Mortgages
MortgageEvery lender calculates income differently: employed, self-employed, Ltd director or CIS. We know which one will accept your situation and process the application in good time.
Tap a term to see what it means.
UK mortgage broker
Mortgages, protection and wills — one broker, many solutions.
We help families in the UK buy a home, protect their loved ones and plan for the future. We compare the whole market, explain every document and stay with you from the first call until you get the keys.
Whole of markethigh-street and specialist lenders
We pay for your willfor our mortgage and protection clients
After 5pm tooeverything from your phone
Online, no phone call
Get started — online form
No need to call first. Choose what you need, enter your name and e-mail, then fill in the form and add your documents in our secure portal. We will be in touch within 48 hours.
Mortgage
Check how much you can borrow
Buying a home, remortgage, buy to let. Tell us about your income and commitments, add your documents and we will work out how much you can borrow.
Start → ProtectionLife & income protection
Life, critical illness and income. A few questions about your family, work and health, and we will compare insurers for you.
Start → LegalConveyancing quote
Purchase, sale, remortgage or transfer of equity. Tell us the price and the type of transaction and we will collect quotes from several firms.
Start → WillsWill
A will with legal guardians for your children, including mirror wills for couples. Give us the key details and we will go through the rest at the meeting.
Start → HomeHome insurance
Buildings, contents or a rented property. We will compare several insurers and explain what the policy covers.
Start →🔒 Your details and documents are encrypted on your device before they reach our server. You can stop and come back later.
Services
Everything your home and family need
One adviser who knows your situation: from your first mortgage, through protection, to your will. No going from firm to firm or explaining everything again.
Protection
ProtectionOnce your Mortgage Offer is issued, we prepare quotes in different options and explain how each policy works. The decision is always yours.
Tap a term to see what it means.
Wills & powers of attorney
WillsA will shortens inheritance from years to months and names legal guardians for your children. It also protects your partner if you are not married.
Tap a term to see what it means.
Solicitors & conveyancing
LegalWe collect quotes from several firms and send the instructions ourselves. We keep track of searches and deadlines right up to completion.
Tap a term to see what it means.
Process & fees
What you pay, to whom, how much and when
The full home-buying journey, step by step, with fees and timings. You know what's ahead before you sign anything.
Before you find a home
- 01Initial document reviewAffordability, lender criteria, credit history · up to 2 days£0broker
- 02Meeting your brokerAbout 2 hours: the whole process, mortgage types, repayment, interest£0broker
- 03Decision in PrincipleYou decide whether to work with us, and only then do we invoice · up to 2 days£250broker
- 04Finding a propertyMaking offers is usually free. New-build developers may charge a reservation fee£0–1500developer
Application & offer
- 05Full mortgage applicationApplication with full paperwork · up to 2 days. Some lenders charge a product or application fee£0–…lender
- 06Underwriting & valuationValuation 1–10 days, underwriting 1–60 days. The lender usually covers the valuation fee, but sometimes it is charged£0–150lender
- 07Mortgage OfferThe formal mortgage offer, usually valid for 6 months£250broker
- 08SearchesPayment on account to solicitors, results in 2–8 weeks£300–500solicitors
Keys and beyond
- 09Protection meetingQuotes for life, income, mortgage and buildings cover£0broker
- 10Exchange & completionDeposit and solicitor fees, worked out at the second meeting · usually 2–6 monthsas quotedsolicitors
- 11WillIncluding guardianship for your children. Worth £179 per person (£249 for a couple) – Balltica Consulting pays for it for our mortgage and protection clients£0broker
- 12Your next remortgageWe get in touch about 6 months before your deal ends£0broker
~3 months
That's the usual time from our first meeting to getting the keys. Every purchase is different, and some take over a year. We're with you the whole way.
FeesThe amounts above apply to a standard purchase. For more complex cases, such as bridging loans, commercial mortgages, credit impaired (adverse), second charge or debt consolidation, our fee is set individually, depending on the work involved and the complexity of the case. You will always know it before we start. We also receive commission from the lender for arranging your mortgage, and from the insurer for any policy. We do not charge a separate fee for arranging insurance.
Why a broker, why us
A bank shows you its products. We show you the market.
Your bank only offers its own deals, with no certainty the rate is competitive or that you meet its criteria. It often means several branch visits, between 9 and 5.
Experience
Mortgages are what we do every day. Once we know your situation, we know which lender will say yes.
More choice
We can access thousands of products and specialist lenders you can't go to directly.
Written recommendation
We must explain in writing why a product is the most suitable for you.
Saves you time
We handle the paperwork and deal with the lender, solicitors and estate agent.
Convenience
We work remotely, so you can do everything from your phone, outside office hours too.
All in one place
Mortgage, protection, solicitors and your will, all taken care of.
We keep an eye on rates – our IRM system
We use IRM (Interest Rates Monitoring), a system built specially for us. If your lender reduces its rates after your application is submitted and its rules allow a product change, we contact you, ask for your consent and request a switch to the lower-rate product on your existing application. Not every lender allows this, and a switch may mean a new Mortgage Offer is issued, so we always discuss with you whether it makes sense for your completion timeline.
Client reviews
What our clients say
Real reviews from our clients on Facebook and Google, shown with first name and initial.
My husband and I would like to recommend Sandra, thanks to whom we became the owners of the home we had been waiting for. Sandra has extensive experience and qualifications that show in the results of her work, which fully met our expectations. We especially value her commitment, high-quality service and willingness to tailor the offer to our needs. Our cooperation went smoothly and with great commitment, so we wholeheartedly recommend Sandra as a specialist in her field.
Sandra Minkina – the right person in the right place! Professionalism, great service, 100% commitment – in a word, we trusted her completely. Always smiling and, despite many responsibilities, always available and ready to help. Thanks to Sandra it wasn't “black magic” for us – quite the opposite, everything was clear and easy to follow. She meets clients' expectations, weighing up the most favourable options. We warmly recommend her! It's thanks to her that we made our dream come true. Thank you.
Sandra, thank you once again for seeing our case through to the end. It wasn't easy, but your commitment and professionalism always kept our spirits up. We wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone looking for a friendly, competent and down-to-earth broker. Throughout our cooperation we could count on easy contact and reliable updates on every stage of the purchase. Thanks, Sandra!
Sandra, we are incredibly grateful and happy. Thank you so much for your commitment, for negotiating with the bank like a tank, and for your angelic patience when I was going out of my mind thinking it wouldn't work out. I could just hug you with joy!
Sandra, you're great at what you do! You can see how much heart, commitment and care you put into every transaction. Thanks to you, the whole journey to your own home becomes much easier and calmer. Without your support it would definitely be harder! You deserve every “WE'VE GOT THE KEYS!”.
Thank you so much for helping us get a very good remortgage deal on our home. The whole process took 2 days, so it was very quick and smooth. Sandra replied to our messages very quickly and was reliable and professional. We highly recommend Balltica Consulting!
I warmly recommend Sandra from Balltica Consulting – my remortgage was sorted very quickly and successfully.
A dream come true, super fast. Thank you, Sandra Minkina-Benke, for helping us get our mortgage and for sorting out lots of other things too. We recommend her!
I highly recommend this company's services. Reliable and looks after the client's interests. Everything was handled efficiently, down to the last detail.
I warmly recommend Sandra – quick, down-to-earth and helpful, with wide-ranging knowledge in her field and beyond!
Very competent and expert help. A lovely experience working together and a quick result. Thank you.
Recommended. Professional service and a wide range of insurance. Thanks to Sandra for her advice.
Thank you so much for your help and professional approach.
Such a nice experience, a fast and nice job. I suggest you try it out. Sandra Minkina is a very nice and friendly person.
Well recommended, any time, professional people!
Thank you so much and I recommend you 100%.
Highly recommended. Sandra is the best at her job. She is very helpful and patient. We will definitely be back in the future.
I'm happy to share my experience of working with Sandra, who is an exceptional broker. Her professionalism, commitment and personal approach meant the whole process went smoothly and without any problems. Sandra has extensive knowledge and experience, which translates into results and satisfied clients. I warmly recommend Sandra's services to anyone looking for a reliable and competent broker!
I recommend Sandra – a very honest person who will help with everything. Highly recommended!
Sandra M – the broker for hopeless cases.
In the labyrinth of law, among so many matters, I found help, as if in a paradise of angels. Your support is a precious gift – you skilfully guided me through the legal maze. Dynamically, confidently, as if dancing with fire, you cleared my doubts the way morning clears the mist. Your professionalism, like a flawless diamond, inspires admiration and warms the heart. For your care and for every effort, from the bottom of my heart I give my grateful thanks. In your hands my affairs made sense; your actions brought peace and a happy ending. Thank you sincerely. May my gratitude ring out in these words: for your help, for your effort – a big thank you!
Meet your adviser
Sandra Minkina-Benke
Sandra is an experienced specialist in property, investment and mortgages, with an extensive education and more than a decade of professional practice.
She began her career in 2010 as Land Department Manager in Poland, specialising in large-scale land investments and condo-hotels. As branch director, she then ran a financial brokerage office in Kraków, focusing on residential and commercial mortgages.
Since 2015 Sandra has built her career in the United Kingdom, helping clients achieve their investment and financial goals.
She holds postgraduate qualifications in three fields, Property Valuation, Property Management and Real Estate Brokerage, from the University of Economics and Innovation in Lublin. She studied law at London Metropolitan University and holds the CeMAP qualification from the London Institute of Banking and Finance.
Outside work, Sandra is passionate about motoring, especially motorbikes and drifting. You will often find her at motorbike events or drifting competitions. And if she doesn't pick up the phone after 7pm, she is probably enjoying a ride on her motorbike or spending time with her family.
Sandra is an expert whose knowledge and commitment you can rely on in any situation.
Guides
Free guides for clients
We wrote them so each stage makes sense before you reach it. Leave your email and we'll send the PDF.
Mortgage Guide · part 1
The UK home buyer's guide
32 pages, from choosing a broker to getting the keys.
- How to choose a broker
- Decision in Principle
- Location and condition
- Where to look
- Property details for the lender
- Solicitor / conveyancer
- Fees step by step
- Will
Checklist before and after completion
Everything to remember before, during and after your move.
How protection works in the UK
Life, critical illness, income and accident cover: what to look for when choosing a policy.
Guide for first-time landlords
Current rules and practical tips for Buy to Let investors.
Blog
Worth knowing
Short articles based on the questions clients ask us most.
Mortgage
Getting a UK mortgage as a Polish or EU national – where to start
Immigration status, UK credit history, a deposit from abroad, documents and Stamp Duty – 7 steps to the keys.
ReadWills
Making a will in the UK – who inherits without one?
Intestacy rules, unmarried partners, guardians for children and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
ReadMortgage
Decision in Principle: what it is and isn't
Why an agent may ask for a DIP before a viewing, and why it isn't a mortgage yet.
ReadMarket in numbers · Updated 23 Oct 2026
UK mortgages and property – the key numbers
Every week we bring together the data that drives mortgage rates, house prices and the rental market.
Interest rates and mortgage pricing
Bank Rate (Bank of England)
3.75%
held on 17 Sep 2026
Next decision: 5 Nov 2026
Bank of England
2-year SONIA swap
4.733%
close 20 Oct 2026
▲ +14.1 bps in a month · +115.4 bps in a year
Bank of England (OIS)
5-year SONIA swap
4.767%
close 20 Oct 2026
▲ +1.6 bps day on day
Bank of England (OIS)
Average 2 / 5-year fixed rate
5.98% / 6.00%
5 Oct 2026
5-year: highest since Sep 2023
Moneyfacts
Rate on new mortgages
4.60%
August 2026 (effective)
▲ from 4.45% in July
Bank of England
Prices, transactions and rents
House prices – Nationwide
£274,251
September 2026
+0.8% y/y · −0.2% m/m
Nationwide HPI
House prices – Lloyds (formerly Halifax)
£298,441
September 2026
0.0% y/y · 0.0% m/m
Lloyds HPI
House prices – ONS (official)
£273,000
August 2026
+0.9% y/y
ONS / HM Land Registry
Property transactions
95,220
August 2026, seasonally adjusted
▼ −1% m/m · −2% y/y
HMRC
Mortgage approvals for purchase
54,900
August 2026
▼ from 55,900 in July
Bank of England
Average UK rent
£1,406
per month, September 2026
+3.8% y/y
ONS
Buy to let yield (gross)
7.22%
Q3 2026
▲ +0.22 pp q/q · highest since 2011
Paragon Bank
Red = increase (dearer fixed-rate mortgages).
What does it mean in practice?
Swap rates, which lenders use to price fixed-rate mortgages, are clearly higher than a month and a year ago, so lenders are raising rates and withdrawing deals more often. If your fixed rate ends within 6 months, it's worth reviewing your options early.
House prices are broadly flat, while transactions and mortgage approvals have dipped slightly. Rents are rising faster than prices, pushing buy to let yields up.
Talk to an adviser →For information only – not advice or a recommendation. Buy to let (pure) and commercial mortgages are not regulated by the FCA. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Transparency
Who we are and who regulates us
Every UK mortgage broker must be registered with the FCA. Check us on the register before sharing your details.
- Company
- Balltica Consulting Ltd · Company No. 12135735
- Status
- Appointed Representative of Polish Brokers Ltd (FRN 841246), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
- FCA number
- FRN 924223
- Complaints
- You have the right to refer a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Contact
Book a free assessment
We reply within one working day. Or just give us a call.
Phone07481 98 90 69
E-mailoffice@balltica.com
Facebookfacebook.com/balltica