Gifted Deposit FAQs in Cardiff

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What is a gifted deposit?

Who can gift the deposit?

Do your parents know that you need help?

Gifted deposits vs loans

Is there a maximum or minimum gifted amount?

Who can benefit from a gifted deposit?

What proof is required?

Gifted Deposit Mortgage Advice in Cardiff

If you are struggling to make up a deposit for a property as a First Time Buyer in Cardiff, you may be looking at ways to help you build it up. There are ways to help you get onto the property ladder, such as the Help to Buy Equity Loan, Lifetime ISA, Shared Ownership scheme etc. However, if you are offered a gifted deposit, you may not need to utilise a scheme and can use this instead.

This article covers the most common questions regarding gifted deposits and how receiving one could benefit your mortgage application.

What is a gifted deposit?

A gifted deposit is a lump sum of cash that is given to you to use towards or cover your mortgage deposit.

More often than not, homebuyers combine their savings with their gifted deposit to try and access competitive loan-to-value products. These products may also include better rates of interest.

A gifted deposit is strictly a gift and cannot be a loan. When accepting a gifted deposit, the person gifting you the deposit will need to sign a declaration form stating that is not a loan, it is a gift.

Who can gift the deposit?

Usually, it will be the applicant’s parents/carers, family or friends that offer gifted deposits. Depending on the relation to the applicant, it will be down to the lender as to whether or not the gifted deposit is allowed.

If the person gifting the deposit is over 55, they will have the option to take out the equity in their home to use as a gift. If this is the route that the gifter is taking, it is important that they opt for Equity Release advice in Cardiff before doing so.

Do your parents know you need help?

We’ve seen many cases where First Time Buyers are struggling to save for a deposit and they don’t realise that their parents can help them out or they don’t want to ask. In truth, most parents are more than happy to offer a helping hand and want to help them get onto the property ladder.

Depending on your personal and financial situation, buying a property may be more beneficial for you and could save you money in the long run. If this is the case, your parents may prefer you to be in this situation rather than you waiting longer to save for a deposit.

Gifted deposit vs loans

In most cases, you will not be able to use a loan as your deposit. There are rare cases where this is allowed, such as when you use the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme.

If you take out a loan and try to use it as your deposit, your lender will be able to see this. They will view it as another large financial commitment in your name. This is also why a gifted deposit has to strictly be a gift and not a loan. If you received a gifted deposit due to struggling to save up for a deposit, you are likely to struggle to pay back two sets of loans.

Is there a maximum or minimum gifted amount?

There is no limit to how much you can receive as a gifted deposit. Remember, a higher deposit can often lead you to access better rates of interest due to your loan-to-value lowering.

Most applicants receive an average 5% gifted deposit or less. Usually, this is also combined with the applicant’s current savings to boost their overall amount.

Who can benefit from a gifted deposit?

Mostly, it is only First Time Buyers in Cardiff that we see with a gifted deposit. However, it is not uncommon to see those moving home with deposits in place too.

If you don’t receive a gifted deposit, remember that there are also schemes in place to help you boost your mortgage deposit, e.g. Lifetime ISA.

What proof is required?

You will always need evidence of where your deposit has come from when applying for a mortgage. This works the same with gifted deposits.

You may also need to provide additional proof of ID or bank statements. Your lender and Mortgage Broker in Cardiff will ask for this upon your inquiry.

We would also advise that you keep the gifted deposit inside of the gifter’s account until you start your process. Lenders do not like seeing lots of money being transferred between accounts; especially during the months leading up to your mortgage application.

Date Last Edited: December 6, 2023