The Cumberland are supporting self-employed borrowers with residential mortgage options

The Cumberland has residential mortgages available to sole traders and partnerships, contractors, limited companies and Limited Liability Partnerships if an applicant has a shareholding of 25% or greater.

Key to The Cumberland’s service is its focus on building relationships with its customers, providing them with a personal approach to the application process.

The building society implements a people-first approach when assessing applications from self-employed customers to help them secure a mortgage which suits their needs.

As a result every applicant is treated as an individual, with a specialist mortgage team reviewing each application on a one-to-one basis. While still referring to an applicant’s credit file, they are able to take other factors into consideration before making a decision.

This means that when potential challenges to an application occur, The Cumberland will proactively work with the applicant to try to resolve them, rather than refusing them which can happen with cases reviewed by set guidelines within a computer.

Recognised for its Kinder Banking ethos, which places customer relationships and understanding at the heart of its lending decisions, The Cumberland has served the communities it’s based in for 175 years.

Headquartered in Carlisle, with 31 branches situated across Cumbria, Northumberland, Lancashire and South-West Scotland, The Cumberland’s Kinder Banking focus ensures self-employed customers will be supported as they explore their financial needs.

Terri Lorimer, Mortgage Hub Manager at The Cumberland, said: “The self-employed community forms a vital part of the local economies they are based in, offering important services which keep our communities moving. Yet too often they are treated as higher risk when it comes to borrowing.

“We want to reduce the barriers they face when applying for a mortgage, which is why we look beyond the numbers and develop a relationship with our customers to see the full picture of their circumstances, taking a responsible approach to understand their needs and affordability.

“With dedicated mortgage advisors who will take customers all the way through the mortgage journey from start to finish, we’re on hand to support individuals acquire the right lending which works for them.

To make the mortgage process convenient, The Cumberland offers flexible appointment times, including early morning, late evening, weekend, telephone, and in-branch consultations.

In-branch appointments are available at select locations, including Barrow, Kendal, Dumfries, Workington, and its English Street branch in Carlisle, for customers who prefer face-to-face support.

Throughout the process, customers work with the same mortgage advisor from initial meeting to completion, building a strong, personal relationship.

“Whether you’re a freelancer, contractor, or small business owner, we would welcome hearing from you for your mortgage needs.”

The Cumberland’s online mortgage calculator offers a simple way for customers to understand how much they may be able to borrow and what their monthly repayments could look like.

In January, The Cumberland was awarded its fifth consecutive Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, highlighting the Society’s ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional, trusted service to its customers

Read more information on self-employed mortgages at The Cumberland.