5 borrowers Foundation Home Loans can help right now

First-time buyers with a 10% deposit

For first-time buyers, saving a deposit and securing a mortgage can feel like an impossible task, but our products make it achievable. With lending available up to 85% LTV, we can support clients who may only have a 10% deposit. We also accept gifted deposits, recognising that family support often plays an important role in helping younger buyers get onto the property ladders.

Another challenge is that many younger buyers don’t yet have extensive credit records. They might not have borrowed before, may not appeared on the electoral roll, or may even have a couple of small credit blips that affect their profile. Our tiered credit approach allows us to look past this and consider the whole picture, rather than declining an application on one factor alone. By taking a broader view, we open the door for more first-time buyers to secure their first home and start building their financial future.

Contractors with just 1 year’s income

Contractors represent a growing part of the workforce, but mainstream lenders often struggle to accommodate them. Many require at least two or three years of accounts, leaving contractors who’ve only recently started out with limited options. At Foundation Home Loans, we take a more flexible stance. We can consider contractors with just one year’s income evidence, recognising that contracting can provide a reliable and sustainable way of working.

We also look at income in context. For contractors on day rates or fixed-term contracts, we can assess affordability in ways that reflect real earning potential, not just the narrow criteria applied elsewhere. By taking this approach, we make it possible for contractors to move forward with their plans without waiting years to build up history. For brokers, this means being ale to place cases that might otherwise stall and provide clients with the solutions they need sooner rather than later.

Key workers with variable pay

Key workers are vital to the communities we live in, yet their income often looks less straightforward on paper. Shift work, overtime, and variable hours can all make affordability harder to prove, particularly when mainstream lenders often rely on rigid criteria or only recognise basic salary. At Foundation Home Loans, we understand that these roles often come with fluctuating income, and that variability doesn’t make earnings any less reliable.

That’s why we take a more flexible view, assessing affordability by including overtime, allowances, and other pay elements that reflect a client’s true earning potential. Our criteria also allow for joint applications where one applicant is a key worker, giving even greater scope to secure the borrowing required. Combined with products available up to 85% LTV, this means we’re able to support more key workers – from NHS staff and carers, to teachers and emergency service personnel – into home ownership.

By recognising the full picture of variable pay, we not only give brokers greater confidence when placing applications, but also ensure key workers can access the mortgage solutions they deserve, without being penalised for the way their income is structured.

Borrowers with minor credit blips

It’s not unusual for clients to have experienced some form of credit issue in the past. Whether it’s a missed payment, a default, or even a small CCJ, these blips can often result in outright declines from high street lenders. At Foundation Home Loans, we believe past issues shouldn’t automatically prevent clients from borrowing today.

Our tiered credit structure, from F1 through to F4, allows us to place clients at the right level based on their circumstances. This could include historic defaults, recent missed payments, or more complex cases that need extra consideration. The tiered approach means borrowers aren’t excluded altogether, but instead matched to products that suit their profile. For brokers, this creates far greater placement for opportunities and provides a genuine route forward for clients who might otherwise be left without options.

By taking a pragmatic and expert view of credit histories, we’re able to support more borrowers in achieving their goals, while ensuring affordability and sustainability remain at the core of every decision.

Self-employed clients with rental or multiple income sources

Self-employed clients are a cornerstone of the UK economy, but their income rarely fits neatly into the boxes required by mainstream lenders. Fluctuations from year to year, the need to reinvest in businesses, and multiple income streams can all make applications appear more complex than they really are. At Foundation Home Loans, we specialise in supporting the self-employed by offering one of the broadest ranges of income acceptance in the market.

We’ll consider PAYE and dividends, net profiles from accounts, rental income from property, and even additional sources such as pensions or investments. We can also work with the most recent year’s accounts if this provides a clearer reflection of the current circumstances, rather than averaging across years that’s may not show the full picture. By applying manual underwriting, we’re able to understand the story behind the numbers and make lending decisions that reflect a client’s real financial position.

For brokers, this flexibility means being able to place complex cases with confidence. For clients, it means they can secure the borrowing they need without being penalised for the way their income is structured.

Why Foundation Home Loans?

What brings all of this together is our commitment to flexible, specialist lending. Whether it’s first-time buyers with limited deposits, contractors with only a year of income, key workers on variable pay, clients with minor credit blips, or self-employed with complex income, we focus on finding solutions where others may not.

With manual underwriting, gifted deposit options, Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor (JBSP), part-and-part repayment choices, and our tiered credit structure, we give brokers confidence in placing more cases, helping their clients get the mortgage they deserve.

If this sounds like it applies to one of your clients, lets chat. We’re always happy to talk a case through.

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