Single or joint: which report do you need?

Single report — £250

Use a single report when only one person’s borrowing capacity is in issue. Typical examples: one party wishes to retain the family home and needs to show they can take on a mortgage in their sole name; or one party needs to show what they can borrow to rehouse.

The report assesses that person only. It does not comment on the other party’s capacity.

Joint report — £450

Use a joint instruction when both parties need an assessment. Despite the name, this is not a joint-mortgage application and it is not a combined affordability figure. It is two independent reports, prepared together, each based on that person’s own income, deposit and commitments.

Keeping the assessments separate is important. It preserves confidentiality, gives each solicitor a clean document, and lets the court compare two like-for-like figures produced on the same methodology.

When a joint instruction is usually better

Where housing need on both sides is in dispute, where both parties may wish to retain or purchase, or where the court has directed capacity evidence for each party. A joint instruction is also the more economical route: two single reports at £250 would be £500; a joint instruction is £450.

Nil report — £100, one person only

Use a nil report where it is already clear that one person cannot obtain a mortgage, for example because they have no income. It is a short written confirmation of that position, suitable for negotiation or court. It is not a full capacity assessment, so it does not include the two scenarios that come with a single or joint report.

A nil report is not offered as a joint instruction. If the other party’s capacity still needs to be assessed, that is a separate single report, or a joint report if both sides need a full assessment.

If capacity may be limited but is not already obvious — for example some income, commitments, or a short employment history — instruct a full single report at £250. We will say if the honest result is that borrowing is nil or very limited, and we will say why.