If you are thinking of buying with a friend, book a 15 minute call and I will tell you what you could borrow together and what to sort out with a solicitor first. Call 01425 203055 or WhatsApp 07731 675537.
HTG Mortgages
Can I Get a Joint Mortgage With a Friend?
Last Updated: September 2026
Featured in The Telegraph • Daily Mail • The Times • Sky News
Yes. Lenders will lend to two, and in some cases up to four, people who are not related or in a relationship. Both incomes count towards affordability and both names go on the mortgage. The part people underestimate is that both of you are fully liable for the whole loan, not half each, so the paperwork you put in place between you matters as much as the mortgage itself.
Joint and several liability: if your friend stops paying, the lender comes to you for all of it
The whole mortgage counts as your commitment on any future application, not your share
Friends nearly always want tenants in common, with a declaration of trust recording unequal contributions
As featured in…
Meet your Advisor
Harry Goodliffe
- FCA Authorised
- Director & Mortgage Advisor
“I‘m not about confusing jargon or passing you from person to person. From our first chat to the day you get the keys, you’ll deal directly with me. I‘ll keep you updated, answer any burning questions, and do everything I can to make the whole process as stress-free as possible.”
Let’s Talk About Your Mortgage
How a joint purchase with a friend works
1
Step 1
Both assessed
The lender assesses both incomes, both credit files and both sets of commitments. A blemish on one file or a large car loan on one side affects the whole application.
2
Step 2
Agree the split
Who put in what deposit, who pays for repairs, whether a partner can move in, how equity splits if contributions were unequal. None of it is the lender’s business. All of it is what goes wrong when it is not written down.
3
Step 3
Ownership type
Joint tenants own equally with automatic survivorship. Tenants in common own defined shares and can leave them in a will. Your solicitor sets this up and can draw up a declaration of trust.
4
Step 4
Exit plan
If one of you wants out: the other remortgages alone (their income must carry the loan), a new co-owner replaces the leaver, or the property is sold. Early repayment charges apply inside a fixed period.
About
Our approach.
The point most people have not thought about is what it does to buying alone later
While the joint mortgage exists, lenders assessing you for another property treat your friend’s mortgage as if you paid all of it. That reduces what you can borrow for a home of your own until you are removed from the first mortgage, which needs the lender’s agreement and a new affordability assessment (a transfer of equity). Three or four applicants is possible with some lenders, usually with a rule that only the two highest incomes count or that all borrowers must live in the property.
Whole-of-Market Access
Whole-of-market comparison across 120+ lenders
One Flat Fee
A flat £350 fee, payable only once your mortgage offer is issued
Honest Advice
If the right answer is to do nothing, I will say so
Outside My Scope
I do not offer equity release
How I help
I assess both of you together, tell you what the lenders that accept unrelated applicants would lend, and flag the liability and future-borrowing points before you commit. The legal side goes to your solicitor. Related: guarantor mortgages, conveyancing explained and the first time buyer hub.
Who this is for
Two or more friends, or siblings, who want to pool deposits and incomes to buy a home they will both live in, and want to know how lenders treat it and what to agree first.
Why use HTG’s mortgage services?
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm
We are an independently owned, whole-of-market mortgage broker offering first-charge mortgages
You deal with Harry directly, from the first conversation to completion
Let’s get your mortgage sorted
Written by Harry Goodliffe
Director & Mortgage Adviser, HTG Mortgages · FCA Authorised (1017945)
CeMAP Qualified · Featured in National Press · South England Prestige Awards 2026/27 winner