Is there a fee free mortgage broker covering London?

Yes. Alexander Southwell Mortgage Services provides whole of market mortgage advice to buyers across London and the commuter belt. Our mortgage brokers don't charge broker fees for standard residential and buy to let mortgages; the lender pays us when your mortgage completes. Where a case is complex enough to need a fee, we agree it with you in writing first.

Can I get a mortgage if I work for myself?

Yes. Lenders generally want two years of accounts or SA302s, and some accept one year. They differ on whether they use your latest year or an average, and whether they count retained profit for company directors, which changes what you can borrow by a lot. Our mortgage brokers place sole trader, contractor and company director cases every week. See our self employed mortgages guide.

What is an agreement in principle?

An agreement in principle (AIP), sometimes called a decision in principle, is a lender's written indication of how much it would lend you, based on a soft credit check and your declared earnings. Most London estate agents want to see one before they'll put your offer forward. Our mortgage brokers can usually arrange one within a few hours, and we ensure it's with a lender that suits your circumstances rather than the first one that says yes.

How much can I borrow in London?

Many lenders lend around 4.5 times your salary. A growing number lend 5 to 5.5 times to applicants with steady earnings and a clean credit record, and a few will go to 6 times for higher earners or professionals. Whether you get there depends on your outgoings, your credit commitments and the lender's own stress test, which is why two lenders can give the same person figures £80,000 apart. Good mortgage brokers know which lender suits which borrower, and finding that lender is what our mortgage advice is for.

Can I mortgage a flat with a short lease or cladding?

Often, yes, with the right lender. Lenders want a reasonable lease term left at the end of the mortgage, and below roughly 80 years the lease becomes expensive to extend, so they get cautious and some decline. Buildings with cladding need either an EWS1 form or evidence that the block is covered by a remediation scheme. Our mortgage brokers check both before you spend money on a survey or solicitor.

Do I need to meet you in person?

No. Our London customers deal with our mortgage brokers by phone, video and WhatsApp, and documents are uploaded securely rather than posted. You'll have the same mortgage advisor throughout with a direct number, which is more than most people get from a bank branch appointment.

Mortgage broker or mortgage adviser?

In practice, nothing. Mortgage brokers and mortgage advisers are both regulated by the FCA to provide mortgage advice, and most firms use the two words interchangeably. What matters is whether the firm is whole of market or tied, and whether it charges broker fees. We're whole of market brokers with no fee for most customers.

Fee Free Mortgage Broker in London | Whole of Market

Q: How much deposit do I need in London?

Most lenders want at least 5%, and on a £545,000 London price that's over £27,000 before stamp duty and legal costs. A 10% to 15% deposit opens up better mortgage deals and more lenders. The typical London first time buyer puts down well over £100,000, often with family help, which is why gifted deposits, family guarantor mortgages and schemes such as shared ownership come up so often when our mortgage brokers talk to London customers.

‍No broker fee for most clients

‍FCA Authorised (No. 1011890)

‍Whole of market, 1,000+ products

One adviser from first call to completion

Rated 5/5 by our clients

Mortgage Brokers and Advisers for London Buyers

Buying in London is expensive, quick and full of things that catch people out: flats with short leases, service charges that eat into what you can borrow, sellers who want proof of funds before they'll take a viewing seriously. Good mortgage brokers take most of that off you. We provide whole of market mortgage advice, help you understand what you can borrow and what it will cost, find the deal that suits your circumstances, and manage the whole application process from the first call to the day you get the keys.

We're based in Romsey, Hampshire, and our mortgage brokers work with London customers by phone, video and WhatsApp, which is how most people prefer it, and it means our mortgage advice is available whether you're in Croydon or Camden. You get the same mortgage advisor throughout, you send documents from your sofa, and you never pay us a broker fee for a standard residential mortgage, remortgage or buy to let mortgage. The lender pays us when the deal completes.

Jamie Alexander, CeMAP qualified mortgage adviser and director at Alexander Southwell Mortgage Services

Written by Jamie Alexander, CeMAP, Director and Mortgage and Protection Adviser. Reviewed September 2026.

★★★★★

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Georgian terraced houses in London, the kind of homes our fee free mortgage brokers help buyers finance

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Alexander Southwell

Why choose Alexander Southwell Mortgage Services?

We're independent, whole of market mortgage brokers. We recommend from across the mortgage market, including high street banks, building societies and specialist lenders, and we're not tied to any lender or panel. The only mortgage deals we can't place are the ones a lender keeps for customers who go direct, and we'll tell you if one of those beats what we can find.

A team of qualified mortgage brokers and advisers. One of them is yours from first call to completion.

Independent and whole of market. We compare lenders, we don't sell one bank's products.

Fee free for most clients. The lender pays us when your mortgage completes.

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Fee free for standard residential and buy to let cases. If a case is complex enough to need a fee, we tell you the amount in writing before you decide anything.

Mortgage Broker London Quick Summary

Fee structure:

No broker fee for most customers. The lender pays our mortgage brokers commission when your mortgage completes. Fees apply only to complex or specialist cases and are always agreed in writing first.

Where we cover:

Everywhere in Greater London, from Zone 1 flats to outer borough family homes. Mortgage advice by phone, video and WhatsApp from our team in Romsey, Hampshire.

Who we help:

First time buyers, home movers, remortgages, buy to let landlords, contractors and company directors, and people whose own bank has said no. Whatever your circumstances, our advisers will help you find the mortgage deal that suits.

How quickly:

An AIP within hours in most cases. Evening and weekend appointments with a mortgage advisor if that's when you're free, and mortgage advice explained in plain English.

Whole of Market Mortgage Brokers Working With London Buyers

Our mortgage brokers have over 20 years' experience in residential and buy to let lending, and we spend every month helping London customers: first time buyers who need to borrow 5 or 5.5 times their salary, movers with a chain to hold together, landlords refinancing a property portfolio, and business owners whose accounts don't fit a bank's tick boxes. We also provide advice on life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection. If you're weighing up whether to use mortgage brokers at all, our guide to going direct vs using a broker sets out the trade offs plainly.

Terraced street in London where our mortgage brokers arrange fee free advice

20+ years' experience in residential and buy to let mortgages

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How we work

How Our London Mortgage Service Works

From the first call to the day you complete, our mortgage brokers run the whole process. We speak to the lender, the valuer, your solicitor and the estate agent so that you don't have to chase anyone. Here's how the mortgage application process works with us.

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Step 1: Initial consultation

A free, no obligation call or video appointment with a mortgage advisor about your goals, deposit, earnings, credit record and what you're looking to buy. Twenty to thirty minutes gives us everything we need to start searching the mortgage market for you.

Step 2: Research and recommendation

Your mortgage advisor compares mortgage products across suitable lenders and comes back with a recommendation and the reasons behind it. You get an ESIS illustration showing the interest rate, the fees and the total cost over the term, so you understand the whole deal before you commit. We provide the advice; the decision stays yours.

Step 3: Agreement in principle

Usually the same day. In London you'll need an AIP before an estate agent takes your offer seriously, and with most lenders it only leaves a soft footprint on your credit record.

Step 4: Full application and valuation

We submit the mortgage application, upload your documents, answer the underwriter's questions and arrange the valuation. If the lender wants something extra, our mortgage brokers deal with it, and we ensure nothing sits in a queue. Most of the application process happens without you lifting a finger.

Step 5: Offer to completion

We track the mortgage application through to offer, keep your solicitor and the agent updated and stay on it until you complete. Before your fixed rate ends we'll be in touch about a remortgage so you're never left paying a standard variable rate.

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Being prepared with the right paperwork
Documents You’ll Need

Proof of earnings: Last three months' payslips if you're employed, or two years' accounts and SA302s if you're self employed, plus Companies House accounts if you're a limited company director

Deposit evidence: Savings statements, a gifted deposit letter, or the memorandum of sale if you're using proceeds from another property

Additional documents:Complex cases may require extra paperwork, for example multiple buy to let schedules, evidence of foreign income or explanations for recent credit issues

Bank statements: Last three months' current account statements showing your salary going in and your regular commitments

Proof of ID and address: Passport or driving licence, plus a utility bill or council tax bill dated within the last 3 months

What's Different About Getting a Mortgage in London

Mortgages work the same way in London as anywhere else in the UK. The numbers don't. Prices are roughly double the England average, so the deposit is bigger, the borrowing has to stretch further and the property is more likely to be a leasehold flat. Here's where London buyers need mortgage brokers who have seen it before.

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Prices and borrowing:

The average London home sold for around £545,000 in spring 2026, against £292,000 across England. Many lenders cap borrowing at 4.5 times salary, which doesn't get you far here. Several now lend 5 to 5.5 times to the right applicants, a few stretch to 6, and knowing which lenders suit your circumstances is most of the job.

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Flats, leases and cladding:

Most London first homes are flats. Lenders check the remaining lease, and anything below about 80 years gets expensive to extend and harder to mortgage. Service charges and ground rent reduce what you can borrow. Blocks with cladding questions need the right paperwork and the right lender. Our mortgage brokers deal with all three regularly.

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Deposits and schemes:

The typical London first time buyer puts down well over £100,000, usually with family help. Our mortgage brokers arrange gifted deposit mortgages, 95% lending under the mortgage guarantee scheme, shared ownership and First Homes, which has a higher earnings cap of £90,000 in London. If you're relying on a Lifetime ISA, remember the £450,000 price cap.

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Speed and competition:

Good properties in London go to the buyer who is ready. That means an AIP before you view, proof of deposit to hand and mortgage brokers who answer the agent's questions quickly. For new build purchases, 28 day exchange deadlines are common, so the mortgage has to be lined up before you reserve.

Services

Mortgage Services We Offer in London

London homes our mortgage brokers help first time buyers, movers and landlords finance

How Much Can You Borrow?

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This is an estimate only. Actual lending is subject to your credit profile, outgoings, deposit and lender criteria. Speak to one of our advisers for a personalised assessment.

CHOOSING A BROKER

Choosing a Mortgage Advisor in London: What to Look For

Search for mortgage advice in London and you'll find hundreds of mortgage brokers: banks, online brokers, tied advisers and independent firms like us. They're not all the same, and picking the wrong type of mortgage advisor can cost real money whether you're a first time buyer, moving home or remortgaging. Here's what matters.

Whole of market vs tied brokers

Some mortgage brokers are tied to a single lender. Multi tied brokers recommend products from a small panel of lenders. Whole of market brokers compare mortgage deals from high street banks, building societies and specialist lenders alike, which is the only way to know you've got a good deal rather than the best deal one company happens to sell. We're whole of market brokers, so the mortgage deal we recommend comes from across the market, not from whoever pays the most commission.

Independent advice vs your own bank

Your bank can only offer its own mortgage products, and it has no duty to tell you that another lender would lend you more or charge you less. Independent mortgage advice looks at every lender's criteria against your circumstances, helping you find the best mortgage deal rather than the only one on offer. On a typical London mortgage, the gap between two lenders' interest rates can be thousands of pounds a year.

How do fee free mortgage brokers make money?

A fair question we hear a lot. Like all mortgage brokers, we receive a procuration fee from the lender when your mortgage completes. The difference is that many brokers charge broker fees on top, commonly £500 to £1,000, and a percentage fee on a London sized loan can run higher still. We don't. The lender's payment doesn't change your interest rate, and because we're regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, our advice has to be the most suitable mortgage for your circumstances, not the one that pays us most.

Online brokers: how we compare

A free online mortgage broker such as Mojo Mortgages can work well for a simple case. Where customers come to us instead is when the mortgage process needs a human: complex earnings, a short lease, a chain that's wobbling, or simply wanting the same mortgage advisor from first call to completion. You get one dedicated advisor with a direct line, not a queue.

What makes a good mortgage broker?

In our view, the best mortgage brokers offer whole of market access, no broker fees, plain English mortgage advice, and someone who picks up the phone when an estate agent wants proof you can proceed. Read the firm's reviews, check the FCA register, and ask how many lenders they can actually recommend. If the answer is one panel, keep looking.

Questions to ask before you choose

Are you whole of market or tied brokers? Will I pay a fee, and how much? Which mortgage advisor handles my application day to day? How fast can you get me an AIP? Do you provide protection advice as well? We're happy to answer all of them on a free initial consultation, with no obligation to go ahead.

Want a recommendation you can trust? Speak to our team on 03300 432 428.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

FAQ

London Mortgage FAQs

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Fee Free Mortgage Broker in London