Many lenders who can provide self-employed mortgages will ask for copies of filed accounts, tax returns, and/or an accountants reference to verify the applicant's income.
In some cases, there are criteria around the qualification of that accountant. So it is essential to understand what accreditations are accepted to ensure you work with the right accountant - and don't pay accountancy fees for a reference which your mortgage lender cannot accept.
This brief guide from Revolution Finance Brokers aims to highlight the most commonly accepted accountants references. If you have any further questions about applying for a self-employed mortgage, proving your income, or the eligibility criteria, please give us a call on 0330 304 3040.
Which accountancy qualifications are accepted by mortgage lenders as a self-employed reference?
As a self-employed applicant, the complication when applying for a mortgage is demonstrating your income. This is more complex than for employed applicants since your income will very likely fluctuate.
However, lenders must verify the average income you make to meet their affordability criteria and constitute responsible lending.
Typically, any accountant who is Chartered and Certified and holds a certification to that effect can provide a mortgage reference for a self-employed person.
There are many other qualifications and professional bodies, whose members can also provide finance references attesting to your income and projected net profit:
- Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA)
- Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)
- Association of Authorised Public Accountants (AAPA)
- Association of International Accountants (AIA)
- Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT)
The below list illustrates the most commonly accepted qualifications by UK mortgage lenders:
|
Professional Body
|
Name of Awarding Body
|
Accepted Qualifications / Designations
|
|
ICAEW
|
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
|
ACA (Member of the ICAEW)
FCA (Fellow of the ICAEW)
|
|
ICAS
|
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
|
CA (Chartered Accountants)
|
|
ICAI
|
Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland
|
CA (Chartered Accountants)
|
|
ACCA (Including AAPA)
|
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (Including Association of Authorised Public Accountants)
|
ACCA (Member of the ACCA)
FCCA (Fellow of the ACCA)
AAPA (Member of the AAPA)
FAPA (Fellow of the AAPA)
|
|
CIMA
|
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
|
ACMA (Associate of the CIMA)
FCMA (Fellow of the CIMA)
|
|
CPAA
|
Certified Public Accountants Association
|
ACPA (Associate of the CPAA)
FCPA (Fellow of the CPAA)
|
|
AAT
|
Associating of Accounting Technicians
|
MAAT (Member of the AAT)
FMAAT (Fellowship Member of the AAT)
|
|
AIA
|
Association of International Accountants
|
AAIA (Associate of the AIA)
FAIA (Fellow of the AIA)
|
|
CIPFA
|
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
|
CPFA (Chartered Public Finance Accountants)
|
|
CIOT
|
Chartered Institute of Taxation
|
CTA (Chartered Tax Advisor)
CTA (Fellow) (Fellow of the CTA)
|
|
IFA
|
Institute of Financial Accountants
|
AFA (Associate of the IFA)
FFA (Fellow of the IFA)
|
Many accountancy bodies use similar designations, so if you are in any doubt whether your accountant can provide you with a mortgage reference, it is always worth asking them to double-check.
Please note that many mortgage lenders will consider alternative qualifications and accreditations, but the above indicates the most commonly accepted professional standings.
If you are unsure about how to demonstrate your income when applying for a self-employed mortgage, contact the Revolution Finance team on 0330 304 3040, and we will ensure you are on the right track.
