Self Employed Mortgage & Protection Advice
Work with us online, or meet us in St Albans, Hertfordshire or London.
Your mortgage is a loan secured against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up payments on your mortgage or on any other debt secured against it. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate some forms of Buy to Lets.
WELCOME TO THE MARTEL FAMILY
Turned down as a Business Owner? It's often fixable
Every lender assesses business owners differently. Some consider salary and dividends, while others may use net profit, retained profit or a combination of figures. The right approach depends on how your business is structured and which lender best understands your financial position.
With ten years’ experience in the City handling complex cases, we know which lenders will look beyond a standard affordability model and take the time to understand the underlying strength of your business.
At MPF, we have direct access to specialist underwriters who consider the wider picture; including your income, assets, business performance and longer-term plans.
Our advice is tailored to sole traders, contractors and company directors, including clients with more complex personal and family finances. We manage as much of the process and paperwork as possible, leaving you free to focus on your business and your family.
Get in touch with us by calling on 01727 309 160 (M-F, 9am-6pm) or submitting our online form. When you call, you'll speak to a real person, based in the UK. They'll take your details and your broker will get back to you directly.
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
Taking things step by step
Whether you are down the road in St Albans, commuting from Harpenden, or dialling in from a different time zone entirely, we keep our process completely transparent
A Friendly Chat
We talk through your plans over the phone or a coffee to see how I can help.
The Search
We explore mortgage options from high street, specialist lenders, and private banks, to find the right fit for your situation.
The Paperwork
Once you send over your basic documents, we handle the application forms and chase the providers.
Our initial conversation is entirely without obligation. If you would like to run some numbers or just want to ask a quick question, drop us a message.
BUSINESS OWNER SERVICES
How can we help?
Lenders assess income differently depending on how your business is set up. We find the right fit for your structure.
Sole traders: Lenders usually look at your net profit from your tax assessments. We work with lenders who accept your most recent year of trading.
Limited company directors: Your bank might only look at your salary. We use lenders who count your salary plus your share of dividends or retained profits.
Contractors: We find lenders who calculate your borrowing based on your day rate. This often lets you borrow more than using standard accounts.
Complex income cases: If your income is a mix of dividends, salary, and pension contributions, we map it out clearly. This helps specialist underwriters understand your real earning power.
Capital raising: You can use equity in your home to fund business growth or buy out a partner. We find options that keep your personal finance secure.
Some lenders allow you to secure a new rate up to six months before your current deal ends. The earlier you look, the more options you have, and best of all if rates improve - we can just change to another product.
BUSINESS PROTECTION & INSURANCE
Protecting your business and your family
As a business owner, your income is the foundation of your household. If something happened to you, your family or business partners would need a plan to keep things running. We work with a specialist third party who can talk you through your options for business protection cover.
Relevant Life Insurance
As a business owner, your income is the foundation of your household. If something happens to you, your family and your business partners need a clear plan to keep things running.
Key Person Protection
If a critical employee or partner is lost, it can quickly destabilise a small business. This protection pays out a lump sum directly to your company, giving you the breathing space and cash flow to recruit a successor.
Shareholder Protection
A partner's share in your business could pass to their family when they pass away. This cover provides the funds to buy back those shares, keeping control of the business with the people who run it.
Should you fail to disclose or mispresent a fact, then you risk the insurer only paying part of the claim, declining to pay all the claim and possibly declaring the policy invalid.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Business Owner Mortgage Advice in St Albans, Hertfordshire & Beyond
Remortgaging doesn't have to be complicated. We're here to answer your questions and make sure you're on the right deal.
Why should I use a specialist mortgage broker instead of going straight to my bank when self employed?
High-street banks use automated algorithms that often reject business owners with complex company structures.
A qualified broker with experience of complex income structures understands how to package your accounts and present them directly to manual underwriters.
How many years of accounts do I need?
Most lenders prefer two years of trading history. Some specialist lenders will consider applicants with only one year of accounts if the track record is strong.
Can I use both my salary and dividends to prove my income?
Yes, many lenders will assess your income using your combined salary and share of dividends. We also know which specialist lenders will look at your share of retained net profit if you leave money in the business.
How do lenders assess contractor income?
Standard high-street lenders struggle with contract day rates and may treat you as a short-term worker. We use specialist lenders who calculate your annual income by multiplying your day rate across 46 or 48 weeks.
Why did my bank turn me down if my business is profitable?
Automated banking systems rely on simple personal tax assessments and often miss your true earning power. An experienced adviser knows how to map out dividends, directors' loans, and retained profits for a manual underwriter review.
How much can I borrow as a self-employed applicant?
Most lenders offer up to four or five times your calculated income, subject to credit checks. A specialist broker can help you maximize this limit by identifying lenders who assess your accounts in the most favorable way.
Have another question? We're happy to help.