Affiliate Disclosure

Last updated: September 2024

In one sentence

Some links on this site are affiliate links. When you click and sign up, we earn a small commission paid by the company — at no cost to you. This commission funds the site. It does not influence what we recommend.

In a bit more detail

This site, [mortgagemadeclear.co.uk], is funded entirely by affiliate commissions. We earn a small fee when a reader clicks an affiliate link and goes on to sign up with the linked provider. We do not earn anything per page view, per email signup, or from any third-party advertising.

We have current affiliate relationships with:

  • Habito (mortgage broker — fee-free) — via the Awin affiliate network
  • Mojo Mortgages (mortgage broker — fee-free) — direct partnership
  • L&C Mortgages (mortgage broker — fee-free) — via the Awin affiliate network
  • Experian (credit reference agency) — via the Awin affiliate network
  • MoneySupermarket (comparison) — via the Awin affiliate network

Where we recommend a provider in an article, the link is usually an affiliate link. Where it isn't, we say so explicitly.

Every affiliate link on this site:

  • Carries rel="sponsored nofollow" (Google's required marker for paid links)
  • Goes through a /go/[provider] cloaking URL so you can see the destination before clicking
  • Is shown in a button or contextual call-out, not hidden in normal body copy
  • Includes a contextual disclosure ("we may earn a commission")

Why this doesn't influence our recommendations

Three reasons:

1. Editorial decisions are made before commercial decisions

The provider we recommend in any article is chosen on its merits, then we check whether they have an affiliate program. Where the highest-commission provider isn't the best for the reader, we recommend the better one.

2. We recommend fee-free brokers

Most readers are best served by fee-free, whole-of-market brokers like Habito, Mojo and L&C — paid by the lender, not the consumer. Some fee-charging brokers offer higher commissions, but we don't typically recommend them because the reader's interest comes first.

3. We update articles when relationships change

If a provider drops out of an affiliate program, raises their fees, or stops being a fair recommendation, we update the article and explain why. Articles are reviewed quarterly per our Editorial Standards.

What we do NOT do

  • We do not accept payment for product reviews or favourable mentions
  • We do not publish sponsored content
  • We do not accept paid guest posts that include backlinks
  • We do not rank providers based on commission level
  • We do not run display advertising
  • We do not push higher-commission products in email

How much do we earn?

Affiliate commissions vary by provider and product type, typically £4 to £90 per qualifying customer. The amounts depend on whether the customer signs up, completes an application, or proceeds to a mortgage offer. We don't share specific per-link rates because they're commercially sensitive between us and our affiliate partners — but we're happy to confirm in general terms whether a recommendation is affiliated.

Your relationship with the affiliate provider

When you click an affiliate link:

  • You leave our site and enter the provider's site
  • The provider's terms and privacy policy apply
  • We don't share your data with the provider — they only see your visit if you choose to interact
  • We see anonymised click data only (which Pretty Link, when, anonymised IP)

We never receive your personal information, financial details, or application data from the affiliate. They run their own customer relationship.

Cookies and tracking

We use a 30-day cookie-based attribution window via Awin and Pretty Links. If you click an affiliate link and sign up within 30 days, we earn a commission. If you click then sign up via a different route 31+ days later, we don't.

This tracking is anonymous — we don't see who you are, only that somebody clicked our affiliate link and converted.

If you prefer not to use affiliate links — that's completely fine. You can:

  • Search for the provider directly via Google
  • Use a comparison site
  • Apply directly with the provider

You'll get the same product at the same price. We just don't earn the small referral fee.

If you want to support our work without going through an affiliate, the most useful thing you can do is share an article with someone who'd find it useful. Word-of-mouth is what makes a small site like ours grow.

Compliance

We comply with:

  • CMA UK guidance on online endorsements (Competition and Markets Authority, 2020)
  • CAP Code rules on affiliate marketing (Committee of Advertising Practice)
  • FCA principles for financial promotion (we are a publisher, not a financial adviser)
  • Google Search Essentials on paid link disclosure

If you spot an affiliate link that isn't clearly marked, please email hello@mortgagemadeclear.co.uk — we'll fix it within 1 working day.

Get in touch

  • Disclosure questions: hello@mortgagemadeclear.co.uk
  • Affiliate partnership enquiries: partnerships@mortgagemadeclear.co.uk