HOLIDAY LET · EXPAT · BUY-TO-LET · BRIDGING · RESIDENTIAL
Specialist mortgage broker for complicated borrowing
If your income, your property or your timing doesn’t suit a high street lender, that’s the work we do every day. Independent, whole of market, over 100 lenders, and every adviser has 25 years or more behind them.
You’re in safe hands
FCA regulated, firm reference 207532
Whole of market, over 100 lenders
Advisers with 25+ years each
Society of Mortgage Professionals
Thoroughly recommend Drake Mortgages and the whole team, on their professionalism.
Her knowledge of the market and attention to detail were evident every step of the way. Communication was always prompt, clear, and professional, making me feel supported throughout the entire journey. Thanks you Kerry and team.
I wouldn't hesitate to work with her again or recommend her to anyone looking for a reliable and dedicated mortgage broker! 🙏🙏
What we finance
As a specialist mortgage broker we arrange finance across eight core areas, from first-time buyer mortgages through to bridging and ground-up development. Find the one closest to your situation below, or call us if none of them quite fit.
Holiday let mortgages
Airbnb, full-time holiday lets, multi-unit and mixed use
Buy-to-let mortgages
Personal name, limited company, HMO, MUFB and portfolios
Expat mortgages
UK property for British expats and clients paid in foreign currency
Bridging loans
Auction, refurbishment, chain break and second charge
Development finance
Ground-up, refurbishment, development exit and first-time developers
Commercial mortgages
Owner-occupied and investment, guest houses and holiday parks
Self-employed mortgages
Sole traders, company directors, CIS and retained profits
Residential mortgages
First-time buyers, home movers, remortgages and product transfers
Is Drake the right broker for you?
We’re a good fit if
- Your income is complex: self-employed, company director, retained profits, foreign currency, or several sources at once
- You’re buying or refinancing a holiday let, an HMO, a multi-unit block or a mixed-use building
- You live abroad and want to buy or remortgage in the UK
- You need short-term money quickly, for an auction, a chain break or a refurbishment
- You’re a developer, whether it’s your first site or your fifteenth
- You’ve already been declined somewhere and want to know why, and what to do about it
We’re probably not the right fit if
- You want a standard high street mortgage on a straightforward employed salary and you’re happy going direct. You may not need a broker at all, and we’ll say so
- You want a face-to-face meeting. We mostly work by phone, email and video, which is how we cover the whole UK
- You want a rate quoted before we’ve understood the case. We won’t do that, because on specialist lending the headline rate is rarely the thing that decides the outcome
Why choose Drake Mortgages?
Every adviser has 25 years or more experience
Not a call centre and not a trainee. The adviser you speak to is the person who places your case.
Whole of market, including lenders you can’t approach yourself
Over 100 lenders, including specialist ones that only deal through brokers. Deals that never appear on comparison sites.
We’re property people too
The team own and invest in property. We’ve been on your side of the table.
We like the awkward ones
Complex income, unusual buildings, tight deadlines, previous declines. That’s most of what we do.
Knowledge
Guides and articles
Guides and articles written by our advisers, covering everything from bridging deposits to self-employed income. If your situation isn’t covered yet, call us and we’ll talk you through it directly.
Guide
holiday let
What a holiday let mortgage is, and how it differs from a standard buy-to-let
Article
Can I remortgage my holiday let?
If your fixed or set-term deal is coming to an end, don’t let it roll onto your lender’s default rate.
Article
Five tips to improve your chances of mortgage approval
MANY FIRST-TIME buyers hope to make this year the year they get on the property ladder, thanks to the availability of 95%
Article
Do you need payslips to remortgage?
Are you thinking of remortgaging your home but are unsure whether you need to show any payslips? Before you get
Article
How HMO Mortgages Work: A Plain-English Guide
HMO mortgages aren’t just buy-to-let with extra bedrooms. Lenders value the property differently, cap borrowing at 70-75% loan-to-value, and stress-test
Article
A Beginner’s Guide to HMO Property Investing
A house in multiple occupation can out-earn a standard buy-to-let by renting room by room, but the upside comes with
Article
How To Buy a Holiday Home
When summer arrives, and our thoughts turn to getaway plans, many of us may consider buying a home at our
Article
Already own a property, and thinking about buying another?
INVESTING IN A SECOND PROPERTY is on the increase. In fact, the number of people in the UK who own more than
Article
Buy to Let Tips
Here are some top tips for buy to let success. There’s money to be made, and lost, with buy to let.
GET IN TOUCH TODAY
Tell us what you’re trying to do and we’ll tell you straight whether it’s placeable, and roughly what it will take. Call 020 8301 7930 or email info@drakemortgages.co.uk
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we’re asked most, about how we work and what it costs. If yours isn’t here, call us and we’ll answer it directly.
What is a specialist mortgage broker?
A specialist mortgage broker arranges borrowing that falls outside standard high street lending, such as complex income, unusual properties or short-term finance. Drake Mortgages is independent and whole of market, so we search across high street, specialist and broker-only lenders rather than a fixed panel.
What sort of finance does Drake Mortgages arrange?
We arrange mortgages and finance for holiday lets, buy-to-let (including limited company and portfolio), expats, self-employed and company director income, bridging loans, development finance and commercial property. If your case involves complex income, an unusual property or a tight deadline, it’s the kind of work we handle regularly.
Do you charge a fee?
We may charge a fee for arranging your mortgage, up to £850 depending on the case, with a typical fee of £495. There’s no advice fee for arranging life cover or critical illness cover, and any fee is confirmed in writing, along with what the lender pays us, before you apply.
Can you help if I’ve already been declined?
A decline from one lender doesn’t mean a mortgage isn’t available elsewhere. Lenders each set their own criteria, and a decline often comes down to fitting the wrong lender rather than a problem with the case itself. Tell us what happened and we’ll look at the options, including lenders that deal only through brokers.
Do I need to meet you in person?
No. We mainly work by phone, email and video call, so advice isn’t limited by where you or the property happen to be. This also means we can work with clients living outside the UK, including British expats.
How many lenders do you have access to?
We have access to more than 100 lenders, including specialist lenders that don’t deal directly with the public. As a whole of market broker, we aren’t tied to a panel, so we can search high street banks, building societies and specialist lenders for your case.
Do you cover the whole UK?
Yes. We advise clients across the UK, and although we’re based in Kent, all our advice is delivered remotely, by phone, email and video call.
Are you regulated?
Yes. Drake Mortgages Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 207532. You can check this on the FCA register. Some buy-to-let, holiday let, commercial, bridging and development finance products aren’t regulated by the FCA, and we’ll flag it if that applies to your case.