About the borrower
Lenders check identity and resources.
- Identification and address evidence for directors or owners
- Personal asset and liability statements
- Details of other property owned and borrowing
- Company structure and shareholder information
About the business
For owner-occupied or trading cases, filed accounts, current management accounts, bank statements and tax position matter. Forecasts help where growth or change is part of the story, provided they are realistic and explained.
About the property
Agent particulars, title information, leases, tenancy schedules, planning documents, energy certificates and condition reports help lenders and valuers. For auctions, the full legal pack is essential.
Hypothetical example, not a real client: a buyer of a multi-let unit prepares a tenancy schedule and copies of every lease before applying. The lender can review income quickly instead of waiting for documents mid-process.
About the repayment
For mortgages, show affordability from trading or rent. For bridges, evidence the exit: agent opinions, refinance discussions or sale plans. Explain any credit issues with supporting documents.
Organising a lender-ready pack
A well-organised pack saves time for everyone. Label documents clearly, keep them in a consistent order, and include a one-page summary of the request: who is borrowing, what the property is, how much is needed, what for and how it will be repaid. That summary often shapes the first impression lenders form.
Check documents are complete and legible. Missing pages from bank statements, unsigned leases or out-of-date accounts are common causes of delay. Where something is genuinely unavailable, say so and explain why.
Documents that change during the process
Some evidence goes out of date while an application is in progress. Bank statements, management accounts and tenancy schedules may need refreshing before completion, and lenders may re-check identity or credit if time passes. If anything significant changes, such as a tenant giving notice, a large new debt or a change in shareholding, tell your broker straight away. Undisclosed changes can lead to an offer being withdrawn.
Professional reports
Lenders may require reports beyond the valuation: environmental searches, building surveys, asbestos surveys or reports on specialist plant. Commissioning them is usually the borrower's cost. Ask early which reports are likely to be needed so they do not become a last-minute bottleneck.
Documents for different products
Requirements shift with the product. An owner-occupied mortgage leans on trading evidence; an investment mortgage on leases and tenant information; a bridge on the property, the exit and your resources; an auction purchase on the legal pack and the contract timetable. A refurbishment case adds schedules of works, quotes and consents. Knowing which category your case falls into lets you prepare the right documents first rather than gathering everything at once.
Expect a lender to ask follow-up questions once it has read the pack. Quick, complete answers keep momentum; slow or partial answers are a frequent reason cases drift.
Keep copies of everything you send and a note of the date, so you can quickly answer a lender asking what has already been provided and avoid sending conflicting versions.
Keeping your information secure
Commercial applications involve sensitive personal and business data. Send documents through the secure method your broker provides rather than ordinary email where possible, and do not send original identity documents unless specifically asked.
Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a loan secured on it. Sorbus Finance is a broker, not a lender. Finance is subject to lender criteria, status, valuation and affordability. We work with a panel of lenders, not the whole market, and do not promise a rate, fee level or outcome.