23/10/2026
One of the things that genuinely frustrates me about my job… 🤦🏻♂️
Is speaking to people who've been told they can't get a mortgage when, in reality, there may be perfectly viable options available.
Another example landed in my inbox this week.
A prospective client had been told by another broker that lenders couldn't accommodate her circumstances because:
❌ She's self-employed as a UK sole trader but receives her income in US dollars.
❌ She's on a spousal visa with less than 12 months remaining.
She was even considering changing how she operated her business or delaying her mortgage plans until her visa situation changed.
**The problem? Neither of those circumstances automatically rules out a mortgage.**
I happened to be speaking to a lender about another case when her email arrived, so I took the opportunity to check directly.
They confirmed that her UK tax returns could be used to assess her income in these circumstances, despite it originally being received in dollars.
And there are other mainstream lenders who will consider applicants on visas without insisting on 12 months remaining.
Of course, that doesn't guarantee an approval. There's still affordability, credit history and the usual lending criteria to consider.
But it does demonstrate why specialist knowledge and proper research matter.
I deal regularly with foreign currency income, foreign nationals and freelancers in Tv and film Industry with unusual circumstances.
Not every broker will have experience in these areas, and that's understandable.
What's frustrating is when clients are left believing something simply isn't possible because the right options haven't been identified.
If you've been told you can't get a mortgage because your circumstances are unusual, it's worth getting a second opinion from someone who specialises in that area.
You might be pleasantly surprised. 🏡
And yes, before anyone asks about the photo, shorts and a body warmer are a perfectly acceptable combination for working from home in Glasgow in October! 😂
