Compare Mortgage Rates from Chorley Building Society Against the Market

About Chorley Building Society

As a regional building society, Chorley operates with a small network of branches in Lancashire. However, it offers mortgages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

They manually underwrite all applications, which allows them to make a holistic decision based on applicants’ full financial circumstances, rather than relying on a generic algorithmic response. This makes them particularly well-suited for applicants who may not fit the standard criteria of high-street banks.

Mortgage Products

Chorley Building Society provides a wide array of mortgage products, demonstrating a strong appetite for specialist lending. Their range includes:

• Standard Mortgages: For first-time buyers (up to 95% LTV) and home movers

• Remortgages: Including fee-assisted products for those looking to switch lenders
• Buy-to-Let: A wide range of products for non-portfolio landlords, first-time landlords, and Limited companies
• Later Life Lending: Mortgages designed for those in or approaching retirement, with no maximum age limit, subject to affordability
• Self-Build Mortgages: Specialist finance for customers building their own homes (available via authorised intermediaries)
• Specialist Mortgages such as: 
  • Credit Renew: Mortgages for applicants with past credit issues
  • Shared Ownership and First Homes: Products supporting government and industry home ownership schemes
  • Holiday Let and Second Home mortgages

Pros and Cons of a Chorley Building Society Mortgage

Here is a balanced overview of the advantages and disadvantages of choosing Chorley for your mortgage.

Pros:

• Flexible Manual Underwriting: They are known for assessing cases on their individual merits, making them ideal for self-employed applicants, those with a complex income, or later-life borrowers

• Specialist Niche Leader: They have a strong, competitive offering in areas that many larger lenders avoid

• Excellent Customer Service: The society receives exceptionally high ratings (4.86/5 on Smart Money People) from both customers and brokers, who praise the personal, friendly, and knowledgeable staff

• Access to Underwriters: Mortgage brokers often have direct access to the underwriters, which can help resolve queries and get complex cases approved

Cons:

• Limited Branch Network: Their physical branches are located only in Chorley and Leyland, so face-to-face service is only an option for local residents

• Mainly Intermediary-focused: While you can apply directly, the society does a significant amount of its business through mortgage brokers

• Rates May Not Be Market-Leading: While competitive in their specialist niches, their standard mortgage rates may not always be the cheapest on the market compared to large, automated lenders

Customer Service and Reviews

Chorley Building Society consistently receives five-star ratings for its service. In surveys conducted by Smart Money People, mortgage brokers have repeatedly rated the society as one of the best lenders to deal with.

Customers and brokers alike praise the ability to "speak with a person and not a call centre," the "seamless" and "stress-free" process, and the "friendly knowledgeable" staff. This high level of personal service is a key part of their identity.

How to Apply for a Mortgage with Chorley

You have two main options for applying for a mortgage with Chorley Building Society:

1. Directly: You can apply directly with the society by booking a phone or in-person appointment with one of their advisers through their website.

2. Through a Mortgage Broker (Recommended): A mortgage broker can review your entire situation, confirm if Chorley is the right lender for you, and guide you through their manual underwriting process. The society works closely with a large network of intermediaries across the UK.

To begin a free, no-obligation chat with a broker who specialises in Chorley's product range and can compare it against every alternative option in the market, get started here.