Getting a mortgage these days can be difficult, even if you don't have credit problems. Mainstream lenders want applicants to tick all of their boxes otherwise it's a declined application.

The great thing about Mortgage Refused is that they have a mixture of mainstream and non-status lenders so they can cater for all types of applicant.

Now they have introduced a new service enabling website visitors to compare mortgages online. It only takes a minute or so to get a quick quote and another minute to make an initial enquiry if they produce a mortgage quote that you're happy with.

Whether you have credit problems or not, Mortgage Refused will help you get the mortgage you want with a monthly repayment you can afford.

They also offer a mortgage calculator and a section on regular secured and unsecured loans. They have a standard rate phone number so if you want to discuss your circumstances before applying you can do so.

A part of the Cavendish group they have over 30 years experience in the credit field, so you know you can rely upon them.

I've been working on a project for some friends of mine building a mortgage comparison website called MortgageFinda. It's nearly finished now, just needs them to start entering their latest mortgage plans into the database.

As credit brokers they have suffered tremendously during the financial crisis but things do seem to be perking up a bit and mortgage lenders are starting to appear again.

Although it is still not easy to obtain a mortgage, particularly if you are self employed or have had credit problems, there are mortgages out there and if you have found it difficult getting a mortgage elsewhere try the mortgage finder service to see what they could offer you.

It literally only takes a couple of minutes to enter your details into the simple system and get quotes for a new mortgage or remortgage (or even a buy to let mortgage). Indications of monthly payments are included on the site for both repayment and interest only mortgages.

These are subject to status and the final payment could be more depending upon your circumstances. Applying for a mortgage will take a little time and effort but if you can save money each month or get the property you really want it will be worth your time.

You can borrow from £25,000 to over £3million. The amount you can borrow will be based upon your earnings and circumstances. If you are self employed proof of earnings will be required in order for you to obtain a mortgage.

By using a mortgage broker you keep your options open and can choose from a number of lenders, many of whom will offer specialist mortgage products for applicants like yourself. Don't restrict yourselves by going direct to a bank or building society. You might end up paying more than you have to and over the course of 20 or 25 years this can add up to several thousand pounds.

For your own personal mortgage comparison visit MortgageFinda.

I've recently been looking into moving house. This would entail moving my mortgage to another property so I asked C&G whether this would be a problem. Unfortunately so! Despite having several mortgage over the years with them and making every repayment on time I am not eligible for a new mortgage to the value of my current mortgage!

This leaves me unable to move house, and C&G still lending me an amount they consider I cannot afford (despite making every repayment on time over several years).

It is a ridiculous situation but it does underline how ludicrous the current mortgage market is. Whilst the mortgage lenders may have been a bit too cavalier with their lending in the past, they have now become seemingly incapable of lending any money to anyone.

I'm lucky as I still have an existing mortgage but I wouldn't like to be a first time buyer looking for a new mortgage at the moment.

So what is the answer? Use the internet firstly, there are other lenders who may not spring instantly to mind who may have a more flexible approach to mortgage lending. There are also still some mortgage brokers left, although not as many as there used to be before the recent financial disasters.

A mortgage broker can look at a number of different mortgage options for you, dealing with many lenders and able to help with bad credit and credit problems too. They may charge a fee which can be added to your mortgage loan.

Mortgage comparison websites abound, allowing you to compare mortgages, view the latest mortgage rates on offer from the lenders and the best deals on any given day.

If you are in the lucky position of being eligible for a mortgage you then have to make a number of choices. Although interest rates are historically low, many mortgage lenders are not passing on the low rates to their customers. You need to check and compare the mortgage interest rate on offer when comparing different mortgage products.

Do you want a tracker mortgage, fixed or capped rate mortgage, flexible mortgage? A repayment mortgage or interest only? I was in the process of fixing my mortgage rate a few weeks before interest rates were slashed. Luckily I used the 28 day cooling off period to switch back to the standard variable rate. Had I not I would be paying around £160 per month more than I now am! This illustrates the need to make the right choice.

Interest rates look set to stay low for another year to 18 months, that is the "word on the street" from the banks and estate agents I talk to. If that is the case you don't have to worry about a sudden surge in rates so can focus on current low rate deals.

Many mortgage websites have mortgage calculators on them which can indicate how much you might pay dependent upon the amount you borrow and prevailing interest rate. Be sensible, make sure you can afford the repayments, you do not want to be facing repossession or get into credit trouble in the future.

If you are self employed the bad news is that there appear to be very few self cert mortgages, if any, still available. This may leave you with nowhere to turn if you don't have the necessary accounts and proof of income required by mortgage lenders.

Those who are employed might be shocked at how little they can now borrow based on their earnings. 3-3.5 times salary appears to be the norm now. Perhaps mortgage lenders think everyone is spending their wages on booze and fags instead of paying their bills. They certainly don't seem to appreciate that people are all different and their spending habits differ too.

Unfortunately the "one size fits all" model doesn't work with mortgages. More variables should be taken into account. Applying an arbitrary multiple to peoples earnings regardless of their spending is nonsense.