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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteTo compare mortgage decisions in principle (DIPs), line up the same income, outgoings, deposit and borrowing assumptions, then record each lender’s indicative amount, credit-search method, expiry date, fees and final-approval conditions. A DIP is a provisional affordability estimate—not a mortgage offer—so the largest figure is not automatically the safest or most suitable choice.
What a mortgage decision in principle tells you
A decision in principle (DIP) is also called an agreement in principle (AIP) or mortgage in principle (MIP). It is a lender’s provisional view of how much it might lend after you provide information about your finances. Depending on the lender, the process may include a search of your credit file.
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The result is an indicative borrowing amount and, sometimes, an indication that you fit the lender’s initial criteria. It is not a formal mortgage offer. The lender can reduce the amount, impose different conditions or refuse the application after checking your evidence, assessing your full circumstances and valuing the property.
MoneyHelper describes the practical value this way: “While it isn’t a formal offer, it does help you get a rough (but realistic) idea of your property budget.” That guidance was updated on 11 March 2025. Use a DIP to set a realistic search budget and show an estate agent that you have explored borrowing, not to treat the figure as guaranteed finance.
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How to compare mortgage decisions in principle from different lenders
A fair comparison starts with equivalent inputs. If one application includes a credit-card balance, regular childcare cost or car finance payment that another leaves out, the resulting amounts are not measuring the same thing. Prepare one factual set of figures and use it consistently, while answering each lender’s questions in the format it requests.
| Comparison point | What to record or ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Indicative amount | The amount offered in principle and the income, outgoings, deposit and borrowing assumptions used | Different figures may reflect different inputs or affordability models rather than a genuinely better offer |
| Credit-file treatment | Whether the check is soft or hard, and whether another company can see it | A hard search can leave a visible footprint; a soft search generally does not appear to other lenders, but practices vary |
| Validity | Issue date, expiry date and whether a fresh check is required after expiry or a change in circumstances | A figure can become unusable even if your finances have not changed |
| Cost | Any fee for the DIP, advice or intermediary service | Lender DIPs are usually free; a broker may charge for its work |
| Service scope | Direct lender, restricted adviser or independent broker; the providers covered | A comparison is only as broad as the lenders actually considered |
| Final-approval caveat | Documents still required and property, valuation or other conditions | These conditions can change the final loan even when the initial amount looks high |
| Mortgage-product terms | APRC, rate, fees, early-repayment charges, term and flexible features | A DIP does not tell you which mortgage deal has the lowest total cost |
Step 1: Standardise the information you give every provider
Create a single record before submitting any applications. Include gross and net income as requested, employment or income type, regular and variable outgoings, existing borrowing, deposit, property price and the mortgage term you are considering. Keep the same treatment of bonuses, overtime, maintenance, benefits and other income unless a lender’s form specifically asks for a different basis.
Record the date of every calculation. Your circumstances can change between applications, and a dated record lets you see whether a later result reflects a real change or simply a different set of assumptions.
- Income: enter the same annual figures and identify which elements are guaranteed or variable.
- Outgoings: include recurring commitments and debt payments consistently; do not omit a cost merely because one lender’s form makes it less prominent.
- Deposit: state the same cash contribution and note whether any part has a condition attached.
- Borrowing request: compare like-for-like loan amounts, property prices and terms.
- Household details: use the same applicants and dependants on each assessment.
Lenders may assess identical information differently. Their figures remain lender-specific estimates, so standardising your inputs improves the comparison but does not make the underwriting models equivalent.
Step 2: Find out what credit search each DIP uses
Ask this question before pressing submit: Will this DIP use a soft search or a hard search, and will the search be visible to other companies? MoneyHelper says some lenders use soft searches and others use hard searches. Its declined-application guidance says most lenders use soft searches for AIP eligibility checks, but that is general guidance, not a promise about a particular lender.
A soft search is normally used for an eligibility indication and is not visible to other lenders in the same way as a hard application search. A hard search is recorded on your credit file and can be seen by companies reviewing your file. The practical effect depends on the scoring system and your wider credit history; do not assume that one search guarantees acceptance or that several soft searches are harmless in every context.
Write down the answer for each provider. If the information is unclear, contact the lender or intermediary and ask whether the check is performed before the amount is shown, whether it will be recorded, and what happens if you stop before receiving a result. Avoid submitting multiple hard-search applications simply to discover which lender gives the highest number.
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Step 3: Record the issue date and expiry date
MoneyHelper gives a typical DIP validity range of 30 to 90 days. That is a general range, not a universal period. The lender’s own document controls, so record the exact issue and expiry dates shown in your result.
Ask what happens when the period ends. Some providers may require a new assessment; others may let you refresh information through the same process. A new check could use a different credit-search method or produce a different amount if rates, criteria, income or commitments have changed.
Recheck the DIP if your circumstances change before you make an offer on a property. A new job, altered hours, additional borrowing, a changed deposit or a new monthly commitment can invalidate the assumptions behind the original figure.
Step 4: Compare the amounts without treating them as promises
List each indicative amount beside the assumptions that produced it. A higher figure can result from a lender accepting more variable income, applying a different treatment to debts or using a different loan-to-income model. It does not prove that the lender will make that loan after reviewing documents and the property.
MoneyHelper’s affordability guide, checked on 13 October 2026, says lenders typically cap maximum borrowing at about four and a half times annual income, while most people are offered less. This is a broad indicative benchmark, not a universal rule or a personal borrowing estimate. Lenders may apply lower limits, different affordability tests or additional restrictions.
Use the lowest comfortable budget that meets your needs rather than bidding up to the largest DIP. Test the proposed payment against your actual spending and allow room for rate changes, household costs and unexpected bills. The lender’s maximum is a risk boundary in its model, not a recommendation that you should borrow to that level.
Step 5: Check what still has to happen before approval
Read the caveats attached to each result. A DIP normally leaves work outstanding, including verification of the information supplied and a full assessment of the application. The lender can ask for documents, reassess affordability or decline after seeing evidence that was not available at the initial stage.
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The property matters as well as the borrower. A valuation, the property’s characteristics and any lender restrictions can affect the final offer. Consequently, two applicants with the same DIP may receive different outcomes for different properties, and a property offered at the price you planned may not support the assumed loan in the lender’s valuation.
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- Note every document or verification the result says is still required.
- Record any wording about property type, valuation or other conditions.
- Ask whether the stated amount assumes a particular term, deposit percentage or repayment basis.
- Do not exchange contracts or make an irreversible commitment on the strength of a DIP alone.
Step 6: Understand fees and the service behind a comparison
MoneyHelper says lender DIPs are usually free. A broker or intermediary might charge for advice or arranging the mortgage, so obtain the fee, payment point and refund terms in writing before proceeding.
Ask how broad the service is. A direct lender can assess its own products only. An adviser may be restricted to a panel, while an independent or whole-of-market service may consider a wider range. “Whole of market” should be treated as a description to verify: ask which lenders are excluded and whether the service covers the type of income, property or borrowing you need.
Do not compare a free direct DIP with a paid advice service solely on the presence of a fee. The relevant question is what work the fee buys, which lenders are covered and whether the adviser’s recommendation will include product selection after the DIP stage.
A DIP comparison worksheet
Use one row per provider and keep the evidence with the result. The figures in this example are illustrative; they are not quotes from named lenders.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall| Field | Provider A | Provider B | Provider C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative borrowing | £245,000 | £258,000 | £238,000 |
| Inputs used | Same income, outgoings, deposit and term recorded in your worksheet | Check whether variable income or debts were treated differently | Check whether a lower amount reflects a stricter affordability model |
| Credit search | Soft or hard: confirm before applying | Soft or hard: confirm before applying | Soft or hard: confirm before applying |
| Issue and expiry | Record the dates shown by the provider | Record the dates shown by the provider | Record the dates shown by the provider |
| DIP or advice fee | Record “free” or the stated charge | Record “free” or the stated charge | Record “free” or the stated charge |
| Service scope | Direct lender or adviser; list coverage | Direct lender or adviser; list coverage | Direct lender or adviser; list coverage |
| Outstanding conditions | Documents and property checks still needed | Documents and property checks still needed | Documents and property checks still needed |
When a cell is unknown, leave a note to obtain the answer rather than inferring it from another provider. “Not stated” is a useful result because it identifies a question that could affect your decision.
Why the biggest DIP may be the wrong choice
The maximum indicative amount says little about the suitability of the eventual mortgage. A lender offering more may use assumptions that leave you with less monthly headroom, or its product range may have fees, early-repayment charges or limited flexibility that do not fit your plans.
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Affordability is also personal. A lender’s calculation may accept your stated outgoings while your own budget shows that the payment would be uncomfortable. Keep a separate household budget and decide the payment you can sustain before comparing how far each lender will stretch.
Finally, the largest DIP is not a stronger guarantee. Every provider can revisit the case when it checks evidence and the property. Treat the amount as one data point in a decision that also considers certainty, service, cost and the property you intend to buy.
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Keep the DIP comparison separate from the mortgage-product comparison
A DIP answers, “Might this lender lend around this amount to these applicants?” It does not answer, “Which mortgage deal costs least or gives the best features?” Make the second comparison after you know the borrowing requirement and have identified products you can actually apply for.
| Product factor | What to examine |
|---|---|
| Initial rate | Fixed or variable rate, the length of any fixed period and what rate applies afterwards |
| APRC | The annualised cost over the full assumed term, including fees and charges, if the mortgage is kept for that term |
| Arrangement and other fees | Which fees are payable, when they are charged and whether they can be added to the loan |
| Early-repayment charges | The amount, period and situations in which an early repayment or overpayment charge applies |
| Term | The length of the mortgage and the resulting payment and total interest implications |
| Flexibility | Overpayment allowances, payment holidays or other features, subject to the product’s conditions |
MoneyHelper defines APRC as “the yearly total cost of your mortgage, including all fees and charges, assuming you keep the mortgage for its full term.” A lower initial rate can therefore be outweighed by fees or later costs. Compare the figures on the same loan amount and term, and check what happens if you expect to move, refinance or repay early rather than assuming the full-term APRC will match your actual path.
Using a broker without losing control of the comparison
A broker can save time by presenting one set of facts to several providers and explaining why the DIPs differ. That does not remove the need to check the search type, validity, fees and coverage. Ask the broker:
- Which lenders are included and excluded?
- Is the service independent, whole-of-market or restricted to a panel?
- Is there a fee, when is it payable and is it refundable if no mortgage completes?
- Will the broker make a soft or hard credit search, and will applications to lenders create additional searches?
- Will the broker help with the full mortgage application and product choice, or only obtain a DIP?
Keep copies of the assumptions and results the broker submits. If the broker’s figure differs from one you obtained directly, ask which input or lender policy explains the difference instead of selecting the higher number automatically.
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Common comparison mistakes and how to correct them
Applying with changing figures
Problem: Each form uses a different deposit, debt balance or monthly-cost estimate.
Fix: Maintain one dated worksheet and reconcile every submission to it.
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Assuming every credit check is soft
Problem: A hard search is recorded when you expected an eligibility-only check.
Fix: Ask before submitting and save the provider’s answer.
Ignoring expiry
Problem: An estate agent or seller sees an out-of-date DIP, or a lender requires a new assessment.
Fix: Record the expiry date and set a reminder to refresh it only when necessary.
Choosing the highest figure
Problem: You plan a purchase at the lender’s maximum and leave no budget margin.
Fix: Set your own affordable ceiling, then use DIPs to check whether lenders can support it.
Confusing a DIP with approval
Problem: You assume the lender has accepted your documents and the property.
Fix: Treat all verification, valuation and underwriting conditions as outstanding until a formal mortgage offer is issued.
Comparing rates before confirming borrowing needs
Problem: A low initial rate distracts from fees, early-repayment charges or an unsuitable term.
Fix: First establish the required loan and affordable payment; then compare products using APRC and the full set of costs and features.
Questions to answer before relying on a DIP
- Did every provider receive the same financial information and borrowing assumptions?
- Is the credit search soft or hard, and can other companies see it?
- When exactly does the DIP expire, and is a new check required afterward?
- Is the DIP free, and does any broker charge for advice or arranging the mortgage?
- Which lenders and products does the adviser or intermediary actually cover?
- What documents, affordability checks and property or valuation checks remain?
- Does the proposed purchase remain affordable below the lender’s maximum?
- Have you separately compared the eventual mortgage products on APRC, fees, rate, early-repayment charges, term and flexibility?
What a sound comparison ultimately gives you
A useful comparison does not produce a single “winning” DIP. It shows which indicative amounts were calculated from equivalent information, how each provider searched your credit file, how long each result remains valid, what the service costs and what could still change at full underwriting. That record lets you choose a realistic property budget and approach the formal mortgage application with fewer surprises.
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