How we work
How we work
One broker, one point of contact, the whole cost in writing before you commit. And a clear line between what we arrange ourselves and what we refer to an FCA-authorised firm.
The process
- A conversation. Phone or email, no forms. You describe the property, the numbers and what you are trying to do. We tell you the same day whether it is doable, roughly what it costs and which lenders fit.
- Indicative terms. Lender terms plus a one-page cost summary from us: interest, arrangement fee, our fee, valuation, both sets of legal costs, any exit fee. Nothing is paid at this stage.
- Application. You confirm you want to proceed. We submit, book the valuation and instruct solicitors. The valuation fee is the first money you spend, and we do not ask for it until the lender has accepted the case in principle.
- Offer and completion. Formal offer from the lender, legal work, funds released. We stay on the case throughout, chasing whichever party is slowest.
Our fee
We charge a broker fee, agreed in writing before any application is made and usually paid on completion. Some lenders also pay us a procuration fee; where they do, we tell you what it is. We do not charge to look at a deal, to give indicative terms, or to tell you that something is not worth doing.
Regulated and unregulated: where the line is
Mortgage lending in the UK is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority when the borrower is an individual and the property is, or will be, a home for them or their family. Most property investment lending is not regulated. In practice:
| We arrange | We refer to an FCA-authorised firm |
|---|---|
| Bridging loans for business or investment purposes, where nobody in the borrower's family lives or will live in the property | Any loan secured on your own home, including bridging to buy a home, second charges and equity release |
| Buy-to-let mortgages to limited companies and LLPs | Buy-to-let mortgages to individuals who are not professional landlords ("consumer buy-to-let"), including accidental landlords |
| Commercial and semi-commercial property finance where less than 40% of the property is used as a dwelling by the borrower or family | Residential purchase and remortgage of any kind |
| Development exit and refurbishment finance for investment property | Anything where the borrower's own home is the security |
Avantigo Capital Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We only arrange the loans in the left-hand column. If your enquiry falls in the right-hand column we will introduce you, with your consent, to a mortgage broker that is FCA-authorised. We do not charge you for that introduction; the broker may pay us a referral fee, which does not change what you pay them.
If you are unsure which side of the line you are on, ask. Getting it wrong is bad for both of us, so we err on the side of referring.
What we expect from you
Straight answers about the property, the money and your credit history. Lenders find things out; a problem disclosed at the start is usually workable, the same problem found at valuation stage rarely is.