Hybrid Working and Mortgage Application

Spbsss

I current work & live in Manchester and I'm planning to move back to Birmingham to be closer to my parents, who have been quite unwell recently. I came to Manchester for Uni but planned to return to Birmingham. 

I feel as if I'm about to make a silly mistake but hoped for clarity here, please!

I have been house hunting in Birmingham and hope to buy this year. I work in Manchester 5 days a week, where its a hybrid role where I work from home 3 days a week and in the office for 2 days.

I enjoy my job and the company I work for. Would I be able to get a mortgage for a house in Birmingham while working in Manchester. I'm happy to commute 2 days a week to the office. 

Would I get a mortgage or should I look at getting a new job in Birmingham? Has anyone else done similar successfully? Thank you

amnblog

The Lender will most likely ask about the practicalities of your 'office' being a good way from your proposed 'home'. If you can explain to their satisfaction you  are OK.

Their concern will be:

Are you intending to let it and not live in the property?

or

Will you be putting in your notice on the job once they have lent you the money.

mi-key

You can buy a house somewhere and then work wherever you want. Some mad people commute 6 hours a day back and forth to London for work !

It is very common these days for people to have to commute, so the only difference it would make to a lender is your cost of travel when they work out the affordability for you

kingstreet

I can think of at least two lenders who would be all over this. What is the actual work postcode? How long is the commute? What will it cost? Some take plausibility very seriously and the OP should be careful with his choice of lender. A decent broker will know who to avoid.

ACG

As AMN says, they will just want to understand what will happen with work. 
They may need to factor in travel expenses. 

Spbsss

Their concern will be:

Are you intending to let it and not live in the property?

or

Will you be putting in your notice on the job once they have lent you the money.

I intend to live in the house myself and hope to continue working at the same company in Manchester, commuting 2 days a week. 

DullGreyGuy

kingstreet said:

I can think of at least two lenders who would be all over this. What is the actual work postcode? How long is the commute? What will it cost? Some take plausibility very seriously and the OP should be careful with his choice of lender. A decent broker will know who to avoid.

Curious who?

I typically work onsite with clients (Covid allowing) and dont recall ever being asked my location of work nor discussing the fact it changes relatively frequently as I change client and/or project

Spbsss

kingstreet said:

I can think of at least two lenders who would be all over this. What is the actual work postcode? How long is the commute? What will it cost? Some take plausibility very seriously and the OP should be careful with his choice of lender. A decent broker will know who to avoid.

Work postcode is SK2 and new house will be B75. 

I've done the commute numerous times when staying at my parents who also live in B75 and takes around 1 hour 20 mins approx. I'd drive so expect to be around £18 fuel. 

JMA74

There are a couple of lenders in the past who have got super worked up about commute times that I have never gone back to them with cases like this.  There are also a good number of lenders that dont really ask and rely on us to do the plausibility checks for them.  
Its not difficult if its plausible, but I agree there are certain lenders to ignore.  

I do wonder if we are talking about the same lenders though.  My worst for this is Accord

TheJP

I don't see any issues with you getting a mortgage due to the hybrid working set up. I've always had a hybrid working role and no lender has questioned (employer based in London i live in the West Midlands) this, they will ask about outgoings i.e. how much you spend on fuel/commute.

f.castle

Does the mortgage provider, eg nationwide ask for any written evidence from the employer that hybrid working is accepted going forward? I hope not. I plan to take a job 2.5hours away from me, but they are with me working at home 2-3 times a week.