Even if you haven’t found your ideal home and made an offer yet, it can be helpful to get your paperwork together ready for when you make your mortgage application. Not having to scrabble around at the last minute can make a lot of difference to your stress levels, and you want to secure your new home as quickly as possible too. 

That’s why it’s a good idea to gather everything you need for your mortgage application ahead of time. If not, and you’ve already found your dream property, there’s no need to panic. Just work with your broker to make sure you have everything you need for the application.

• Recent utility bills
• Proof of benefits, if you receive any
• A P60 form, which shows how much tax you’ve paid. This is available from your employer.
• Three months of payslips
• Your passport or driving license (as ID)
• Three to six months of bank statements (from your ‘main’ account) 
• If you’re self-employed, two to three years of account statements from your accountant
• Form SA302 (a tax return form) if you’re self-employed or earn money from more than one place
• If you’re self-employed, any information you put in form SA302 need to be supported by additional documents such as bank statements that prove your stated income.

Your chosen lender will let you know if there’s anything else they need to see on top of this standard information.

• Printing out bank statements might not be enough. If possible, ask for ‘official’ copies from your bank, i.e. the kind they would send in the post if you usually bank online. The same goes for utility bills.
• Always be exact. Don’t round your salary up or down, for example. State every last penny!
• At this point it’s also worth checking your credit score, which you can do through one of three main credit agencies. A quick look is enough to ensure it doesn’t contain any incorrect information or unpleasant surprises.

Once you have all of these things lined up, you’re all set to go house hunting – if you haven’t found your new home already.

Just remember that before making the actual application, you’ll need to have gone through the following steps:

• Looking at your budget and thinking about what you can afford
• Looking at different mortgage deals, preferably with your broker
• Getting an Agreement in Principle from your chosen lender
• Making an offer on your chosen property (and having it accepted).

As well as getting your paperwork lined up, now’s the time to get acquainted with the different types of mortgages available.