Darlington underwrites case-by-case with no criteria cast in stone, and is one of the more workable mutuals for foreign nationals and visa holders who contract. A strong manual option for the compound case that falls between rigid frameworks.
| Criteria Requirement | Assessment Policy |
|---|---|
| Income basis | Day rate / manual assessment |
| Day-one lending | Case-by-case |
| Minimum history | Flexible |
| IR35 (inside) stance | Contractor-friendly assessment |
| Umbrella accepted | Yes |
| Limited company | Yes |
| Gaps between contracts | Flexible |
| Adverse credit | Mild considered |
| Underwriting | Manual |
| Broker access | Intermediary |
Yes — it's among the more accommodating mutuals for foreign nationals and visa holders, combined with contractor-tolerant income assessment. Exact requirements are confirmed live at application.
Darlington publishes guidance rather than rigid gates, assessing applications individually by human underwriters — helpful for cases that fall between frameworks.
On a day-rate basis, read manually, using the contract and career narrative as evidence.
Yes to both, with appropriate income evidence for each structure.
Small-society pricing sits above the largest lenders — the premium buys manual consideration and visa appetite.
Speak to our contractor mortgage specialists to check live Darlington Building Society rates and verify your borrowing capacity.