A bad credit mortgage does not come with one standard extra fee. The amount you pay depends on the product, the work required, the property and the services you choose. List every cost by payee, payment stage, refund terms and whether it will be added to the loan before you apply.
What are adverse mortgage fees?
“Adverse mortgage fees” is a search term rather than one universal charge. An applicant may face the usual costs of advice, the lender’s product, valuation, legal work and the property transaction. Credit history can change which products are available, but it does not prove that every fee will be higher.
Mortgage fees and other costs to put in your budget
Names vary between providers. Use the wording in your documents and ask whether two labels describe the same charge.
Broker or advice fee
The intermediary should explain the amount or calculation, what service it covers, when it is payable and any refund terms. This is separate from lender and third-party charges.
Product or arrangement fee
A lender may charge for a particular product. It may be payable upfront, at completion or added to the mortgage where the product allows. A fee-free product can have a different rate.
Booking, application or account fee
These labels can cover reserving a product, processing an application or running the mortgage account. Ask whether the cost is included in another fee and whether it is refundable.
Mortgage valuation
The lender arranges a valuation to assess the property as security. The product may include it, charge for it or use an automated assessment. It is not a condition survey for the buyer.
Conveyancing and legal work
A purchase or remortgage needs legal work. Costs can include searches, registration, identity checks and other disbursements. Lender-provided legal services may have scope and eligibility limits.
Home survey
A buyer may commission a survey for more detail about the property’s condition. The type and cost depend on the property and the service selected. This is separate from the lender’s valuation.
Early repayment and exit charges
A remortgage or move may trigger an early repayment charge under the current deal. An administration or exit fee may also apply. Request a redemption statement rather than estimating.
Taxes, registration and moving costs
Property taxes and registration costs depend on the country, transaction and buyer. They are not adverse-credit fees, but they still affect the cash needed. Ask your conveyancer for the relevant calculation.
Cashback and included services
Cashback, a free valuation or included legal work can reduce a cost. Compare the benefit with the rate, product fee, service scope and conditions rather than treating “free” as the full answer.
When might mortgage fees become payable?
Ask for the date or event that makes each payment due. “At application” and “on offer” are different commitments.
For regulated mortgages, FCA illustration rules require fee information including the amount, payee, payment stage and refund position. See the FCA Handbook on mortgage illustrations (opens in a new tab).
Should you add a mortgage fee to the loan?
The option can reduce the cash needed at completion, but it changes the amount borrowed.
Paying the fee separately
- Uses more cash now.
- Avoids paying mortgage interest on that fee.
- Keeps the mortgage balance lower.
- May leave less money for legal costs, moving or an emergency reserve.
Adding an allowed fee to the mortgage
- Reduces the immediate cash payment.
- Increases the balance and normally the interest paid.
- May affect the loan-to-value calculation or product eligibility.
- Means the fee can remain in the debt after the initial deal ends.
Which mortgage fees are refundable after a decline or withdrawal?
There is no single answer. The refund depends on the charge, the provider’s terms and how far the work has progressed.
Product-related fee
Check whether it is refundable before completion, after a decline or only in specified circumstances.
Valuation cost
Ask whether a refund changes once the valuation has been instructed or completed.
Legal cost
Your conveyancer may charge for work and disbursements already incurred even if the transaction does not complete.
Advice fee
Read the broker agreement before chargeable work begins. Count Ready’s published terms state that its fees are not refundable; lender and third-party charges have their own terms.
Read clients’ feedback in context
Reviews can help you judge how an adviser communicates. They cannot tell you which fees apply to your case or whether a lender will offer you a mortgage.
Check the service, then check the written fee terms
Read the original Google feedback before you enquire. When you speak to Count Ready, ask for the fee amount, who receives it, what work it covers, when it is due and whether it can be refunded.
Your written terms and mortgage illustration are the sources for your own costs. A review is not a substitute for either.
Which costs matter for your mortgage route?
The same fee name can have a different practical effect for a purchase, remortgage or variable-income application.
First-time buyer
Separate the deposit from advice, lender, valuation, survey, legal, tax, registration and moving costs. Keep a workable reserve rather than using every available pound for the deposit. Applicants buying their first home can use the first-time buyer bad credit service (opens in a new tab) for the full route.
Home mover
Include selling and buying costs, any early repayment charge, portability checks and the fees for the new application. Porting still requires lender approval and assessment.
Remortgage customer
Compare the current lender’s product transfer with new-lender options. Include the redemption figure, early repayment charge, exit fee, product fee and the real scope of any included legal or valuation service. Use the bad credit remortgage guide (opens in a new tab).
Self-employed applicant
There is no automatic “self-employed fee”. Ask whether the advice charge changes for the work involved and obtain that explanation before proceeding. Income evidence and credit history still need to be assessed together through the self-employed bad credit service (opens in a new tab).
Compare the whole mortgage cost before choosing
A lower rate or a fee-free label does not decide which suitable deal costs less for your circumstances.
Use the same case
Keep the loan, property value, term, repayment method and expected deal period consistent.
List cash payments
Add advice, application, valuation, survey, legal and transaction costs paid separately.
List borrowed costs
Record fees added to the loan and the effect on the balance and interest.
Check the exit
Include follow-on payments, early repayment charges, portability and costs over the period you expect to keep the deal.
APRC is a standardised measure of the mortgage’s annual cost over its assumed lifetime and includes relevant mortgage charges. It supports comparison, but your likely holding period can make the initial-period cost important too. The FCA explanation of APRC (opens in a new tab) gives the regulatory basis.
For the repeatable side-by-side method, continue to the separate bad credit mortgage offer comparison guide (opens in a new tab). It includes a practical side-by-side comparison method.
Questions to ask before you authorise a mortgage cost
Use these questions with the broker, lender, conveyancer or surveyor responsible for the charge.
How this mortgage fees guide was checked
The guide separates regulatory disclosure requirements, public guidance and Count Ready’s own current fee statement.
FCA mortgage disclosure rules
The illustration requirements cover fee amount, payee, payment timing and refundability, plus early repayment charge information. Read MCOB 5.6 (opens in a new tab).
MoneyHelper consumer guidance
The government-backed service explains mortgage, valuation, legal and moving costs, including the interest effect of adding fees to a loan. Read the costs guide (opens in a new tab).
Count Ready disclosure
Count Ready’s published Terms of Business list no fee for initial evaluation. Most applications have a £199 administration fee at the processing stage and an offer-stage fee of £595 for standard applications or £999 for international applications. The £199 administration fee does not apply to standard mortgage applications by visa holders living in the UK. Specialist requirements can have a different fee scale, advised in writing before application. The terms state that Count Ready’s fees are not refundable; the firm may also receive lender commission. Check the written terms for your own application before proceeding. Read the current Terms of Business (opens in a new tab).
Ask for a clear mortgage cost summary
Tell us whether you are buying, moving or remortgaging, the credit issue and whether you already have a product or illustration to compare. We can explain the next checks and our fee before chargeable work begins.
Do not send bank details, account numbers or complete credit reports in the first message. Agree a secure route for documents an adviser requests.
Bad credit mortgage fee questions
Are bad credit mortgage fees always higher?
No. There is no standard adverse-credit surcharge applied to every mortgage fee. A lender may offer different products, rates or product fees according to its criteria, while valuation, legal and advice costs depend on the service and transaction. Compare the actual fees in your personalised illustration and written agreements.
Can a mortgage product fee be added to the loan?
Some products allow this, but others do not. Adding a fee increases the mortgage balance and normally means paying interest on that amount. It can also affect the loan-to-value calculation. Ask for the cash cost and the added-to-loan cost before choosing.
What happens to the fees if my mortgage application is declined?
It depends on who charged the fee and the terms you accepted. A lender’s booking or application fee, valuation cost and legal work already completed may have different refund rules. Count Ready’s published Terms of Business state that its fees are not refundable. Check each payment and its written terms before authorising it.
Is a mortgage valuation the same as a home survey?
No. The lender’s valuation helps the lender assess the property as security and might be brief or automated. A buyer’s survey is commissioned for the buyer and can provide more information about condition. Ask the lender, conveyancer or surveyor what is and is not included.
Will a remortgage include free legal work or a free valuation?
Some remortgage products include an incentive or lender-selected service, while others charge separately. Check the scope, exclusions, timescale and whether cashback is an alternative. Include any early repayment charge or exit fee on the existing mortgage in the comparison.
How should I compare two bad credit mortgage deals with different fees?
Use the same loan amount, property value, term and repayment method. Compare the initial payment, product and advice fees, costs paid separately, any fee added to the loan, incentives, early repayment charges, follow-on rate and cost over the period you expect to keep the deal. Use the personalised illustrations rather than headline rates alone.
What fee does Count Ready charge for mortgage advice?
The published Terms of Business list no fee for initial evaluation. Most applications have a £199 processing-stage administration fee. The offer-stage fee is £595 for standard applications or £999 for international applications. The £199 administration fee does not apply to standard mortgage applications by visa holders living in the UK. Specialist cases may have a different fee scale advised in writing before application. The terms state that Count Ready’s fees are not refundable, and the firm may receive lender commission. Check your own written terms before proceeding.
Continue your bad credit mortgage research
General information only, not personal financial advice. Count Ready is a broker, not a lender. An initial discussion, illustration or application does not guarantee a mortgage offer. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.