How it works
Five stages, one evidence request, no chasing
The most common complaint about capacity reports is not the analysis. It is the administration: three separate requests for documents, no confirmed delivery date, and a report that arrives with the client’s name spelled wrong two days before the hearing. The process below is designed around that — and the fast turnaround is the standard service, not something we charge extra for.
The process
What happens, and when
A draft within 3 working days of receiving everything we need to complete the assessment — on every instruction. There is no priority tier and no surcharge for speed.
If a hearing or filing date needs the report sooner than that, contact us and we will confirm whether it is feasible before you instruct.
- 1
Instruction — day 0
Instruct online or by email. Tell us whether you act for one party or are instructing jointly, what questions the report should answer, and any hearing date it has to meet. We reply confirming the fee, the scope and the delivery date in writing, and raise anything that looks out of scope before you commit to it. Nothing is charged and no work starts until you have that confirmation. - 2
Evidence request — day 0 to 1
One itemised request, sent as soon as the instruction is confirmed. It lists exactly what is needed and why. The clock on the 3-working-day draft starts when the evidence is complete — not when you instruct — and we tell you in writing the moment it does. - 3
Analysis — up to day 3
Affordability modelled across the residential lending market, with the treatment of variable income, maintenance, commitments, dependants, term and age reasoned and recorded. If a document turns out to contradict the instructions, we raise it rather than working around it. - 4
Draft — day 3
The draft is issued to you, and on a joint instruction to both firms simultaneously, so that factual matters can be corrected before the report becomes a document in the case. This is an accuracy check. It is not an opportunity to change the conclusion, and we say so on the face of the draft. - 5
Final report
Issued promptly after you have confirmed the draft is factually correct, in PDF. Where the other side later puts questions on a point we have already reasoned, answering them is part of standing behind the report, not a chargeable extra.
Evidence
What we ask for
If the party is employed
- Three months' most recent payslips
- Most recent P60
- Three months' personal bank statements
- Evidence of any bonus, overtime or commission over two years where it is relied on
If the party is self-employed
- Two to three years' finalised accounts, or
- SA302 tax calculations with matching tax year overviews
- Three months' business and personal bank statements
- An accountant's reference where the latest year is not yet finalised
In every case
- Credit commitments and any adverse credit
- Dependants and childcare costs
- Maintenance paid or received, and the basis for it
- Deposit or equity available
- Intended property type, tenure and area
- Date of birth and intended retirement age
How documents reach us
Evidence is accepted by secure transfer or by email to our Microsoft 365 mailbox, which is protected in transit. We are putting a dedicated secure upload in place; until it is live, tell us if your firm requires a particular transfer method and we will use it. What we do with the documents, and how long we keep them.Joint instruction
How a joint instruction runs
- Either firm can start it. We will write to both with the scope, the fee and the evidence request so that neither side is working from different information.
- We accept a joint letter of instruction. Where the parties cannot agree the wording, we will report on the questions both firms have put and record the difference.
- The evidence request goes to both parties, and we tell both firms when it is complete.
- The draft is issued to both firms at the same time. Factual corrections are taken from both.
- The fee is a single fee. How it is apportioned between the parties is a matter for them; we can invoice one firm or split the invoice.
Where the court has given permission
Where permission has been given for expert evidence on borrowing capacity, or where we are proposed as a single joint expert, tell us at the point of enquiry. Before any application we will confirm in writing:
- our qualification and relevant experience
- that we have no conflict of interest in the case
- our fee for the scope, fixed and in writing
- our availability and the date by which the report can be filed
- our availability for any hearing at which we may be required
That is the material the court will expect to see before permitting expert evidence and, where it limits the cost of it, before fixing the cap.