We recently handled a case involving a single applicant purchasing a Shared Ownership property. The applicant lived with a partner who wasn’t to be named on the mortgage. Many automated systems automatically penalise a single applicant's affordability by factoring in a non-borrowing partner as a dependent, as well as their household costs.

Case highlights:

► Property type: Shared Ownership (Single First-Time Buyer)

► Full market value: £250,000

► Purchase share: 50% (£118,750)

► LTV: 95% of applicant's share

► Deposit structure: £6,250 total (a £4,000 gifted deposit from family and £2,250 from the applicant's personal savings)

Thanks to our dedicated underwriting team's pragmatic approach, coupled with the broker’s excellent case preparation from the outset, we were able to achieve an exceptional turnaround time.

► 12 May 2026: Fully packaged application received

► 20 May 2026: Valuation received and formal mortgage offer issued the same day - a total of 6 working days

► 26 May 2026: Full case completion

Our underwriting team manually assessed the documentation and verified that the partner was entirely financially independent. As a result, we successfully discounted the partner from the applicant's affordability assessment, allowing the case to progress smoothly.

From the day the application reached our desk to the moment the client collected the keys to their new home, the entire process took exactly two weeks.