Ring me. That is genuinely the whole first step.

What happens when you ring

You will get me, not a switchboard. I will ask what you are trying to do, what your income looks like, and what has happened — including anything you would rather not say out loud. Nothing you tell me goes anywhere near a lender or your credit file at that stage.

By the end of the call you will know whether it is realistic, roughly what it would cost, and what the next step is. If the answer is not yet, I will tell you that, and what would change it.

What to have to hand

Nothing at all, if you are ringing to ask whether something is possible. If you would rather get a precise answer in one call instead of two, these help: a rough idea of what you earn, what you owe and to whom, what happened on your credit file and roughly when, and what deposit you have or expect to have.

Approximate is fine. I would far rather have your honest estimate now than have you put the call off for a fortnight while you look for paperwork — and if you have not seen your credit file yet, that is not a reason to wait either. We can talk first and you can check it afterwards.

If you cannot talk freely

A good number of people who ring me cannot say very much when they do. They are at work, or in a car with someone else, or at home where the subject is difficult. Say so at the start of the call and we will work around it — I can put things as questions you answer yes or no to, and we can fix a time that is genuinely private.

If you would rather not speak on the phone at all, email me to arrange a video call instead. Use email for arranging only, though: not account numbers, not dates of birth, not anything off your credit file. Those belong on the call or on a secure link I will send you.

What happens after we speak

If there is something worth doing, I will tell you what I need from you and roughly how long it takes. Nothing is submitted anywhere, and no search is run against your credit file, until you have said yes and know what it means.

If there is nothing worth doing yet, you will get that answer just as plainly, along with what would change it and roughly when. That is a real outcome from a phone call, not a brush-off.

If you would rather check me first

Perfectly sensible, and easy to do. Bourne Financial Options Ltd is entered on the Financial Services Register as an Appointed Representative, firm reference 988277, of Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA) Ltd, reference 535515. Both entries are public and free to look up.

If you would rather read about me than look me up, there is a longer version here — twenty years of it, including the parts of the job I actually enjoy.