Donna Plumb- Mortgage Adviser

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Donna Plumb- Mortgage Adviser

My customers are my priority and buying a house can be stressful. Let me be there to help you through the process from start to finish.

Whether it is your first property, you are looking for a better deal or adding to your property portfolio I can help.

08/09/2026

What does LTV actually mean?

LTV stands for loan-to-value. It's the percentage of the property's value that you're borrowing as a mortgage.

So if you've got a £60,000 deposit on a £300,000 home, that's a 20% deposit, meaning you're borrowing the other 80%. Your LTV is 80%.

Why does it matter? Because rates are priced in LTV bands. The lower your LTV (the bigger your deposit or equity), the better the rate you're usually offered. Even shaving a few percent off your LTV can sometimes unlock a noticeably cheaper deal.

It's one of the first things I work out with clients, because it shapes everything else about what's available.

📩 Not sure what your LTV would be? I can work it out with you.

07/09/2026

Here's something worth knowing: an automated decline from a lender isn't always the end of the road.

A lot of lenders now run an initial decision through an automated system before a human ever looks at it. Those systems are built to decline first and ask questions later, it's often down to a broker to appeal, dig into the detail, or find a different lender whose criteria actually fits.

Sometimes it really is that specific. I've seen a case turned down purely because the mortgage term wasn't long enough, and approved the moment it was extended by a single year. Nobody had flagged that at the point of rejection. Small details like that can completely change the outcome.

This is exactly why it's not just about finding the best rate. It's about finding the lender who'll actually say yes to you, and knowing how to ask the question properly.

If you've been declined and told there's nothing more to be done, it's always worth a second opinion.

📩 Get in touch, let's see what's really going on.

06/09/2026

Lovely to receive this one.

"A pleasure to do business with. Our advisor, Donna, has been a pleasure to work with, she has always been on the end of the phone when needed."

S.F. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Being there when you need me is honestly one of the most important parts of the job. Glad it made a difference.

📩 Ready to start your own journey? Message me.

05/09/2026

A story I see play out more often than people realise: a couple find their dream house, get a mortgage offer sorted, and then the survey comes back. Damp. Mould. Signs of subsidence. Old wiring that needs a full rewire. Suddenly the dream house doesn't look so dreamy.

Here's the thing - a lender's valuation is not a survey. A valuation just confirms the property is worth what you're paying for it, for the lender's own purposes. It's not checking the roof, the damp course, or whether the walls are moving.

A survey isn't compulsory, and plenty of people decide not to have one, that's a perfectly reasonable choice, especially with a newer build where there's less likely to be anything hidden. But if you're buying an older property, or you've already noticed a few things you're not quite sure about, it's usually worth having one done.

It costs money upfront, and it can be gutting to hear bad news about a house you've fallen for. But finding out now is generally better than finding out after you've exchanged.

📩 Not sure what level of survey you need? Ask me, I'm happy to point you in the right direction.

04/09/2026

Can you fix an interest-only mortgage? Short answer: yes.

There's a common assumption that interest-only means you're stuck with limited, restrictive options. In reality, most lenders who offer interest-only mortgages have plenty of products to choose from, just like with a standard repayment mortgage.

You can fix your rate, or you can go on a variable rate. What's actually available to you, and what's best for your circumstances, comes down to your individual situation, your deposit or equity, and your repayment strategy.

If you think an interest-only mortgage might be right for you, or you're just not sure where you stand, feel free to get in touch.

01/09/2026

Hello September! 👋

Back to school for a lot of households this month, and also when a lot of people start thinking seriously about getting their move sorted before Christmas.

If that's you, now's a great time to start the conversation. No pressure, just an honest chat about where you stand.

📩 Here whenever you're ready.

31/08/2026

A mortgage broker is rarely doing just one thing in a day.

Most mornings start with checking what has moved overnight. Rates, lender updates, applications that have progressed. Things change quickly and the earlier I know, the better I can look after the people waiting on news.

Then the day fills up. Calls with clients who are just starting to think about buying and don't know where to begin. Calls with clients mid-application who need an update or have a question they're worried is a silly one (it never is). Conversations with solicitors trying to get a completion over the line.

Then there's the work people don't always see.

The follow-up when something comes back from a lender and I need to get ahead of it before it becomes a problem. The research when a client's situation is a bit different and I need to find the lender whose criteria actually fits them. The protection conversations, because sorting the mortgage is only part of making sure a family is properly covered.

For me, that bit matters as much as the rate.

Clients don't just need someone to find them a deal. They need someone who understands their situation, keeps things moving and picks up the phone when it counts. A mortgage is usually the biggest financial decision someone makes, and I take that seriously.

That's what a normal day looks like for me. People, paperwork and the work behind the scenes that hopefully makes the whole thing feel a lot less stressful than it could be.

What do you think people underestimate most about what a mortgage broker actually does?

30/08/2026

Why do lenders ask where your deposit came from? A question that catches people off guard.

It's not about distrust, it's a legal requirement. Lenders have to check the source of your deposit as part of anti-money laundering rules, even if the money has been sitting in your account for years.

Having a simple paper trail (payslips, savings statements, a gift letter if it's from family) makes this part painless.

📩 Not sure what you'll need to show? Ask me.

29/08/2026

Final part of getting ready to buy.

If you've had a missed payment in the past, or things haven't always been perfect, it doesn't automatically mean you can't get a mortgage. There's often still a way forward.

Once you're ready, the next step is getting a decision in principle and starting to look with confidence.

📩 Ready to find out where you stand? Message me.

28/08/2026

Does maternity leave affect what you can borrow? A question that comes up a lot, understandably.

Being on maternity leave doesn't rule you out, but lenders will usually want to know your return-to-work salary rather than your current statutory pay. Some will lend based on your normal income even while you're off, others are more cautious.

It really depends on the lender, which is exactly where a broker earns their keep.

📩 In this situation? Let's talk it through.

Address

3 Regent Street
Rugby
CV213PE

Telephone

+447717827447

Website

https://themortgageexperts.co.uk/donna-plumb/

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