When you're employed, if you apply for a mortgage, your mortgage lender can more easily ascertain your income level including how much tax you've paid, how long you've been employed and what you can expect to live on each month after deductions. With self-employment, particularly if you've not been trading for long, it's much more difficult for a lender to take a position on what your expected income is..

There are, however, an increasing number of self-employed mortgages available, and an independent mortgage broker can greatly assist you in finding the right one and one which gives you the greatest chance of success in application. They normally require you to provide at least 2 years' worth of company accounts, SA302s or tax returns and possibly evidence of future work lined up. Click to find out more about Self-Employed Mortgages

By obtaining a recent credit report, you should be able to ascertain whether that credit application you're thinking of making is likely to be successful.

Repeated failed applications can greatly harm your credit score; you should be prepared to wait, ideally for 6 months, before making another application when you've had one turned down.