So you’re married, but want a mortgage in just your name?

Someone looking for a single mortgage application when married is more common than you might think, and for a whole host of reasons.

In some cases, it may be because, whilst you may have an excellent credit rating, your partner may have had bad credit in the past.

Another reason could be that you want a buy-to-let property and there are key tax benefits to having the property in just your name.

In this article we’ll look at:

• Do you have to get a joint mortgage if married?
• Are all mortgage brokers the same?
• Overcoming problems with single mortgages
• How does bad credit affect a single mortgage?

If you’re married do you have to get a joint mortgage?

The simple answer is ‘no’.

Generally, most lenders want both applicants to be on the mortgage, but it’s possible to get a single mortgage while married in the UK and still get the best interest rate available.

How to get single mortgage when married

With our expertise, we can help guide you through the process and find the right mortgage broker to suit your particular circumstances. If for instance your partner does not have a clean credit rating, we’ll find a broker that specialises in that area, so you can buy a property using your good credit rating and be more likely to take advantage of the best interest rates on the market.

Aren’t all mortgage brokers the same?

No. Which is why we carefully select the specialist brokers we work with, choosing those with particular skills and experience, before putting them through our training academy and allowing them to work with our customers.

Not everyone makes the grade, but that means you’ll only be dealing with the very best and someone who understands your unique circumstances, and how to give you the right advice.

Some things to consider

• Many lenders are not keen on a single mortgage applicant when a couple is married, but are usually OK to accept an application for a joint mortgage if not married in the UK.
• The key issue is, can your income cover the mortgage? You need to be aware that if your partner is not going on the mortgage, they may be deemed as a financial dependent, thus affecting affordability. Not being on the mortgage will of course mean that their income cannot be used to calculate the maximum you can afford.
• There are more lenders able to accept a single mortgage application when married if you’re purchasing a buy-to-let or investment property, or a second home for work purposes, as opposed to a main residence for you and your family to live in.
• Buy-to-let is more acceptable for some lenders as they understand that buying in a single name can have key tax benefits.

How to overcome problems with single mortgages

There are a number of complications that, although tricky, are not insurmountable. Providing you have the right mortgage broker, with the right expertise, many issues can be overcome relatively easily. These include:

• The deposit. If your partner is not going on the mortgage, but owns the deposit or current equity, then this is deemed to be gifting it to you and is unacceptable to most lenders. A possible solution would be the signing of a waiver of rights to the property.
• If your partner who is gifting equity or a deposit is also living in the property, then many lenders will be reluctant to approve a mortgage, as it would be difficult to separate ownership/rights to the property (although there is a handful happy with this).
• If you are trying to avoid adverse credit, then many lenders will force a joint application, although there are some lenders who will consider a loan to the partner with a clean credit rating.
• If you are a married couple, but are separating, with one person moving out but still on the mortgage (effectively buying a second property), then this may be acceptable, although supporting evidence such as the initiation of divorce proceedings may be required, and of course evidencing affordability if there are to be 2 mortgages.

Other solutions our mortgage broker may suggest

• If you have a bad credit rating, but to lesser degree than your partner, then a single mortgage may still be worthwhile, although depending on the severity of the issue, a higher deposit/equity may be required.
• It’s still worth considering a joint mortgage as some of the rates and criteria for mortgages with bad credit are very attractive and much more competitive than you might think. All you need is the right broker.
• Your broker can help you understand the advantages of getting a mortgage, married vs single, from a tax or poor credit rating point of view.

How bad credit may affect your application for a single mortgage

Bad credit can be an issue. Below is a list of potential credit issues you may be faced with as a borrower if you’ve ever experienced any of these:

• Adverse credit overview
• Low credit score
• Mortgage Arrears
• Defaults
• County Court Judgements (CCJs)
• Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs)
• Debt Management Plans (DMPs)
• Bankruptcy
• Repossession

Talk to an experienced single mortgage advisor today

If you like anything in this article or you’d like to know more, call Online Mortgage Advisor today on 0800 304 7880 or make an enquiry here.

Then sit back and let us do all the hard work in finding the broker with the right expertise for your circumstances.  – We don’t charge a fee and there’s absolutely no obligation or marks on your credit rating.