About Us

Yes, we do have fees for our mortgage advisory services. We are committed to transparency and fairness, making sure you understand all associated costs right from the outset.

Your mortgage consultant will gladly provide written confirmation of our fee at the outset, prior to any mortgage application.

Rate Switch (reserving a new product with the same lender)
Our typical fee for a rate switch application is covered by the commission we expect to receive from the lender. If the commission expected is under £400, the difference will be payable as a fee. For example, if lender commission were £300, the fee payable by the client at completion would be £100.

Standard Mortgage (most the mortgages we arrange)
Our typical fee for a standard purchase and remortgage application is £400, paid at mortgage application. For most mortgages we arrange this is the only fee we charge.

Complex Mortgages
Our typical fee for a complex mortgage is £400 paid at mortgage application and if mortgage offer is achieved a 'success' fee of 0.50% of the loan amount is payable. We'll offset commission expected from the lender against the 0.50% to leave a net fee payable. For example, if lender commission were 0.35%, the fee payable by the client at mortgage offer would be 0.15%. If the lender commission expected exceeds 0.50% of the loan amount, no success fee is payable.

Highly Complex Mortgages
Our typical fee of a highly complex mortgage is up to £1,000 paid at mortgage application and if mortgage offer is achieved a 'success' fee of up to 1% of the loan amount is payable. We may also be paid commission by the lender. For example, on a mortgage of £750,000 a success fee of up to £7,500 could be payable.
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Cost - working with a reputable consultant can often save money by accessing a wider and sometimes exclusive or semi-exclusive range of products offered by a lender. Rates change and an attentive consultant will also ensure you always have the best rate after you apply. In practice, most lenders inform consultants of rate changes ahead of time and allow consultants to apply better rates as they are released.

Time & Communication - nothing is more important than time and your time is invaluable. Equally, effective communication is essential for clarity and peace of mind. Applying to a lender direct can be time-consuming and might be left unsure of how the mortgage is progressing. Working with a good consultant can streamline the process as they will have a better understanding of each lender's processes and how to navigate the mortgage application and any challenges it might throw. In this age of modern tech, it's reassuring you can still talk direct to your mortgage consultant by phone for any updates needed. A service not often afforded by lenders direct.
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Access - at Hayden Blair we are proud to provide a 'whole-of-market' independent mortgage service that does not limit nor reduce the number of lenders we can work with. Many mortgage consultants might advertise as being independent but might not be whole-of-market, meaning they work with a reduced number of lenders to receive an enhanced commission. This goes against our core belief to provide impartial advice from the whole market place.

Expertise & Knowledge - every client is different, as is every lender. Having access to a wide number of lenders and understanding each lender's criteria, as well as each client's needs, can often be the difference between a mortgage being achievable and not. At Hayden Blair we work closely with many lenders to establish and cultivate relationships to bring our consultants closer to lender's underwriting teams and decision makers. This direct relationship can benefit a client as at times in can result in a lender making an exception to their ordinary policy to agree a mortgage.
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Speaking generally, the mortgage process looks as follows:
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Initial enquiry - a free confidential and impartial conversation with one of our consultants to discuss your main objectives. This also serves as a good opportunity to 'get to know' your consultant.

Pre-application - before applying for a mortgage your consultant will provide access to our client portal where you can securely view and share documents and complete our fact find questionnaire that will form basis of the mortgage application.

Research & recommendation - once your consultant has reviewed the fact find and any documents requested, they will be able research and recommend a mortgage lender and provide formal mortgage illustrations.

Agreement in Principle ('AIP' and 'DIP') - when you are happy to proceed, an AIP will be completed with the recommended lender. This is the initial part of the application that provides the lender high-level detail and a credit check is normally completed, an 'in principle' decision is then provided by the lender. An AIP can be completed ahead of finding a property and might sometime be required before your offer for the property is considered. The credit check completed at AIP stage is commonly a 'soft' credit check, meaning there should be no impact to credit score.

Mortgage Application (2-3 weeks on average) - once a property has been found (if purchasing) or you when you are ready to remortgage, the remaining parts of the mortgage application can then be completed. Once submitted, formal underwriting will begin that includes reviewing your documents, the lender will instruct a surveyor to complete their mortgage valuation and where needed, the surveyor will contact the selling agent to arrange access. Once the lender is satisfied, the mortgage will be approved.

Mortgage Offer - the mortgage offer will normally be valid for 6 months from issue. As your acting intermediary, we'll receive a copy of the mortgage offer that we'll check and share with you. Separately, the lender will send either digitally or by post your copy of the offer. Your solicitor will receive a more comprehensive copy of the offer with any legal points to satisfy ahead of completion. Accepting the offer is covered in the next point.

Legal Work (2-3 weeks post-mortgage offer) - for a property purchase your solicitor will have likely engaged with the seller's solicitor prior to mortgage offer and anticipated the lender's requirements. For a remortgage, mortgage offer being issued is often the point your solicitor or conveyancer will begin the legal work. Whether purchase or remortgage, your solicitor will organise for you to sign the mortgage deed prior to completion. The mortgage deed is formal acceptance of the mortgage offer. Your solicitor will then proceed to completion.

Our mortgage advisory service is designed to provide expert guidance and support throughout the process of securing a mortgage. We understand that obtaining a mortgage can be a complex and daunting task, especially with the multitude of options available in today's market.

Our experienced mortgage advisors are here to simplify the process for you. We offer personalised assistance tailored to your individual needs and financial situation. Whether you're a first-time buyer, looking to remortgage or interested in buy-to-let properties, we're here to help.

Yes, we understand that purchasing a property involves multiple aspects beyond securing a mortgage. We can introduce you to various professionals including solicitors, accountants & tax specialists, IFAs & wealth managers, to ensure you receive comprehensive support throughout your mortgage journey.