Mortgage? Computer says no

It can seem almost impossible to secure a mortgage if you don’t have an employer’s payslip, says Ruth Jackson.

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A decade ago, being self-employed was no barrier to getting a mortgage. Some lenders didn't even bother asking borrowers for evidence of their earnings before handing over hundreds of thousands of pounds to buy a house (the now-extinct "self-certified" mortgage). But then the 2008 financial crisis and housing crash came along. Amid the subsequent crackdown on mortgage lending, it can seem almost impossible to secure a mortgage if you don't have an employer's payslip to wave at the lender.

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Ruth Jackson-Kirby

Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.

Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.

Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping, among many other titles both online and offline.