Documents for your first mortgage adviser appointment
Before your first mortgage adviser appointment, prepare a clear summary of your income, regular spending and deposit, then ask the firm which supporting documents it needs. Confirm the periods and formats required before sending sensitive information. Treat the checklist below as a starting point for that conversation, rather than a universal lender requirement.
This is general preparation information, not a recommendation about a mortgage or an assessment of your eligibility.
Start with a short appointment brief
Write down whether you are buying your first home, moving or discussing an existing mortgage. Add the property location, your current stage and any deadline you need to discuss. If you have not chosen a property, say so.
Next, describe how each applicant earns money. Separate regular employment from overtime, additional jobs, freelance work or self-employment. Note recent changes and questions you want the adviser to answer rather than trying to decide yourself which income will count.
The government's home-buying guide for England and Wales explains that mortgage affordability assessments consider income, current outgoings and changes that could affect repayments. Include spending and commitments in your preparation alongside earnings. The buying-process guidance cited here applies to England and Wales; do not treat it as a guide to the whole buying process elsewhere in the UK.
Organise documents into clear groups
Use this preparation sheet to record what you already have and what needs clarification. These examples are prompts to discuss with the adviser, not a complete application checklist.
| Group | Information or documents to discuss | Question to resolve |
| Identity and address | Passport or driving licence; an address document | Which documents and dates are acceptable? |
| Employment income | Payslips, P60 and details of additional earnings | Which periods and income sources do you need evidenced? |
| Self-employment | Tax calculations, tax year overviews and information about how you work | Which tax years and other records are required? |
| Deposit | A summary of savings, gifts, inheritance or sale proceeds | What evidence is needed for each source? |
| Spending and commitments | A list of regular costs, credit repayments and other commitments | What supporting records should I provide? |
The government guide identifies identity, address and source-of-funds evidence as part of the buying process. It also lists payslips, a P60 and self-employment records among preparation documents. Ask the adviser for the exact list applicable to your enquiry, including how recent each item must be.
Add columns to your own copy for the period requested, whether the document is available, and the question still outstanding. Keep a missing item visible rather than marking its group complete because you have a different document.
Prepare self-employment evidence without guessing requirements
If you complete Self Assessment, HMRC's SA302 guidance explains how to obtain a tax calculation and tax year overview. It says these may be requested as income evidence for a self-employed mortgage applicant.
If you or your accountant used commercial software to submit the return, HMRC says you need that software to print the tax calculation. You can still print the tax year overview from your HMRC online account.
Ask which years the adviser needs. Check with the mortgage provider whether documents you print yourself are acceptable. HMRC's guidance on lender acceptance also says to check what income evidence the lender or mortgage provider requires. Having a tax calculation does not establish eligibility.
In its instructions for printing these documents, HMRC says you cannot print them until 72 hours after sending your tax return. If you have just submitted a return, mention this when arranging the appointment and ask what can be discussed while you obtain the documents.
Make the deposit explanation easy to follow
Prepare a short account of where your deposit comes from. If it combines several sources, list them separately and identify which evidence you already hold.
For example, someone combining personal savings and a family gift could record those as two separate entries, then ask what supporting documents are needed for each. This is an organisational example, not a statement that a lender will accept that arrangement.
The government guide gives savings, inheritance, financial gifts and proceeds from another property as examples of source-of-funds information. Ask about anything unclear or unavailable rather than leaving a gap unexplained.
Confirm the recipient and the next step
Before sharing documents, follow the FCA's guidance on avoiding clone firms. Use its Firm Checker to check authorisation, permission for the service and matching contact details. Ask the firm to confirm its document-sharing method through those checked details. A directory listing or website review does not verify FCA permissions or suitability.
You can use the Local Mortgage Brokers directory to begin a shortlist, alongside our questions for choosing a mortgage broker.
Before the appointment, ask: “Which documents do you need now, which can follow later, what periods must they cover, and how should I send them?” Keep a record of requested, supplied and outstanding items. Aim to finish the conversation knowing what is missing, who will clarify it and what the next step involves.