Sail Mortgages

Sail Mortgages I'm making mortgages plain sailing, giving families and individuals peace of mind.

28/08/2026

Reviews like this genuinely mean such a lot, especially when they come from clients I've had the pleasure of helping more than once.

Buying or remortgaging can feel complicated enough without feeling like you can't ask questions. There really is no such thing as a silly question!

And knowing Meghan has felt confident enough to recommend me to other people over the years is probably one of the loveliest compliments I could receive. 💛

Thank you Meghan!

Your can read Meghan's review, along with my other client reviews, on my website.



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

Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

26/08/2026

A client said something to me recently that made me think...

We were talking about insurance after they'd bought their new home and she said:

"We've got our home insurance sorted."

Brilliant. But I jokingly said:

"That's not going to help you pay the mortgage if something happens to one of you!"

And it made me realise how differently we think about the two.

Buildings insurance is something most people make sure is sorted when they buy a home. In fact, if you're buying with a mortgage, your lender will normally require suitable buildings insurance to be in place.

But protecting the people paying for that home is often something we put off until another day.

They're two completely different things.

🏡 Buildings insurance protects the property.

❤️ Life insurance can provide financial support if one of you dies.

💷 Income protection can provide an income if you're unable to work because of illness or injury.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer and not everybody needs every type of insurance.

But when you're buying a home, I think it's worth spending a little time thinking about how you'd keep paying for it if life didn't quite go to plan.

Protecting your home isn't only about protecting the bricks and mortar. It's the people paying for it too.



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

Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

12/08/2026

One of my clients contacted me recently about their remortgage and casually mentioned that her partner had become self-employed a few months ago.

Did it make a difference?

Unfortunately, in their circumstances, yes.

Going self-employed doesn't mean you can't get a mortgage, but it can change which lenders are available and how much you can borrow.

Many lenders will want to see a trading history before they'll use self-employed income, although exactly what they require varies from lender to lender.

In my clients' case, his new self-employed income couldn't yet be used for the remortgage options we were looking at, and her income alone wasn't enough to support the borrowing.

That didn't mean we couldn't arrange a new mortgage.

We were still able to secure a new rate with their existing lender. However, their existing lender wasn't offering the most competitive rate available at the time, so becoming self-employed had reduced the options we could consider.

They simply hadn't realised that changing employment status could make that difference.

So if you're thinking about going self-employed and you have plans to buy, move or remortgage in the foreseeable future, have a chat with a mortgage adviser before you make the change.

It doesn't mean don't do it.

It just means it's worth understanding how it could affect your mortgage options first.



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

Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

06/08/2026

One of the messages I received this week was from someone whose mortgage application had been declined.

Their first thought was:

"Is that it?"

The answer is... not always.

Sometimes a lender's decision is final.

But sometimes there are other options that are worth exploring before giving up.

That could mean:

🏠 Understanding why the application was declined.

🏡 Looking at whether the circumstances can be explained.

🏘 Considering whether a different approach or a different lender may be more suitable.

Every situation is different, and no broker can guarantee a different outcome.

But if you've been told "no", don't automatically assume you've reached the end of the road.

It's always worth getting advice to understand what your options are.

Have you ever assumed one "no" meant you couldn't get a mortgage?



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

Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

04/08/2026

One of the biggest reasons people put off buying a home is because they're waiting to see if something changes.

At the moment, a lot of that uncertainty is around stamp duty.

People often ask me:

"Should we wait in case the Government changes the stamp duty rules?"

It's a completely understandable question.

The trouble is, nobody knows what future Budgets or Government announcements will bring.

While you're waiting:

✔️ Mortgage rates could go down... or they could go up.

✔️ Stamp duty rules could change... or they could stay exactly the same.

✔️ And the home you've fallen in love with could be sold to someone else.

I'm not saying you should rush into buying.

But if you're financially ready and you've found the right property, try not to make your decision based solely on what might happen in the future.

Make it based on what's right for you today.

Have you ever delayed buying because you were hoping something might change?

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

Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

30/07/2026

One of the questions I'm asked most often is:

"Should I wait in case mortgage rates come down?"

It's understandable. Nobody wants to apply now, only to see rates fall a few weeks later and feel like they've missed out.

The trouble is, nobody knows what mortgage rates are going to do next.

They might come down.

They might stay the same.

They might even go up.

That's why, if you're ready to apply, waiting can be a gamble.

The good news is that, with many lenders, if rates improve before you complete, it may be possible to switch to a lower rate with the same lender.

Not every lender works the same way, and it depends on where you are in the process, but it's often possible.

That's one of the reasons I keep an eye on my clients' applications right up until completion. If there's an opportunity to save you money, I'll always look into it.

So rather than trying to predict what rates will do next, it's usually better to secure a suitable rate today and then review your options if things improve.

Have you ever delayed applying because you were hoping rates might come down?



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

Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

28/07/2026

One of the questions I'm asked quite a lot is:

"Does it matter if I'm using my overdraft?"

The answer is... not necessarily.

Using an overdraft doesn't automatically mean you'll have a problem getting a mortgage. Lots of people have an agreed overdraft and use it.

What lenders are more interested in is whether you're relying on it to get through each month.

For example, if your salary goes in, but after paying your regular bills you're quickly back into your overdraft again, that may suggest you're depending on it to cover your everyday living costs.

On the other hand, simply having an overdraft or using it as part of how you manage your money isn't automatically a concern.

As with most things, lenders look at your overall financial position rather than making a decision based on one thing alone.

If you're worried about whether your overdraft could affect your mortgage application, it's always worth asking before assuming the answer is no.

Did you know there's a difference between using an overdraft and relying on one?



Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

23/07/2026

One of the things that makes people most nervous about applying for a mortgage is sending me their bank statements.

I completely understand why. It can feel like someone's about to go through every coffee, takeaway and Amazon order you've ever made!

The reality is a little different.

I'm not interested in judging how often you order a takeaway or whether you've bought yet another gadget online.

What I am looking for are things that could affect your mortgage application, such as:

✔️ Regular financial commitments that haven't already been discussed.

✔️ Gambling transactions that could raise concerns with some lenders.

✔️ Missed payments or returned Direct Debits.

✔️ Evidence that your income matches what you've told me.

✔️ Anything unusual that a lender may ask questions about.

The sooner we spot any potential issues, the sooner we can deal with them. That's much better than a lender finding them later in the application.

So don't worry about having the "perfect" bank statements. I'd much rather see the real picture so I can recommend the most suitable lender for your circumstances.

Did you think I was checking every transaction?



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

Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

21/07/2026

One of the questions I'm asked quite a lot is:

"Why do I need a solicitor if I'm only remortgaging?"

It's a fair question because it can feel like you're simply changing to a new mortgage.

However, if you're moving to a different lender, there is still legal work involved.

Your solicitor will usually:

Repay your existing mortgage.
Remove your current lender's legal charge.
Register your new lender's legal charge with HM Land Registry.
Make sure everything is completed correctly before your new mortgage starts.

The good news is that, with many remortgage deals, the lender will either provide a solicitor at no extra cost to you or offer cashback towards using your own.

So although a solicitor is often needed, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll have an extra legal bill to pay.

Were you surprised that a remortgage sometimes needs a solicitor?



Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Mortgage term availability depends on lender criteria, affordability and individual circumstances. Charges may vary depending on individual circumstances, the product selected, and lender criteria.

Address

Bowman House Business Centre
Swindon
SN47DB

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+447986641318

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