a whole-of-market broker who can signpost your application to the most suitable lenders, you can apply for a mortgage in a new job.
In some cases, you can even complete on a mortgage before your new job starts if you're taking up a position with a permanent contract!
It's a little harder to find new job mortgages if the role is a fixed-term contract or agency work, but there are options.
Most mainstream lenders will need to see six months of employment history, but others will be happy with one payslip, so your choice of provider is vital.
How Does a New Job Affect Getting a Mortgage if I Have an Offer Letter?
Getting a mortgage with a new job and having an offer letter can be useful in backing up all the information you've provided, such as your expected salary and when the new role starts.
Lenders will sometimes rely on an offer letter as proof, but some will ask for the official employment contract to be sure the paperwork is legitimate.
Again, it's all about selecting a lender with the right policies since some will approve new job mortgages with a job offer letter as long as the role starts in the next three to six months.
Can I Get a New Job Mortgage if I'm Still on Probation?
How does a new job affect getting a mortgage if I’m on probation? You can get a mortgage within a probation period. However, that will depend on the nature of the role, your previous job history, and any other high-risk factors present within your application.
How Does Applying for Mortgage With New Job Employment Work if it's My First Job?
Getting onto the property ladder is hard enough, made trickier if you are in a new job, even more so if it's the first job you have had!
Lenders will commonly ask for a larger deposit from a new applicant, especially if you don't have a lot of credit history.
However, you may also qualify for several government support schemes to provide lender guarantees and financial help with your deposit - get in touch if you'd like more information about the potential options.
Are There Any Professions Most Suited to New Job Mortgages?
Skilled professionals have a much easier time getting new job mortgages because:
- Lenders know they are in high demand and won't have a problem getting a role elsewhere if they need to.
- Average incomes are often higher than average and easy to verify if it's a public sector role like a teacher.
There are exemptions for NQTs, and all sorts of new job mortgages for doctors, dentists, accountants and solicitors - professionals are deemed significantly lower risk than many other occupations.
When is the Best Time to Start Applying for Mortgage With New Job Contracts?
If you need to move forward with your mortgage, we'd suggest you get in touch immediately to assess the options for getting a mortgage with a new job UK and start making a plan.
Even if you decide to delay your mortgage application for, say, three or six months, it'll give you plenty of time to work with your broker, research the market, and make sure that when you're ready to apply, you can tick all of the eligibility boxes.
What Deposit Will I Need When Applying for a Mortgage With a New Job?
As we've covered, lenders like to offset their risk by charging higher fees or interest or asking for a larger deposit to reduce their exposure on the property.
However, new job mortgages are available with deposits from 5% and above and multiple initiatives that may prove beneficial.
For example, if it's a new build, you could use Help to Buy to raise 20% of the property’s value in a loan that is interest-free for five years, or you could use a mortgage guarantee product where you pay a 5% deposit, and the government guarantees the balance.
How Much Can I Borrow on a New Job Mortgage?
Affordability metrics can be pretty variable. Most new job mortgage lenders will offer roughly 4.5 times your annual salary as an upper limit, but that's subject to conditions.
If you are looking at getting a mortgage with a new job UK as a higher-income earner with a salary of £60,000 and above you may be allowed to borrow five times your yearly earnings, but the lender will need to make a judgement call.
The best option is to determine how much you'd like to borrow, communicate that with us, and then we'll look at your income, future earnings and recommend new job mortgage lenders that are most likely to offer you that value.
What Interest Rates Will I Pay When Getting a Mortgage With a New Job UK?
Interest rates shouldn't necessarily be higher because you've started a new job, and you can get a great deal when applying for a mortgage with a new job without delaying your application for months.
It's wise to remember that low-interest rates don't necessarily mean the mortgage is low cost.
Before getting a mortgage with a new job UK you’ll also need to look at arrangement charges, valuation fees, cashback offers or other incentives, and exit penalties before comparing two mortgage products on a like-for-like basis.
Does the Location of My Employment Matter When Applying for Mortgage With New Job?
The location shouldn't be a big deal, although a new job mortgage lender may raise a query if you're applying for mortgage with new job, but your new job appears to be outside of a viable commute.
If your role is home-based, the lender will typically check the contract terms to verify that it's permitted.
How does a new job affect getting a mortgage based on location? Ultimately, the only reason location is an issue is that the new job mortgage lender is concerned that you'll need to increase your expenses to rent accommodation closer to your role during the working week, which could affect your ability to keep up with your mortgage repayments.
What Documents Do I Need to Start Applying for a Mortgage With a New Job?
The basic documents you'll need before applying for a mortgage with a new job are payslips and bank statements, but you can apply for a mortgage with an offer letter or contract of employment if you have a new job.
Can I Use a Pay Rise Towards a New Job Mortgage?
If you've had a pay rise but stayed within the same role (or been promoted), you can use that increased income when applying for a mortgage with a new job with a higher borrowing value.
The rules are similar to those for applicants with a new job, so the new job mortgage lender will assess how long you have been in the new role, how stable it is, and the likelihood that your income will drop during the mortgage term.
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