Everything You Need to Know
In this section, you’ll find all the support you need and answers to your questions. If you’d like to find out more, please get in touch.
About Merit Mortgages
We’re an independent mortgage and protection brokerage based in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
Led by Daniel Tillson, we have over 35 years of combined industry experience. We help clients across the UK with first-time buyer mortgages, remortgages, mortgages for home movers, buy-to-let mortgages and personal protection insurance.
You can find us at 34 Compton Way, Basingstoke, RG27 0SQ.
We’d love to hear from you!
You can email us or book a call using the booking link on our website.
Alternatively, you can call or WhatsApp us on 01256 973 975.
We’re happy to answer your questions and help you understand your options.
Yes. Merit Mortgages Ltd is an Appointed Representative of The Right Mortgage Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
We provide mortgage advice in accordance with the applicable regulatory requirements. Please remember that your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
We’re based in Basingstoke, Hampshire, but we work with clients across the UK.
We offer consultations by telephone and video call, including Zoom, so you can access our advice wherever you’re based without needing to visit our office.
We search deals from more than 90 mortgage lenders, alongside a wide range of insurance providers.
This gives us a broad range of options to explore when looking for a mortgage or protection policy that suits your circumstances. The options available will depend on your individual needs and eligibility.
We’re proud of the feedback we receive from our clients. Our reviews highlight the personal service, knowledge and support we aim to provide throughout the mortgage process.
You can read our client reviews on Trustpilot and Google to find out more about other people’s experiences of working with us.
Read some of our reviews here.
When you approach a bank directly, you can generally choose from its own mortgage products. As an independent mortgage broker, we search across more than 90 lenders to explore a wider range of options, including deals that may not be available directly to the public.
We also provide regulated mortgage advice tailored to your circumstances and help manage the application process, from researching suitable lenders to liaising with the lender and keeping you updated along the way.
Our aim is to make finding and arranging your mortgage as straightforward as possible.
We’re a family-run, independent brokerage that believes mortgage advice should be personal, clear and tailored to you.
You’ll have a named adviser to support you throughout the process, rather than feeling as though you’re being passed from person to person. With our combined industry experience and access to more than 90 lenders, we work hard to find suitable options for your circumstances.
We also offer a free initial consultation, with no obligation to proceed, so you can have a conversation with us and explore your options before making a decision.
About Fees & Costs
We offer a free initial consultation, with no obligation to proceed. It’s an opportunity to discuss your plans, ask questions and understand how we may be able to help.
If you’d like to take things further, our £99 initial assessment and Agreement in Principle service allows us to review your circumstances in more detail, understand your goals and explore suitable mortgage options.
Our broker fees are fixed, so you’ll know what to expect. Our fees are:
- Purchase applications: £349
- Remortgage applications: £199
- Mortgage capacity reports: £499
- Complex applications, such as adverse credit: £499
- Equity release or Retirement Interest Only (RIO) mortgages: £995
Our standard mortgage advice fees are payable when we submit the full mortgage application to the lender, rather than at the initial consultation. Any exceptions or additional charges are discussed and agreed with the client beforehand.
We research suitable lenders, prepare and submit your application, deal with lender queries and keep you updated throughout the process. Where possible, we’ll also review your mortgage rate up until completion. We include an insurance review with every mortgage application.
We can also guide you through related services, such as solicitors and surveys, helping you understand the wider home-buying or remortgaging process.
The advice and services you need will depend on your circumstances. We’ll explain any applicable fees and when they’re payable before you proceed, so you can make an informed decision.
Yes! Your initial consultation with us is free of charge, and there’s no obligation to proceed. It’s an opportunity to talk through your plans, ask questions and find out how we may be able to help. You can book a consultation through our Calendly link or by emailing us at info@meritmortgages.co.uk.
About Our Services
Absolutely! Buying your first home can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re faced with unfamiliar terms, paperwork and lots of decisions.
We help you understand affordability, explore suitable mortgage options and navigate the process from your initial consultation through to completion.
We’ll explain things clearly, answer your questions and guide you through the next steps, helping you feel more confident about your first home purchase.
Yes. Remortgaging is one of our core services, and we can help you explore your options when your current mortgage deal is coming to an end.
We’ll review your circumstances and search for suitable alternatives. Depending on your situation, this could mean switching to a new rate, avoiding a move onto your lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR), or exploring whether releasing equity from your property is appropriate.
We’ll explain the options available and help you decide what may work best for you.
Yes. We advise on buy-to-let mortgages for both first-time landlords and experienced property investors looking to expand their portfolios.
We’ll discuss your plans, assess your circumstances and explore suitable mortgage options based on your needs and eligibility.
Please note that some buy-to-let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Yes! Whether you’re moving to a bigger home, downsizing or relocating, we can help you explore your mortgage options for your next property.
Depending on your circumstances and your existing mortgage terms, we can look at whether porting your current mortgage or arranging a new mortgage may be suitable.
We’ll talk you through the options and help you understand the steps involved, so you can plan your move with greater confidence.
Yes. Through Merit Protect, we advise on a range of personal protection products, including life insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, family income benefit, and accident and sickness cover.
We compare policies from a wide range of insurers on a whole-of-market basis to help you explore suitable options for your circumstances.
Our aim is to help you understand how protection could support you and your loved ones financially if life doesn’t go to plan.
Yes. Through Merit Protect, we can review your existing life insurance and protection policies to see whether they remain suitable for your needs.
Your circumstances can change over time, whether you’re moving home, starting a family, changing jobs or taking on new financial commitments.
We’ll help you understand what you already have in place and explore whether any changes may be worth considering. Any recommendations will depend on your individual circumstances and requirements.
About the Process
We aim to make the mortgage process as straightforward and stress-free as possible. Here’s how we typically work with you:
- Initial consultation: We start with a conversation by phone or Zoom to understand your plans and circumstances.
- Documents and affordability: We gather the relevant information and assess your affordability.
- Research: We search across more than 90 lenders to explore suitable mortgage options.
- Application: Once you’ve chosen a suitable option, we help prepare and submit your application, liaise with the lender and keep you updated.
- Progress and completion: We support you as your application progresses, helping you understand what’s happening and what needs to happen next.
We’ll explain the process, keep you informed and let you know about any applicable fees before you proceed.
Yes. We offer consultations by telephone and video call, including Zoom, so you can access our advice without needing to visit our office.
We work with clients across the UK, making it easier to discuss your plans, review your options and progress your mortgage application remotely.
The documents you’ll need depend on your circumstances, your income and the lender you’re applying to.
Typically, we may ask you for:
- Proof of income, such as payslips or accounts if you’re self-employed.
- Bank statements.
- Photo identification.
- Proof of address.
- Details of any existing loans, credit commitments or other debts.
We’ll explain exactly what’s needed for your circumstances and guide you through gathering the relevant paperwork.
Yes. We can help you obtain a Decision in Principle (DIP), also known as an Agreement in Principle (AIP) or Mortgage in Principle (MIP).
It’s an indication from a lender of how much they may be willing to lend you, based on the information available at that stage. It can be a useful step when you’re preparing to buy a property.
A DIP, AIP or MIP isn’t a formal mortgage offer or a guarantee that your mortgage will be approved. The lender will still need to carry out its full checks before making a formal offer.
We’ll explain the process and help you understand what it means for your plans.
About Eligibility & Scenarios
Yes. We have experience helping clients with a range of complex and non-standard mortgage circumstances, including self-employed applicants, people with adverse credit histories and those looking to purchase unusual property types.
With access to more than 90 lenders, we can explore a broad range of options beyond those offered by a single high street bank.
Every case is different, and we can’t guarantee that a suitable mortgage will be available. However, we’ll review your circumstances, explain your options and help you understand the next steps.
Of course! We regularly assist self-employed applicants and understand that proving your income can sometimes feel more complicated than it does for someone in traditional PAYE employment.
Different lenders assess self-employed income in different ways, depending on factors such as your business structure, accounts and trading history.
We’ll review your circumstances, explain what evidence may be needed and explore lenders whose criteria may be suitable for you.
We generally recommend starting to explore your remortgage options around three to six months before your current fixed-rate or tracker deal ends.
Starting early gives us time to review your circumstances, compare suitable options and plan your next steps before your existing deal expires. It can also help you avoid automatically moving onto your lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR), which may be higher.
The right timing will depend on your current mortgage and individual circumstances, so get in touch and we’ll help you work out when it’s best to start.