Can you look at a house or make an offer without a mortgage in principle?
You don’t need a mortgage in principle to view a property – but it can give you an edge over other buyers.
Last updated on
Mar 12, 2026 15:44
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You don’t need a mortgage in principle (MIP) to view a property you might want to buy but it certainly helps. Plus, it needn’t take more than a couple of minutes to answer the questions to get an MIP.
If you’re in Scotland, the system is slightly different: some estate agents may ask for an MIP before arranging viewings. So you definitely need one before you start your search.
An MIP is a certificate from a mortgage broker or lender that says how much you’re likely to be able to borrow, based on the information you’ve given about your finances. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll be approved for a mortgage, but it’s a useful guide to what you might be able to afford. Your lender will still carry out full checks before making a formal offer.
We explain more in our full guide to MIPs.
Estate agents obviously prefer to spend their time on serious buyers and a MIP shows them that you’re serious and can afford the property you want to view, that you’d be likely to get a mortgage if you made an offer.
In Scotland, it’s crucial to get your MIP early on. That’s because, in the Scottish system, an offer becomes legally binding much sooner in the process.
An MIP also gives you a better idea of the price bracket of properties to look at.
Habito offers an MIP with no credit check and it takes just a few minutes.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
This content is intended for general guidance and is not a substitute for personalised mortgage advice.
Some lenders, brokers and mortgage websites use “mortgage in principle” and “agreement in principle” (AIP) to mean the same thing. But they’re not.
MIPs and AIPs are both certificates showing what you can borrow. But they happen at different stages. You’d usually get your MIP before you’ve found your property. It’s a basic check and you can get it from a broker or lender.
Having an AIP means you have “mortgage pre-approval”.
You’d usually get an AIP after you’ve found a property you want to buy. It’s a more detailed and more accurate view of what you can afford to borrow and is a statement from a lender saying it’s happy to lend you a specific amount to buy that property (but it’s still not a guarantee). It involves a credit check.
There’s more about AIPs in our full guide.
In a competitive market, or for a property that’s in high demand, an agent is likely to prioritise serious buyers and might even refuse to show a place to someone they consider a time-waster. So it’s sensible to boost your credibility as a potential buyer upfront.
Your MIP puts you in a better negotiating position vs other buyers if they don’t have an MIP. That means a seller is more likely to prefer your offer as a serious buyer.
Some of the financial groundwork is already done, meaning the process should be more streamlined when you come to apply for a mortgage.
You can get an MIP through a lender or broker, such as Habito. You’ll just need to answer a few questions. You’ll need to know:
Habito doesn’t carry out a hard credit check for an MIP, so it won’t affect your credit score. If you go on to apply for a mortgage, your chosen lender will complete a full credit check as part of their assessment.. You just answer a few questions and then download a certificate. Other brokers and lenders might do a soft or hard credit check. It’s worth knowing which type of check it is, as too many hard credit checks can affect your credit score. More about this in our full guide.
And you can find out how lenders decide if they’ll give you a mortgage in our guide to eligibility factors to know before you apply for a mortgage.
Yes, you can absolutely make an offer without the MIP. The question is how seriously the seller will take your offer. They may well find other offers more attractive, if they’re backed by a document that says the buyer can afford what they’re offering.
Estate agents are obliged to pass on all offers to the seller, but the agent will also guide the seller about the credibility of each offer. A seller is likely to pick an offer backed by some evidence that it won’t fall through once you apply for a mortgage.
While an MIP isn’t legally necessary, you could find yourself behind other buyers in the queue for your dream home if you don’t have one.
With Habito, there’s no credit check to get an MIP. You just need to answer a few questions about your income and deposit and then download a certificate. It takes minutes and is free.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Habito is a mortgage broker, not a lender. We’re authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This content is intended for general guidance and is not a substitute for personalised mortgage advice.
Habito specialises in helping you get the best mortgage or remortgage, all online, for free
