Bad Credit Mortgages

Yes. Specialist lenders regularly approve applicants with one or more County Court Judgements, especially where the CCJ is satisfied, older than 12 months or for a smaller amount. A CCJ stays on your file for six years from the judgement date, but the older and smaller it is, the better your rates and choice. We match your profile to lenders such as Bluestone, Kensington, Pepper Money and Together who are comfortable with CCJs.

It depends on the type and recency of your adverse credit. As a rough guide: late payments only from 5% to 10%, satisfied defaults 10% to 15%, CCJs 15% to 25%, and an IVA or discharged bankruptcy 20% to 40%. A larger deposit reduces the lender’s risk and usually unlocks lower rates and more lenders. We will tell you up front what realistic deposit your situation needs.

You can apply straight away. Some specialist lenders consider defaults registered within the last 12 months, while others want them to be at least two to three years old and ideally satisfied. The older the default and the smaller the balance, the more options you have and the better the rate. We assess your credit file and match you to lenders whose criteria fit your situation today, rather than making you wait without a reason.

Yes, once you have been formally discharged. A small number of specialist lenders will look at applications from one year after discharge, but most prefer at least three years, and the best rates open up after six. You will normally need a deposit of 20% to 40% and a clean credit profile since discharge. We work with lenders such as Together and Pepper Money who routinely lend to post-bankruptcy clients.

Yes, this is possible while the DMP is still active, provided payments have been made on time for at least 12 months and the plan is affordable. Some lenders will consider you with an ongoing DMP; others want it satisfied first. Rates and deposit requirements will be tighter, but it is a realistic route. Once the DMP is settled and a few years have passed, you can usually remortgage onto a mainstream deal.

Usually yes. Specialist lenders price for the extra risk, so rates are typically 1% to 3% above mainstream high street rates. The exact uplift depends on the severity and age of the issues, your deposit and your overall affordability. The good news is that after two to three years of on-time mortgage payments, most clients can remortgage onto a more competitive rate as their profile improves.

A full mortgage application leaves a hard search on your file, which can temporarily reduce your score by a few points. To protect your file we use soft searches and lender criteria checks first wherever possible, so you only submit a hard application to a lender that has effectively pre-agreed your case. Avoid applying yourself to multiple lenders, as repeated hard searches make you look distressed to underwriters.

Strongly recommended. Run a multi-agency report covering Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, we use CheckMyFile, so we can see exactly what every lender will see. Clients are often surprised: dropped-off defaults, settled CCJs and clerical errors all show up. Disputing inaccuracies and confirming what is actually live on file lets us match you to the right lender first time, rather than guessing.

No. Late payments are the most common issue and the easiest to lend against. Many mainstream and near-prime lenders accept missed payments, especially if they are older than 12 months and not on a current mortgage. Recent missed mortgage payments are the most sensitive and typically push you into specialist lender territory until they age past the two year mark.

Most adverse entries stay on your file for six years from the date they were registered, whether or not they are settled. After six years they automatically drop off and no lender can see them. Satisfying a CCJ within one month of the judgement allows you to apply to have it removed entirely, known as set aside. Settling other entries does not remove them, but a satisfied status is far easier to lend against than an unsatisfied one.

Yes. Remortgaging with adverse credit is one of the most common reasons clients come to us, whether to fix a rate before coming off a deal, raise capital, consolidate debts or move away from a lender’s standard variable rate. Specialist lenders will assess affordability and credit conduct since the original mortgage was taken out, so steady payments on your current mortgage strongly help your case.

Yes, but you will need clear evidence of income, typically two to three years of SA302s and tax year overviews, or full company accounts for limited company directors. Some specialist lenders accept one year of trading. Being self-employed with adverse credit narrows the panel, but lenders such as Pepper Money, Vida and Kensington are built for exactly this profile and we know their criteria inside out.

A refusal from one bank does not mean you cannot get a mortgage. It usually means you applied to the wrong lender for your profile. Every lender scores credit differently. The important thing is to stop applying directly, because each refusal adds a hard search and can make the next application harder. Talk to a specialist broker first; we will find the lenders whose criteria you actually fit before any credit search is run.

We can usually give you a realistic view of your options within 24 to 48 hours of seeing your credit file and income evidence. An Agreement in Principle from a specialist lender is normally back within one to two working days. A full mortgage offer typically takes two to four weeks once all documents are submitted, depending on the lender and the valuation timeline.

Your initial consultation, credit review and lender research are free and there is no obligation. We are paid a procuration fee by the lender on completion, and depending on case complexity a broker fee may apply. This will always be agreed in writing before you commit. There are no upfront charges, so you can find out exactly where you stand without risk.

Your borrowing capacity depends on your income, existing debts, credit history and the lender’s criteria. Lenders typically offer between 4 and 4.5 times your annual income, though this can vary for adverse credit cases. We assess your affordability and give you a realistic borrowing figure based on your circumstances and the lenders available to you. Our affordability calculator gives a quick first estimate.

A mortgage offer is typically valid for three to six months from the date of issue, depending on the lender. This gives you time to complete the purchase. If your offer expires before completion, you may need an extension or, in some cases, to reapply. We keep track of timelines and help ensure everything progresses smoothly.

Start exploring your options around three to six months before your fixed rate ends. This gives you time to secure a new deal and complete a remortgage before reverting to your lender’s standard variable rate, which is usually higher. Even with a poor credit history there are often options available, and we can help you find the best deal for your situation.

Porting means transferring your existing mortgage deal to a new property when you move, which can be useful if you have a good fixed rate you want to keep. Not all mortgages are portable, and you will still need to pass the lender’s affordability checks for the new property. If you have bad credit, porting can be more complex, but we can advise on whether it is a viable option for you.