Are First Direct Difficult to get a mortgage with?

binky123

I'm thinking of applying to remortgage with First Direct. I am currently with HSBC. It would be a joint application and we both have excellent credit ratings, but the online calculator of how much you can borrow seems a lot tighter than HSBC. It still comes out with enough but with less head room than HSBC, so I was wondering if First Direct will be any harder to get a mortgage with than HSBC?

Thrugelmir

FD is a subsidiary of HSBC. Both will be governed by the same Corporate lending policy.

binky123

That's what I thought but there's a big difference in the generosity of their online calculators (which I know are only a guide).

missis_amber

I just tried the calculators and got:
HSBC £135,000
First Direct £122,000


However the HSBC calculator asked me more questions were as the FD one is pretty basic.


What's the difference in their rates? I'm going through a broker at the moment for a remortgage and the best deal he found for me was fixed 5 year with HSBC and so far (fingers crossed!) it's going well. Also they agreed with my valuation which my current provider didn't.

binky123

There's not much in the rates for me, 2.44% First Direct or 2.54% HSBC. I can't remortgage to HSBC though as they won't let me add my early repayment charge from them on to the new one.