Everything you need to know about Kivo, the Kivo Score, and how it all works.
Kivo is a free, AI-powered tool that gives UK home buyers a personalised mortgage readiness score. It's designed for first-time buyers, people moving home, and anyone who wants to understand their financial position before approaching a mortgage lender or broker. It's completely free for consumers — we charge mortgage advisors and brokers a flat monthly fee to use the platform with their clients.
The basic Kivo Check takes about 2 minutes. If you choose to connect your bank account via Open Banking for a more accurate score, add another 1–2 minutes for that step. Your score is generated instantly once you've completed the form.
Yes, completely free for home buyers. There are no subscription fees, no hidden costs, and no premium tiers for consumers. We make money by charging mortgage advisors and brokers a flat monthly fee — not by charging you or by taking referral commissions.
No. You can complete the Kivo Check and see your score without creating an account. We do ask for your email address so we can send you your results and track your progress over time — but creating a full account is optional.
No. Kivo is not a mortgage broker and we do not provide regulated financial advice. The Kivo Score is an indicative tool to help you understand your mortgage readiness — it is not a guarantee of a mortgage offer or a formal assessment of your eligibility. You should always speak to a qualified, FCA-regulated mortgage adviser before making any financial decisions.
Your Kivo Score (1–100) is built on four pillars that reflect what mortgage lenders actually look for:
We weight these based on their real impact on mortgage eligibility, using criteria aligned with mainstream UK lender guidelines.
1–30: Not ready yet — significant barriers to a mortgage right now, but we'll give you a clear improvement plan.
31–60: Getting there — you're on the right track. A few targeted changes could improve your position quickly.
61–79: Good — you're in a solid position and may qualify for a range of mortgage products right now.
80–100: Excellent — you're likely to qualify for a wide range of products, including the best rates available.
No. Your credit score (from Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion) is just one input into the Kivo Score. The Kivo Score is broader — it considers your income, deposit, and spending behaviour alongside your credit history. A great credit score doesn't guarantee a strong Kivo Score, and vice versa.
No. Kivo does not perform a credit check (hard or soft) to generate your score. We only use the information you provide directly and, optionally, data from Open Banking. Your credit file is not accessed and your credit rating is not affected.
Open Banking is a UK-regulated technology that lets you securely share your financial data with approved services. It's used by Monzo, Starling, HMRC, and hundreds of other trusted providers. It is regulated by the FCA and is widely considered one of the most secure ways to share financial data — far safer than emailing bank statements, for example. Our Open Banking provider is authorised and regulated by the FCA.
Never. When you connect your bank, you authenticate directly with your bank in a secure window — Kivo never sees your username, password, or any login credentials. This is a core part of how Open Banking is designed.
No. Kivo has read-only access to your account data. We can see your transaction history and account balances, but we cannot initiate payments, transfer funds, or make any changes whatsoever. This is technically enforced — not just a policy.
You can revoke access at any time, either from your Kivo account settings or directly from your banking app (all UK banks are required to show you a list of connected Open Banking services and let you disconnect them). Revoking access stops any new data from being pulled — we'll retain your existing data in line with our privacy policy, but you can request deletion at any time.
No. Open Banking is entirely optional. You can get a Kivo Score using just the answers you provide in the form. However, connecting your bank makes your score significantly more accurate — and often improves it — because we get a real picture of your finances rather than relying on estimates.
Never. We do not sell your personal data to any third parties. Our business model is a flat monthly subscription fee from mortgage advisors — we have no financial incentive to monetise your data.
Only you. If you're connected to a mortgage advisor through Kivo, your data can only be shared with that advisor if you explicitly consent — you'll be asked to confirm this during the process. We never share your data with advisors or any third party without your informed, explicit consent.
Yes, at any time. You can request deletion of all your personal data by contacting us at privacy@getkivo.co.uk. We'll action your request within 30 days in line with GDPR requirements. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Once you have your Kivo Score, you'll see the option to connect with a vetted, FCA-regulated mortgage advisor. If you choose to proceed, you give your explicit consent for your Kivo data to be shared with them. Your first conversation will be far more focused because they already have the full picture of your finances — no starting from scratch.
Absolutely not. You can use Kivo purely as a self-serve tool and work with any advisor you choose — or no advisor at all. The advisor connection is entirely optional.
It depends on what's holding your score down. Quick wins (like registering to vote, cutting subscriptions) can improve your score within days. Bigger changes (saving more deposit, paying down debts) take weeks to months. Our improvement plan will tell you the fastest path given your specific situation.
If you've connected your bank via Open Banking, your score can update as your financial picture changes. You can also re-run the Kivo Check at any time — it only takes 2 minutes — to get an updated score based on your latest situation.
Yes — and this is actually one of the most valuable things Kivo can do. If your credit history is poor, we'll show you exactly what the issues are and give you specific, prioritised steps to address them. Many credit issues can be resolved or significantly improved over 12–24 months with the right plan.
Our team is happy to help. Drop us a message and we'll get back to you within one business day.
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