Rated Excellent 4.8 out of 5 rating

Home
Mortgages
Joint mortgages

Joint mortgages

Find a joint mortgage

We’ve partnered with Mojo Mortgages to help you compare joint mortgages with an expert

Get started

Find your joint mortgage from 60+ lenders across the whole of the market
Help applying if & when you're ready
Our broker partner is rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot

Our expert panel reviews all content. Learn more about our editorial standards and how we operate.

Joint mortgages explained

A joint mortgage is a home loan where two or more people are legally responsible for the debt. While most commonly used by couples, it’s also a popular path for friends or family members looking to pool their resources to enter the housing market.

How do joint mortgages work?

When you apply for a joint mortgage, the lender evaluates the "financial profile" of the entire group. This typically involves:

Combined Income: Lenders look at the total household income, which often increases your borrowing power and allows you to qualify for a more expensive home.
Credit Scores: Most lenders will look at the credit reports of all applicants. It’s important to note that one person’s poor credit history can sometimes lead to a higher interest rate or a rejection for the whole group.
Shared Liability: This is the "joint" part. You are all jointly and severally liable, meaning if one person stops paying their share, the bank expects the others to cover the full monthly payment.

Joint tenants

Joint tenancy is defined by "equal parts." In this arrangement, all owners must have an equal share of the property and must have acquired the title at the same time through the same deed.

Ownership Split: Must be equal (e.g., 50/50 for two people, 33/33/33 for three).
The Right of Survivorship: This is the defining feature. If one owner dies, their share automatically passes to the surviving owner(s), regardless of what their will says.
Probate: Because the transfer is automatic, the property usually avoids the lengthy and expensive probate court process.
Common Use Case: Married couples or long-term partners who want the property to stay with the survivor.

Tenants in common

Tenancy in common offers much more flexibility regarding who owns what and how they pass it on. This is the "default" form of ownership in many jurisdictions if no other type is specified.

Ownership Split: Can be unequal. One person could own 75% while the other owns 25%.
No Right of Survivorship: If one owner dies, their share does not go to the other owners. Instead, it becomes part of their estate and is distributed according to their will or state law.
Transferability: Owners can sell, gift, or mortgage their specific share without the consent of the other tenants (though a "partition action" may be required to force a sale of the whole property).
Common Use Case: Business partners, friends buying together, or investors who want their heirs, rather than their co-owners, to inherit their equity.

What our mortgage expert says

"Most buyers realize a joint mortgage boosts borrowing power, but they overlook the 'financial link' it creates. From the moment you sign, your credit files are legally associated. This means if your co-borrower defaults on a completely unrelated credit card years later, it can tank your credit score by association. You aren't just sharing a house; you’re tethering your financial reputation to theirs until the mortgage is fully closed."

Ashlyn Trojnacki Mortgage Expert

How much can you borrow with a joint mortgage?

Lenders usually allow you to borrow around 4.5 times your annual income. If you apply for a mortgage with 1 or more other people, some lenders only consider a maximum of 2 combined incomes while others consider multiple. Every lender calculates joint mortgages slightly differently.

This can be helpful in increasing your budget to allow you to afford a larger or more expensive property.

But remember that you normally still require a deposit worth at least 5% of the property value or price (whichever is lower) to get a mortgage. A 5% deposit would give you a 95% mortgage, but if you can all save more and put down a larger deposit, you normally get access to better rates.

Can you get a joint mortgage paid by 1 person?

Yes, 1 person could pay the repayments on a joint mortgage.

Everyone on the mortgage agreement is responsible for the repayments. But you can decide how to split the repayments between borrowers.

The lender doesn't usually mind who makes the repayments as long as they're paid in full. So if only one of the borrowers is happy to pay the total amount, that's okay.

But if they can't make the payments at any point, you're all responsible for the debt. If the other borrowers can't cover the cost, the property is at risk of repossession and your credit rating could be negatively impacted.

What happens to a joint mortgage if I separate from my partner?

If you break up with your partner and are both on the joint mortgage, you have a few options:

Sell the home and repay the mortgage – you can then split any proceeds from the sale
One partner buys the other out of the property – they need to be sure they can afford the repayments by themselves
You remain on the mortgage together but one of you moves out – whoever stays could consider taking in a lodger to help with mortgage costs. But it's best to speak to a solicitor who can help keep this arrangement fair for both parties.

If you and your partner have children, there are also legal agreements you can have drawn up which state the house can't be sold until a certain point (for example, when the kids have moved out).

Advantages and disadvantages of joint mortgages

Advantages of joint mortgages:

You can borrow more than if you were taking out a mortgage by yourself
It may be easier to save a larger deposit as multiple people are contributing
If you are unable to make the mortgage payment for any reason (sickness for example), your partner or someone else on the mortgage may be able to cover your share for a time

Disadvantages of joint mortgages:

If someone else can't make their repayments and you can't afford to cover them, this could put the property at risk of repossession and your credit rating could be impacted
Depending on the type of ownership you choose, you may have to wait for the other party to agree before selling the property
If you take out a mortgage with someone who has poor credit, you may not be able to borrow as much as expected, and you may also face higher interest rates on the mortgage, if they accept your application

Mojo's customer says:

“Great service, Chris was very knowledgable, easy to chat through everything and made time for all my questions..”

Bex - Mojo Mortgages customer (April 2026)

“Just fantastic. Called when they said they would, gave solid advice and found me an excellent deal on my mortgage. Highly recommended”

Amie - Mojo Mortgages customer (October 2025)

“This is the second time I’ve used Mojo Mortgages and it’s the second brilliant experience I’ve had with them. They are efficient, friendly and knowledgeable. Their portal is really easy to use to upload documents too! Would not hesitate to recommend them”

Emma - Mojo Mortgages customer (November 2023)

Mojo is rated

Mojo mortgages have a 4.8 rating based on 9220 reviews
as of 09/04/2026

Need more help?

Can you transfer a joint mortgage to 1 person?

It is possible in some circumstances to transfer a joint mortgage to 1 person provided the lender is satisfied that the repayments can still be met. This means whoever is taking the mortgage needs to show their income is enough to cover it. If that isn't the case, there are options such as extending the mortgage term or getting a guarantor to help.

However, generally you're expected to remortgage onto a new deal in your sole name, and repay the old borrowing in the process.

Can you get a joint mortgage with bad credit?

Yes you may, as there are some lenders who specialise in bad credit mortgages although you may have to pay higher interest rates.

Even if someone has a great credit score, but another person doesn't, that still has the ability to impact your success in getting a lender willing to borrow you the money.

Tips & guides on joint mortgages

How to make an offer on a house

After what seems like an eternity of searching, you've finally picked the house you want. Now you need to buy it.

Getting a mortgage with a gifted deposit

If you’re a first-time buyer, a gifted deposit can help you to get on the property ladder. Here’s what you need to know.

Mortgages in principle

Let us take you through what you need to know about a mortgage agreement in principle.

Early repayment charges explained

An early repayment charge, or ERC, is a fee that’s paid to your mortgage lender for paying off some types of mortgages early.

See all mortgage guides

Learn about different mortgage types

Mortgages

Are a type of loan used to buy a property. The mortgage is secured against the value of the property. <style> </style>

First-time buyer

Are designed to help give you that first step on the housing ladder. <style> </style>

Remortgage

Are for when your current mortgage deal comes to an end.

Interest-only mortgages

Are where you only pay back the interest each month. When your mortgage term comes to an end, you still owe exactly what you borrowed at the start.

Buy-to-let Mortgages

Aren't that different from a regular mortgage. But there are some important differences.

Reviewed by Ashlyn Trojnacki Mortgage Expert Updated on 09 April 2026

YOU SHOULD THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME/PROPERTY. YOUR HOME/PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate mortgages for commercial or investment buy-to-let properties.

Confused.com is not a mortgage intermediary and makes introductions to Mojo Mortgages to provide mortgage solutions.

Confused.com and Mojo Mortgages are part of the same group of companies.

Confused.com 2nd Floor, Greyfriars House, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, CF10 3AL, United Kingdom. Confused.com is a trading name of Inspop.com Limited and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FRN 310635

Mojo is a trading style of Life's Great Limited which is registered in England and Wales (06246376). We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and are on the Financial Services Register (478215). Mojo’s registered office is The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London, SE1 2LH.

To contact Mojo by phone, please call 0333 123 0012.

Start your joint application