Mark Davies - Minster Mortgages

We’ve all done it.

You spend your evenings deep-diving into interest rates, reading property market news, and trying to memorise mortgage rules.

It feels like you’re working hard at it.
But if you haven't actually looked at your own monthly outgoings yet, you're trying to build the roof before you’ve poured the concrete.
Stop worrying about the entire market today.

Just open your banking app tonight and figure out what you actually spend each month. That’s your real starting line. Everything else can wait.

Minster Mortgages & Protection is a trading name of Just Mortgages Direct Limited which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Your credit score is useful.

But it isn't the whole story.

Before you start looking at homes, it can be worth understanding what your credit history is actually showing

Minster Mortgages & Protection is a trading name of Just Mortgages Direct Limited which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

I think credit can sometimes become another thing people feel they have to get “right” before they can even think about buying.

But that's not really the point.

You don't need to spend your life chasing a perfect number.

Understanding your credit history and knowing what's actually there gives you a much clearer starting point.

And that's much more useful when you're trying to work out what is realistically achievable.

Closing reflection:
You don't need to know everything before you start. You just need to understand the things that matter.

Minster Mortgages & Protection is a trading name of Just Mortgages Direct Limited which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Approved by The Openwork Partnership on 28/08/2026

Sometimes the most uncomfortable part of checking something is finding something you didn't know was there.

But that doesn't automatically mean it's a disaster.

It means you've found something you can understand and, where appropriate, deal with.

That's why I think getting your finances ready is less about making everything look perfect and more about knowing where you're starting from.

Minster Mortgages & Protection is a trading name of Just Mortgages Direct Limited which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

If you're getting your finances ready to buy, don't just look at the headline credit score.

Take a few minutes to look through the actual report.

Look for:
• Errors
• Missed payments
• Forgotten commitments

The point isn't to chase a “perfect” score. It's to understand your starting position before you need to make mortgage decisions.

That can give you much more useful information than simply knowing the number at the top.

Minster Mortgages & Protection is a trading name of Just Mortgages Direct Limited which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Your credit score can be useful, but it isn't the only thing worth understanding.

If you're thinking about buying, take a look at your actual credit report too.

You may spot something that needs correcting, something you've forgotten about, or simply get a much clearer picture of your starting position.

It's less about chasing a perfect score.
More about knowing what you're working with.

Minster Mortgages & Protection is a trading name of Just Mortgages Direct Limited which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.