Getting a mortgage straight after travelling

kissprudence

I want to go travelling for six months from Oct 2018 to March 2019.

I have lived in the same rented property, through a private landlord, since 2012.

I've decided that as soon as I come back from travelling, I want to start viewing properties in order to buy a house. I owned a house from 2003 to March 2017 so I have an ample deposit, through the sale of that.

Originally, I was going to give up my rental tenancy when I went travelling so as to not have to worry about anything back home. However, I've been thinking that without a fixed address in the UK whilst I am abroad then it will be really difficult to get a mortgage offer when I come back. Plus, my credit rating will suffer as I will have been knocked off the electoral roll for six months. I don't want to have to mess about for 6 - 12 months trying to get my credit rating back up to mortgage worthy levels before I can start viewing houses. So I am now thinking of sub-letting my rental house for 6 months (with landlord's permission of course). Fully furnished so I don't have to put my furniture in storage!

I will be able to get a 'career break' situation with my employer where I still pay NI and pension and do not have a break in contract but I am just not paid anything for the time I am travelling.

Does anyone have any experience with trying to secure a mortgage after travelling/ being out of the country for an extended period? Hints/ tips/ warnings all welcome...

And what do people think of my plan? Or am I worrying too much about the fixed address/ credit rating stuff?