We always stress the importance of involving your accountant as early as possible in the house buying process. This has not changed – if anything it has become even more essential for the self-employed.
Now, when you apply for a mortgage, there are even more back office checks being done. For example, the Mortgage Verification Scheme (MVS) kicked in fully this month. Under the MVS, mortgage lenders send details of borrowers to HM Revenue and Customs who crosscheck it against their tax returns.
It is a good thing that a variety of fraud systems, such as the MVS, are in place. Our only worry is that a mortgage lender might be fixated on a self-employed person’s net profit, without understanding their income situation properly.
For example, a client might have a contract go wrong and end up losing £50,000 of her net profit, but this could clearly be a position that will not repeat itself the next year.
As a general rule if you are self-employed it helps to request an SA302 in advance of your mortgage appointment. This is your tax calculation from HMRC.
Individual circumstances are the reason to involve an accountant early on. An accountant may be able to shed some light on your ongoing financial situation where the black and white of a computer system fails.
For more information contact Limetree Financial Services.
