You should know what your credit rating is so you'll have a better idea what the likelihood is that your application will be approved and whether you'll have to pay higher interest rates/APRs.

Remember that errors can happen so it's important to check that your file doesn’t have any as they can prove detrimental to your score. Remember also that failed applications for credit will themselves lower your score.

Flexible family mortgages are mortgages designed for first time buyers where family members or associates can provide security for the loan using a variety of methods.

The first time buyer has to amass a minimum 5% deposit then the associate might put 20% or more of the value of the home into a savings account which pays interest as security for the loan. The first time buyer pays a lower interest rate on their mortgage compared to other mortgages of this type. Or the associate might opt to offer a percentage of their own property as security or they might place savings in an offset account to reduce the amount of the mortgage. The mortgage can be structured to involve either of these methods or a combination of all 3.

The risks facing the associate follow from the methods used – if they opt to use a percentage of their own property for example, they stand to lose this percentage in the event of default.