Personal
Mortgages
Agreement in Principle

Mortgages

Mortgage Agreement in Principle

Start your mortgage journey with an Agreement in Principle (AIP).

To apply, you must be aged 18 or over and reside in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

What is a mortgage Agreement in Principle?

A mortgage Agreement in Principle is a personalised indication of how much you could borrow towards the purchase or remortgage of a property. It's sometimes known as a 'Mortgage in Principle', a 'Decision in Principle' or a 'mortgage promise'.

You can use an Agreement in Principle with an estate agent, or someone selling a property, to show that you may be in a financial position to purchase it. It can be useful before arranging viewings and could help you understand how much to offer when buying your new home.

How to get an Agreement in Principle certificate

To get a certificate, you'll first need to get a positive mortgage Agreement in Principle decision. Once you have this, you can download your AIP certificate.

It has no impact on your credit score.
There's no commitment to get a NatWest International mortgage and you don't need to be a NatWest International customer already.
It's free and takes less than ten minutes to complete.

Find out how much you could borrow Open in new window

Pick up where you left off Open in new window

What will I need to get a mortgage Agreement in Principle?

It may be helpful to have some details ready when starting an AIP. You'll need the following for you and any other joint applicant:

Your annual income
Your expenses (loans, credit cards, pension contributions, dependant costs)
Three years of address history
Property purchase price and your deposit amount
How old the property is
The EPC rating of the property (optional).

What happens after you have a mortgage Agreement in Principle?

Once you have an Agreement in Principle, you can save your details, so when you've made your decision, it’s easy to apply for a mortgage.

You can apply online by retrieving your saved application or completing a new one. Then, select the mortgage you want and begin your mortgage application.

Or, if you'd like support, please contact us.

Learn more about getting a mortgage Agreement in Principle

When should I get an AIP? Open in new window

Does an AIP affect my credit score? Open in new window

Is an AIP different to a mortgage calculator? Open in new window

Can I get more than one AIP? Open in new window

Does an AIP mean I'll definitely be able to get a mortgage? Open in new window

Mortgage in Principle FAQs Open in new window

When should I get a mortgage Agreement in Principle?

It is useful to have an AIP when you are viewing properties with an intention to buy, or when you are looking to remortgage a property.
It provides an estate agent, or seller, with confidence that you may be in a financial position to purchase a property.
If your circumstances change, you should get an updated mortgage Agreement in Principle (often called just a 'Mortgage in Principle').

Begin your mortgage Agreement in Principle Open in new window

Does an Agreement in Principle (AIP) affect my credit score?

Getting an AIP doesn't impact your credit score, as we don't run a 'full' credit check. This is only something we would run if you went on to apply for a mortgage with us.

Is an AIP different to a mortgage calculator?

Yes. A mortgage calculator is a great way to get a quick idea of how much you may be able to borrow, but it's not as personalised. Your Agreement in Principle is also a formal document that you can use when you're considering making an offer for a property.

See our mortgage calculators Open in new window

Can I get more than one AIP?

Yes, you can have multiple Agreements in Principle. Having an AIP with NatWest International doesn't stop you getting another from a different lender. However, if you have one with us, you can request a fresh AIP whenever you need to.

Start an AIP Open in new window

Does an AIP mean I'll definitely be able to get a mortgage?

No, a mortgage Agreement in Principle isn't a final decision. It indicates that we may be able to lend you a certain amount towards the purchase or remortgage of a property.

However, as part of a full mortgage application, we do more detailed checks, including a full credit check. We use this information, alongside other criteria, to help inform how much we could formally be able to offer.

Mortgage Agreement in Principle: FAQs

Can I get an AIP if I've struggled financially in the past?

If you've had money problems before it doesn't necessarily mean you can't get an AIP. Once you've provided some information to us about your circumstances, we'll be able to give you an indication of whether we may be able to lend to you, and how much you might be able to borrow.

If you do choose to move your Agreement in Principle forward and apply for a mortgage with us, we will run a full credit check, and use this information to help inform our decision to lend.
Therefore, it is a good idea to consider potential factors that may impact or improve your credit score, before you are in the position of applying for a mortgage.

Is an Agreement in Principle legally binding?

A mortgage Agreement in Principle isn't legally binding and does not guarantee the mortgage will be offered, even when applying with the same lender.

How long does it take to get an Agreement in Principle?

It takes less than 10 minutes to complete an Agreement in Principle and there's no commitment to get a mortgage and no impact on your credit score.

How long does a Mortgage in Principle last?

How long a Mortgage in Principle lasts may differ from lender to lender. You may find they last anywhere from 30 to 90 days. A NatWest International Mortgage Agreement in Principle lasts for 30 days.

How are the details I give for an AIP used?

As part of the application, we will ask for personal information about you and your circumstances. We use this to help personalise the indication of how much you may be able to borrow.

We won't use your contact details to contact you about anything other than your AIP unless you explicitly opt in to get more communications from us.
As part of the application, we may provide your details to certain third parties, such as credit reference agencies, to help validate the information you give us and prevent fraud. We will not run a full credit check, and your credit score will not be impacted.
For more information about how we may use your personal information, and your rights in relation to personal information, please see our Privacy Policy.

What’s the difference between AIP, MIP, and DIP?

There is no difference between Agreement in Principle (AIP), Mortgage in Principle (MIP), and Decision in Principle (DIP). These three terms are all used interchangeably to describe the same thing – a personalised indication of how much you may be able to borrow for a mortgage or remortgage. Agreement in Principle is the term typically used by lenders and brokers. Which of the three terms is used may depend on lender and broker preferences.

Can I get an Agreement in Principle even if I don't have a property in mind?

Providing you with an Agreement in Principle (AIP) allows NatWest International to give you an indication of how much we may be able to lend to you based on your personal and financial circumstances.

At this point you do not need to have a specific property in mind to obtain the AIP, but having a reasonable idea of the Property Value/Purchase Price and the amount of deposit you will have will be sufficient.

Looking to find out more about a new mortgage?

First home

It can be daunting when you are looking for a first time buyer mortgage, but we are here to help.

First time buyer mortgages Open in new window

Remortgage

If you're coming to the end of your mortgage deal, you may want to move your mortgage to a new lender.

Remortgaging Open in new window

Moving home

Find out more about mortgages when moving home including possible costs, deposits and more.

Moving home Open in new window

Buy to let

Learn about your mortgage options if you're buying a property with the intention to rent it out.

Buy to let mortgages Open in new window

What now?

Start my Agreement in Principle

Jump back to FAQs