Remortgaging When You’ve Recently Switched Jobs: What Lenders Look For

Changing jobs shortly before a remortgage can feel daunting. Whether you’ve moved for career progression, better pay, stability or personal reasons, many homeowners worry that a new role might affect their ability to secure a new mortgage deal. In reality, lenders assess a range of factors — and a job change alone rarely blocks a remortgage, especially if income and employment remain strong.

This guide explains how lenders evaluate remortgaging when you’ve recently switched jobs, what documentation they ask for and how to strengthen your application. This article provides general information only and does not offer regulated mortgage advice.

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Do Lenders Allow Remortgaging After a Recent Job Change?

Yes — remortgaging after changing jobs is very common.
Most lenders are happy to consider applicants who:

• Have started a new job within the last 3–6 months
• Are currently in a probation period
• Have moved to a new employer in the same field
• Have increased or decreased income levels
• Have switched contract types

However, lenders will ask more questions and request additional documentation compared with someone who has held the same job for years.

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Why Lenders Care About Job Stability

Your employment status is a key part of the affordability assessment. Lenders want to ensure:

• Income is stable and reliable
• You can meet repayments long-term
• Your employment situation is not temporary or unpredictable

A recent job change doesn’t automatically raise red flags — lenders simply need reassurance that your new income is secure.

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What Lenders Look For When You’ve Switched Jobs

1. Consistency of Employment History

Lenders review your last few years of employment and look for:

• Continuous work (even if at different companies)
• Short gaps between roles
• Staying within the same industry
• A clear progression rather than unstable job movement

A stable employment record can outweigh the recency of the job move.

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2. Type of Contract in the New Role

The contract type significantly affects lender views:

• Permanent full-time: easiest to approve
• Permanent part-time: generally acceptable
• Fixed-term contracts: acceptable with history in the same field
• Zero-hours or variable contracts: lenders may ask for more evidence
• Agency roles: require longer history or consistent income

Lenders want to understand how predictable your earnings will be.

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3. Whether You Are Still in Probation

Some lenders accept applicants still within their probation period; others require:

• Probation to be completed, or
• At least one payslip from the new role

Several lenders accept contracts before the first payslip is issued.

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4. Your New Income Level

If your income has increased, lenders will usually use the higher figure as long as it is proven by:

• A contract
• Letter from employer
• First payslip (in some cases)

If your income has decreased, lenders will reassess affordability carefully.

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5. Bonuses, Commission or Overtime

If your income includes variable elements, lenders will ask for:

• Evidence from your previous role
• Confirmation it will continue
• Averages over 3–12 months
• Contracted bonus/commission structures

Recent job switchers may find variable income is assessed more cautiously.

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6. Bank Statement Conduct

Lenders look for positive daily banking behaviour:

• No unarranged overdrafts
• Stable spending
• On-time bill payments
• No repeated returned direct debits

This helps reassure them that the job transition has not caused financial strain.

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Documentation You’ll Need for a Remortgage After Changing Jobs

Although requirements vary by lender, most will ask for:

• Employment contract or offer letter
• First payslip (if available)
• Last 3 months of bank statements
• Last P60 (sometimes required)
• Previous employer payslips if income structure is similar
• Explanation of job move (if requested)

Being prepared with documents speeds up the process.

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How Recent Is Too Recent for a Job Switch?

Most lenders accept applicants who:

• Started a new job within the last 1–3 months
• Are in probation
• Have not yet been paid but have a signed contract

However:

• For variable income roles, lenders may want more evidence
• Applicants switching industries may face additional questions
• Self-employed applicants switching to employment may need a longer track record

There is no universal rule — each lender interprets risk differently.

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How Industry Type Affects Approval

Staying in the same industry

Seen as low risk; lenders assume continuity of skills and income.

Moving to a new role in a different sector

Lenders may request more information.

Moving within specialist industries (e.g., medical, engineering, teaching)

Usually well-received due to high employment stability.

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Key Scenarios and How Lenders Respond

Scenario 1: You’ve started a new job with a higher salary

Often straightforward — many lenders accept contract evidence alone.

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Scenario 2: You switched jobs last month and are still in probation

Acceptable to a large number of lenders, especially if the contract is permanent.

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Scenario 3: You moved industries completely

Possible, but lenders may ask for more documentation or require a probation period to be completed.

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Scenario 4: Your income has decreased

Affordability becomes the priority; lender options may narrow.

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Scenario 5: You now rely on commissions or bonuses

Lenders may average variable income over a longer period.

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Scenario 6: You changed from employed to self-employed

This usually requires at least 12 months of accounts; lender flexibility varies.

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How to Strengthen a Remortgage Application After Switching Jobs

(General Information Only)

Borrowers often choose to improve their position by doing the following:

1. Gather all employment documentation upfront

Include your contract, offer letter and any payslips.

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2. Maintain strong bank conduct

The months surrounding a job change should show stable behaviour.

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3. Keep credit activity low

Avoid new borrowing, hard searches or high utilisation.

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4. Ensure all bills are up to date

Recent missed payments can overshadow an otherwise strong profile.

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5. Build or maintain an emergency fund

Shows financial stability during the transition.

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6. Consider timing

Some borrowers wait until:

• First payslip is available, or
• Probation ends

This can broaden lender options.

These steps are general considerations only.

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Are Specialist Lenders Needed?

Not always.
However, specialist lenders may be more suitable when:

• You switched jobs very recently
• You have complex or variable income
• You changed employment type (e.g., PAYE to contractor)
• Your bank conduct shows recent instability
• You also have minor or historic credit issues

Manual underwriting helps lenders understand the full context.

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Summary

A remortgaging when you’ve recently switched jobs application is usually achievable. Lenders focus on:

• Employment contract and stability
• Whether you’re in a permanent role
• Probation period status
• Income type and predictability
• Affordability
• Recent bank statement conduct

For most applicants, a recent job change is not a barrier — as long as the new role provides stable, sustainable income.

This article provides general information only. For personalised guidance, regulated mortgage advice is required.