Complex Income

Mortgages for borrowers with complex income

Self-employed profit, partnership income, dividends, retained earnings, RSUs, bonus, carried interest, multi-currency salary. The lender that says no to one income profile will often say yes to another. We know which one.

The product

What lenders mean by complex income

Most high-street mortgage calculators assume one thing: a single PAYE salary, paid in sterling, supported by three months of payslips. Anything outside that brief gets flagged as complex. In practice the complex-income label covers half of the UK's professional borrowers - business owners, partners in law and accountancy firms, contractors, doctors, dentists, traders, hedge fund and private equity professionals, consultants, landlords with rental income, and anyone paid in a non-GBP currency.

The problem is rarely affordability. The problem is policy. Two lenders looking at the same borrower will often arrive at radically different lending figures because one takes 100% of last year's net profit and the other takes a two-year average. One accepts retained earnings inside a Ltd company, the other only looks at salary plus dividend. One takes 100% of bonus, the other takes 50%. The art of complex-income broking is knowing in advance which lender's policy fits the profile.

Doulton's role on a complex-income case is to translate the borrower's actual financial picture (often messy, often growing) into a structure each lender can underwrite. We work with the high-street banks that have meaningful complex-income teams, the specialists (Kensington, Together, Precise, Foundation, Aldermore, Hodge, Cambridge BS) who have built whole product ranges for these borrowers, and the private banks that underwrite holistically.

Get a Quote Call 0204 6211776

100%

Of net profit accepted

1 year

Self-employed history

130+

Lender panel

Up to 95%

LTV achievable

Why Doulton

What makes this work in practice

Self-employed sole traders and Ltd Co directors

Lenders accept SA302s, full accounts or accountant's certificates. Some take latest year only (where growing), others take a two-year average. Retained profit-in-company is taken into account by a meaningful minority.

Partnership and LLP profit share

Partner share of profit from law firms, accountancy firms, surveying practices and medical partnerships is underwritten on partnership accounts, K1 equivalents or accountant references. Capital account drawings are treated as income by several lenders.

Contractor day-rate income

IT, engineering, finance and medical contractors are underwritten on day rate x 5 x 46 (or x 48) by the contractor-specialist lenders. CIS contractors in construction are covered by a separate group of lenders accepting gross day rate.

Dividend and retained-earnings income

Owner-managed business directors are underwritten on salary plus dividend (most lenders), salary plus dividend plus retained profit (a smaller specialist group), or assessed on the business's net profit before tax (rare but available).

Bonus, RSU, carried interest and LTIP income

City, banking, asset management, big-tech and consulting bonuses can be taken at 100% by select lenders where two or three years of consistent receipts are evidenced. RSUs are accepted on vest by a smaller group. Carried interest is a private-bank conversation.

Multi-currency salary

USD, EUR, HKD, SGD, AED and CHF earners can borrow against income in the original currency. Lender FX discount runs 0-25%. Some lenders underwrite in the income currency without converting to sterling.

First-year self-employed

A small group of specialist lenders will lend on a single year of self-employed accounts where the borrower previously worked in the same sector as an employee. Useful for contractors who recently incorporated or partners who recently made up.

Mixed income (salary plus rental plus self-employed)

Most lenders will combine income types but each has its own additional-income haircut. We model the case across the top 6-8 lenders so the borrower sees their actual borrowing capacity, not a marketing brochure number.

The process

How it works

Income evidence gather

Two years SA302s and tax overviews, two years accounts (if Ltd Co), latest bank statements, P60 or last six months payslips, plus any partnership statements, bonus letters, RSU schedules or contractor day-rate evidence.

Lender-by-lender modelling

We run the income through each lender's published and unpublished policy. You see a like-for-like comparison of borrowing power across 6-8 lenders rather than one calculator's number.

Application with the right narrative

Complex-income cases live or die on the cover note. We package the income story for each underwriter, pre-empting the objections we know they will raise.

Through to offer

We manage the appointed valuer, the lender's compliance team and any income-evidence queries through to a written mortgage offer and completion.

Talk to a complex-income mortgage broker

If your income does not fit the standard online calculator, talk to us before you talk to your bank. We will tell you what is achievable, with which lender, on what rate, before you commit to a property.

Get a Quote Call 0204 6211776

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

What types of UK mortgage can Doulton arrange?

Residential, buy-to-let, portfolio, limited-company BTL, HMO, commercial, semi-commercial, high-value, private bank, expat, interest-only, second-charge and specialist adverse-credit mortgages. We work across the whole of market.

How much can I borrow?

Residential borrowing is typically 4-5.5x income depending on the lender and profile. Buy-to-let lending is sized on rental income against stress-tested interest cover ratios. High-value lending and private bank cases are assessed holistically on wealth and serviceability.

What is the minimum deposit?

Residential mortgages typically need 5-15% deposit. Buy-to-let usually requires 20-25%. Specialist, high-value and expat ranges often require 25-40%. Larger deposits unlock better rates across every product.

Can I get a mortgage with complex income or adverse credit?

Yes. Self-employed, contractor, commission-based, bonus-reliant and multi-currency incomes all have specialist lender homes. Borrowers with recent defaults, CCJs, DMPs or historic bankruptcy can also be placed, with pricing reflecting the risk profile.

How long does a mortgage application take?

Straightforward residential applications reach offer in 2-4 weeks. Specialist, high-value and expat cases typically take 4-8 weeks. Conveyancing and exchange after that is driven by your solicitor's speed.

Related finance

Explore related pages

Other Doulton specialisms and lenders that commonly fit alongside this one. We always compare the full 130+ lender panel before recommending a deal.