Summary Box
Most mortgage comparison tools aren’t built with people in mind. They show generic results based on the lowest rates, not whether you’d actually be eligible.
We built ours differently. It doesn’t just show what’s cheapest; it shows what’s possible for someone in your situation, based on live lender rules.
That leads to confusion, false hope, or missed opportunities – especially if your situation isn’t straightforward.
This tool is designed to fix that.
Built using live, official lender criteria from over 100 lenders
Let’s you filter based on real eligibility rules, not just mortgage features
Shows the actual lender policy notes they provide to brokers
Designed to support informed decisions, whether you’re applying yourself or working with an advisor
Doesn’t guarantee approval, but gives a much clearer, more realistic view of what’s possible.
It’s the only tool designed to reflect which deals actually apply to your situation – not just what deals exist.
What’s the point of this tool – and why does it matter?
Most mortgage comparison tools are built to rank products by price, not by whether they actually apply to you.
They work fine for people who fit a very specific mould – typically those borrowing well within their income, with no quirks in their credit, income type, property, or circumstances.
But for everyone else? They’re often misleading, incomplete, or just plain wrong.
Our tool is built for the majority – not the minority. For people with non-standard income. For people with past credit issues. For people buying properties that aren’t quite textbook.
For anyone who’s been declined before – or isn’t sure why. For people who just want clarity, not false confidence.
Wondering what was meant by quirks?
There are thousands of details underwriters take into account. If you suspect something might be an issue – there’s a good chance it is and will affect what mortgages you’re eligible for.
It’s the only mortgage comparison tool in the UK that shows personalised results based on real lender rules, not unrealistic best-case scenarios.
If you’ve ever looked at a mortgage result and thought,
“Yeah, but would I actually qualify for that?”
– This tool is for you.
Who is this tool actually for?
In short, almost everyone, but especially those who’ve been left out or let down by the way mortgage comparison usually works.
It’s for people who already know the mainstream tools don’t really apply to them – and want something that does.
And it’s for people who aren’t sure – but want to check what they’re actually eligible for, before they waste time or get their hopes up.
If you’ve ever felt unsure where you stand – or suspected that the results you’re seeing aren’t the full story – this tool is for you.
This is a much bigger, hidden problem than people realise
We see borrowers falling into three groups:
1. The Served
These are the people for whom mainstream tools do work. What they see aligns with what they can actually get – so they’re well served by the current system.
2. The Knowingly Underserved
These borrowers know they’re an exception. Maybe they’ve been declined before or know their situation is complicated. They use comparison tools with caution, aware that the results may not reflect reality.
3. The Unknowingly Underserved
These are the people most at risk from comparison tools. They assume the rates and deals they see online are accurate for them, but they’re not. They may be shown options they won’t qualify for, or miss better deals they’re actually eligible for. This leads to delays, rejections, and missed opportunities.
Our tool is built to serve all three, but it’s especially here to help the two groups most often let down by traditional tools.
This just happens to be the majority of people in the UK – whether they realise it or not!
How it works (under the bonnet)
Our comparison tool isn’t just a fresh interface – it’s powered by the OMAEngine, which is itself powered by two powerful systems:
1. A mainstream sourcing engine
We use the same product database that powers many mortgage broker back-end systems and well-known mortgage comparison tools today. So you’re getting a solid, representative list of lenders on the mortgage products side.
2. A deep, broker-grade eligibility engine
This is what makes our comparison tool unique..
We’ve combined that product list with a powerful set of live lender criteria – the same system mortgage brokers use behind the scenes when researching more complex applications.
When you apply filters, you’re applying real eligibility rules – the ones underwriters use.
Not just yes/no logic, but a full grading system:
Acceptable
Acceptable, but with conditions
Acceptable, but by exception only
Refer to underwriter, no specific policy but they will sometimes consider on a case by case basis (this is where a channel-expert can really make a difference, they’ll know already what the underwriter will and won’t look kindly on).
Not acceptable
You’re getting access to the tools brokers use – including the actual lender policy notes and caveats they rely on day-to-day.
What Happens When You Apply Filters
Applying filters in our comparison tool does two key things:
As soon as you apply a filter (e.g. self-employed for under a year, unsatisfied defaults, income from benefits), the tool instantly removes any lender whose criteria do not accept that scenario.
No false hope. No wasted time. Just a more accurate shortlist.
Each lender that remains will show a “More Info” option. Click it, and you’ll see the official policy notes for every filter you’ve applied – in the lender’s own words.
These are the same notes brokers use behind the scenes when researching to check policy fit, exceptions, and documentation quirks.
This gives you a much clearer sense of why each lender is (or isn’t) a match – and what to check before you apply.
These lender-specific details are colour-graded according to the grades outlined above so you can understand what category they belong to.
You can still sort by:
Monthly repayments
Total cost
Fees
Rates
But you can also sort by:
Eligibility score (a calculation we do behind the scenes estimates the most to least likely to accept you)
Built for transparency - not sales
Most tools show you a limited market view and steer you toward applying.
We’re doing the opposite. We’re giving you all the details, even if they’re a bit technical.
We’re showing you everything we see – and everything brokers see.
Some of it still reads and functions in a way that reflects that the data was compiled to serve mortgage brokers, and we’re working on making that easier to understand. But even now, it gives you real power to make sense of your options.
You can use this tool to challenge your own advisor, and we encourage that, even with our channel experts.
While the tool has limitations, a good advisor who’s a subject matter expert should be able to explain very quickly, when challenged, why they are (or aren’t) considering a specific lender you’ve pointed out to them.
They can do this because they deal with them every day – not just because they’ve read their policy.
How We Change Lives
Discover stories from customers who've transformed their lives after choosing Online Mortgage Advisor to match them with the perfect broker for their unique needs.
Why you can trust the results
We’re trying to fix the hidden flaws in the industry:
”Comparison
”Online
”Most
We built this tool to make real-time mortgage information more transparent and personalised.
We want people to get real answers without needing to speak to anybody, and not have these answers withheld and used as leverage to get commitment from them.
When they do get advice, they should be able to ask better questions.
Limitations of the tool to be aware of
The comparison tool doesn’t provide a guarantee of acceptance – but it’s a smarter starting point. Light years ahead of any other comparison tool on the market, and even most generalist mortgage advisors!
Important
The tool shows what’s possible. A channel expert confirms what’s actually achievable.
Pete Mugleston – Managing Director
This tool is designed to be the most advanced and transparent on the market – but like any tech, it has limits.
Here’s what it can’t fully account for:
Just because you meet the published criteria for a lender doesn’t mean your application will be approved. Lenders consider a large multitude of factors that won’t be captured just by applying your known issues into the comparison tool.
Lenders (especially high street lenders) often don’t follow strict, hard rules.
Their thresholds can shift for things like:
”Minimum
”Severity
”How
One day you might be declined, and the next, approved, without the official policy changing.
Even brokers are sometimes given policies that don’t reflect real decisions.
Channel experts know the difference because they’ve seen it play out in practice and have longstanding relationships with lenders’ BDMs and underwriters. When lending behaviours change, they’ll be on top of it, not surprised by it.
If speed is important, you need to know which lenders are efficient and which ones get bogged down. Some are fast, others are slow.
A channel expert can will be able to help you avoid setbacks and frustrations by managing expectations and contingency planning accordingly.
Some policies are nuanced or depend upon the presentation. That’s why we include “by exception” and “refer to underwriter” grades.
Again, this is where channel expertise shines because they know the reality behind the less-committal official policy.
The tool doesn’t factor in your outgoings. If you have debts, dependents, or other commitments, it won’t take this into account alongside your income.
To update their policies and criteria accurately. The information comes straight from the horse’s mouth, but we can’t always ensure they’re fully accurate or current.
A note on informational filters
Some filters aren’t directly related to eligibility – they’re there to provide useful context about how lenders approach certain topics or scenarios. For example, what documentation a lender expects, or how they treat things like bank statements.
These filters use a simple colour system:
”Green
”Purple
”Blank
This isn’t a limitation – it’s part of our transparency promise. You see what we see.
Why most people still need a broker
Even the best tool can’t match what a channel expert brings:
”Planning
”Manual
”Judgment
”Context
The tool shows the playing field. A channel-expert helps you play it right.
And with 35% of lenders being accessible through brokers only – rising higher for complex situations – using a broker often means access to better options overall.
Our tool tells you which deals are broker-only so that you’re never left guessing.
What are the next steps (if you choose to proceed)
We offer four simple ways to move forward:
- Check if you qualify – Get a free quote and eligibility check from an expert to ensure you’re eligible for the deal you’ve chosen and that it’s the best option.
- Get expert advice – Speak to a channel expert about your situation, options, and next steps and get their help choosing the best path forward.
- Get an AIP – Need certainty? We’ll help you secure an agreement in principle – fast!
- Ask a question – Get a straightforward answer to anything that’s unclear – tool-related or otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s powered by live lender rules, not just rates. You can filter by things that actually affect eligibility, not just product features.
Very – if your inputs are accurate. The tool updates daily using lender-supplied data.
No – but it’ll help you avoid applying to lenders who are clearly a poor fit.
We include over 100 lenders, representative but not exhaustive of the whole market. No comparison tool that exists on the market today contains every single lender.
Yes. You can explore freely, with no pressure to apply.
Most people benefit from one, especially if they’re navigating complexity or want help getting the best outcome.
Of course, you can go direct if you like. But we recommend getting a backup opinion from an expert in case things go wrong.
Yes – and we encourage it. Even our own channel experts welcome the challenge.