Understand your case
We begin with your purchase or remortgage plan, income, deposit or equity, commitments, credit history and timescale. An early conversation can identify what needs checking before an application.
Phone and online advice across England
Mortgage brokers across the UK
Buying, moving or remortgaging? Our Chelmsford-based team can help you understand your options, compare suitable mortgages and prepare your application.
Start with your questions. We will explain our service, the lenders and products we can consider, any fee and your next useful step.
Phone and online appointmentsPurchase and remortgage adviceFees explained before chargeable work
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. A lender decides whether to offer a mortgage.
What a broker does
Mortgage advice should clarify the decision
A mortgage broker is an intermediary between you and a lender. The service goes beyond finding an advertised rate: understanding your circumstances, checking your evidence and comparing the costs and conditions of suitable options. Count Ready offers phone and online conversations across England from its Chelmsford base. The lender still assesses you and the property before deciding whether to make an offer.
Explain the choice
Ask which lenders and products we can consider and why a recommendation fits. Compare the rate alongside fees, repayment method, flexibility and the likely cost over the time you expect to keep the deal.
Support the application
We can explain evidence requests, help prepare an application and keep you informed as it is assessed. Your conveyancer handles the legal work; only the lender can issue a mortgage offer.
Considering advice or going direct? Read our guide to deciding whether you need a mortgage adviser.
Find the right adviser for you
How to choose a mortgage broker
Before choosing a broker, compare these four things. A headline rate or a low fee tells you only part of the story.
Regulation and responsibility
Use the FCA’s current information to check the firm and the relevant permissions. Ask who will provide your advice, which firm is responsible and how to raise a complaint.
Lenders and mortgage types
Ask which lenders and products can be considered for your case, and what is excluded. Some deals are available only by going directly to a lender. The recommendation should explain why the option suits you.
Written fees and total cost
Check the broker fee, when it is payable, cancellation terms and lender commission. Compare the mortgage’s product fees and features as well as its interest rate.
Communication and support
Find out who will handle your case, how you will receive updates and what support continues after application. Read recent client reviews and ask questions before committing to chargeable work.
From our Chelmsford base
Mortgage advice across England
You can speak to us by phone or online wherever you live in England. These local guides give you a starting point for your area; they do not represent additional Count Ready offices.
East of England
London
South East
South West
East Midlands
West Midlands
Yorkshire and the Humber
North West
North East
Your town does not need to be listed
Tell us where you live and where the property is. We will explain the service available for your circumstances and any lender or property checks needed. Enquiring from elsewhere in the UK? Share your location so we can confirm the appropriate next step.
Start with your situation
Find the mortgage advice you need
Choose the guide closest to your plans, or enquire if you are unsure where to start.
Your first home
Understand the deposit, purchase process and questions to ask before applying.
First-time buyer mortgagesMoving home
Discuss your existing deal, equity, borrowing and whether a move needs a new mortgage or a conversation about porting.
Discuss a home moveRemortgaging
Compare staying with your lender, switching deals and the costs of changing your mortgage.
Remortgage adviceSelf-employed income
Your trading structure and income evidence may need a more detailed conversation.
Self-employed mortgagesCredit history questions
A default, CCJ or missed payment needs its own facts and timeline. Eligibility depends on lender criteria.
Bad-credit mortgage guideBuying to let
Explore borrowing for a rental property, with the relevant lender and property requirements.
Buy-to-let mortgagesWhat to expect
From your first question to a lender decision
Start with the purpose
Tell us whether you are buying, moving or remortgaging. Share your broad figures, any deadline and the question you most need to answer.
Check the evidence and scope
An adviser may ask about income, outgoings, deposit, credit history and the property. Agree a secure route before sending documents. Ask when any soft or hard credit search may occur.
Review a recommendation
If a suitable option is identified, ask why it fits and what it costs. Read the mortgage illustration and written fee terms. An agreement in principle is not a mortgage offer.
Apply and follow the decision
The lender assesses you and the property and may request more evidence or a valuation. We can help you understand the requests and next steps.
Timing varies with the lender, property, evidence and wider transaction. We cannot promise an approval date or result.
Know the terms
Ask about lender range and fees early
Ask what Count Ready would charge you, when a fee becomes payable, whether it is refundable and whether we may receive lender commission.
A free initial conversation does not mean all later work is free. Read our current terms and your written fee disclosure before authorising chargeable work.
Read our Terms of BusinessCheck the service offered
Ask which lenders and mortgage types can be considered for your case. Do not assume every product is available through a broker or that a lower broker fee means a cheaper mortgage overall.
Check company details
Read Count Ready’s company and regulatory information and the FCA’s guidance on checking a firm. Confirm the current permissions and appointed-representative details.
Choose how to meet
Start by phone or online. If you would like to meet face to face, ask what is available before arranging travel to our Chelmsford office.
Public client feedback
Read Count Ready’s Google reviews
See what clients say about the advice, communication and support they received.
View Google reviewsUse reviews alongside your own questions
Look for comments about clear explanations, fees and updates, then ask how the service would work for your case.
Reviews describe past experiences. They cannot tell you what a lender will decide for your circumstances.
Ask about your mortgageAlongside your mortgage
Discuss cover for your home and income
If you also want to discuss protection, ask how a policy would fit your needs and budget. Cover depends on underwriting, exclusions and policy terms.
Life insurance
Explore cover intended to provide a payment on death during the policy term, subject to its conditions.
Life insurance guideCritical illness cover
Understand the illnesses and definitions covered, exclusions and how a claim is assessed.
Critical illness coverIncome protection
Discuss cover that may pay a regular benefit if illness or injury prevents you from working, subject to the policy.
Income protection guide
Your next step
Tell us what you need from your mortgage
Share whether you are buying, moving or remortgaging, the main figures and your timescale. If you are still planning or do not know a figure yet, say so in the message.
Prefer a conversation? Call 01245 934515 or request a callback.
An enquiry does not commit you to a mortgage or chargeable work. We will explain our service and any fee. Please agree a secure route with your adviser before sending identity documents, bank statements or credit reports.
Common questions
Mortgage broker questions
How do I choose a mortgage broker?
Check the firm’s current FCA status and permissions, ask which lenders and mortgage types it considers, and get its fees and payment terms in writing. Ask who will advise you and how you will receive updates. Read recent reviews in context, and compare the service as well as the price.
What does a broker do that a comparison site cannot?
A broker can discuss your aims and evidence, explain the lender range it uses, make a personal recommendation within its authorised service and help with an application. A comparison site can help with initial research, but an advertised rate is not a lender decision or advice tailored to you.
Can I enquire from anywhere in England?
Yes. You can contact Count Ready for a phone or online conversation from anywhere in England, including towns not listed in our local guides. Tell us where you live and where the property is. We will explain the service available for your circumstances and the checks needed before an application.
Do I need to visit an office?
You can begin by phone or online. Count Ready is based in Chelmsford, and the local guides do not represent additional offices. If you would prefer a face-to-face meeting, contact us to check availability and arrangements before travelling.
Does using a broker guarantee a better rate?
No. A broker may help you compare suitable products within its stated range, but cannot guarantee the lowest rate or a cheaper mortgage overall. Fees, repayment features, lender criteria and the time you expect to keep the deal matter alongside the initial rate.
Will an initial conversation affect my credit file?
Asking a question is different from authorising a lender check. Before an agreement in principle or a full application, ask which checks are proposed, whether they are soft or hard searches and when they will happen. Do not assume every lender follows the same process.
What should I ask about broker fees?
Ask what you would pay, when a fee becomes due, whether it is refundable, what happens if you cancel and whether the firm receives lender commission. Read Count Ready’s current Terms of Business and your written fee disclosure before authorising chargeable work. A free initial conversation does not mean all later work is free.
Can a broker guarantee a mortgage offer?
No. The lender applies its current policy to you and the property. It may need further evidence, a valuation and underwriting before making an offer. An agreement in principle is not a mortgage offer, and a broker cannot override the lender’s decision.
What do I need for a first enquiry?
Start with whether you are buying, moving or remortgaging, an approximate property price or value, your deposit or equity, broad income type and any deadline. If you do not know a figure yet, say so. Your adviser can explain which documents are needed and agree a secure route for sending them.
Can I also discuss insurance?
Yes. You can ask about life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection alongside your mortgage conversation. Suitability and availability depend on your circumstances, underwriting and policy terms. Ask what a policy covers, what it excludes and what it costs before deciding.
Further guidance before you decide
For an independent explanation of direct and broker routes, lender scope and fees, read MoneyHelper. The FCA explains how to check a firm and its permissions.
Content reviewed 8 October 2026. Products, rates, lender criteria and firm details can change. This page gives general information; a personal recommendation requires an assessment of your circumstances.
Ready to talk through your plans?
Bring your questions about buying, moving or remortgaging. We will explain the next useful step and our service terms.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.