A mortgage brief built around your property
If you are buying or refinancing in Kensington or Chelsea, start with the property itself as well as the amount you want to borrow. A flat in a converted building, an apartment in a managed block and a house with proposed alterations can raise different questions. Jack can help prepare the mortgage brief around the home, your income and the cash you want to retain.
For a flat, understand the building commitment
The price is only part of the decision. Ask for the lease, current service-charge information, ground-rent terms where applicable, management details and any known major-work proposals. Your conveyancer should explain what the documents mean for the particular purchase. A flat marketed with a share of freehold still needs its lease and management arrangements reviewed.
For a period house, separate the purchase from intended works
If the plan includes a basement, extension or internal alterations, distinguish the existing property from the home you hope to create. The Royal Borough’s conservation maps and planning information are useful starting points for checking the address. Ask the appropriate professionals to review past works and proposed permissions; a mortgage discussion does not establish that development can proceed.
For £500k–£1m+ borrowing, make the cash picture clear
Bring together salary, variable earnings, business interests, assets and existing commitments without assuming that wealth is all readily available. Show what funds the price deposit, what covers the separate transaction costs and what stays available afterwards. If the deposit depends on a sale, gift or overseas transfer, record the evidence and timing rather than treating the cash as already received.
A useful first conversation
Share the target price or mortgage balance, amount sought, property type, tenure and intended timing. Mention a short lease, planned works, unusual layout or incomplete documents early. For a refinance, include the current product end date and any reason for changing the borrowing. Detailed records can follow through an agreed secure channel.
What to prepare for the first conversation
- Property address, full listing, floor plan and tenure
- Lease and building costs for a flat, or survey and works plans for a house
- Income composition, existing commitments and the proposed loan
- Deposit source, sale dependencies and cash retained after completion
An illustrative local borrowing brief
£1.1m mortgage brief for a Kensington flat
A fictional £1.6m Kensington flat purchase with £1.1m proposed borrowing, focusing on the lease, building costs and a sizeable cash contribution.
Read the property and loan brief ↗Your questions, answered
Can you help with a Kensington or Chelsea flat above £1 million?
You can discuss a larger flat purchase with Jack. The amount, income, deposit, lease, building information and property valuation need individual assessment. A high price or substantial deposit does not establish that a mortgage will be available.
Does a conservation-area location prevent a mortgage?
The location alone does not determine the outcome. The actual property, condition, use, alterations and relevant documents need to be considered. Planning or conservation questions should be checked with the council and appropriate professional advisers.
Working with Jack from this part of London
Jack is based in London and initial appointments can begin by phone or video. This page describes an area served, not a separate branch office. Mortgage and protection advice is provided through Mortgage Force (UK) Ltd. Fees and the scope of the service are explained before you proceed. An initial discussion is not a mortgage offer.
Local and independent starting points
Sources checked 10 November 2026. Use the exact property address and obtain the appropriate professional assessment.
Prepared for Jack Cousins, Head of Mortgages at Lockhart Murphy. Updated 10 November 2026.
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