County court judgments
Usually on file for 6 years from the judgment date
UK adverse credit remortgage specialists
Bad Credit Remortgages
Having bad credit doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t remortgage. Explore your options if you have CCJs, defaults, missed payments, mortgage arrears or other credit issues.
- CCJs, defaults, arrears, IVAs and more
- Approximate figures are fine
- No obligation to go ahead
- Speak to an adverse credit specialist
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
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8credit issues
Each explained in plain English, from CCJs to bankruptcy.
Find yours -
6years
How long most credit issues stay on your credit file.
What counts as adverse credit -
3steps
From your first answer to talking to a specialist.
How it works -
2minutes
To tell us about your situation. No credit check to enquire.
Start now
[REGULATORY WORDING TO BE SUPPLIED BY COMPLIANCE PARTNER]
Choose your situation
What type of credit issue do you have?
Each type of adverse credit is treated differently. Pick the one that applies to you to see how it may affect a remortgage and what an adviser is likely to ask.
Defaults
Usually on file for 6 years from the default date
Missed payments
Usually on file for 6 years from the date recorded
Mortgage arrears
Usually on file for 6 years from the date recorded
Individual voluntary arrangements
Usually on file for 6 years from the start date
Bankruptcy
Usually on file for 6 years from the bankruptcy date
Debt management plans
Shows through each account on your file
Low credit score
What lenders actually look at
Debt consolidation
Using equity to repay other borrowing
Self-employed
Proving income with credit issues too
The short answer
Can you remortgage with bad credit?
In many cases, yes. A bad credit history narrows the range of lenders and deals, but it doesn’t automatically rule out a remortgage.
Plenty of homeowners with a county court judgment, a few defaults, some missed payments or a completed IVA go on to remortgage. What matters is the detail. Lenders look at what kind of issue it is, when it happened, whether it has been settled and how you have managed money since. A single default from four years ago that was paid off is a very different picture from recent mortgage arrears.
Your equity and income matter just as much. A homeowner with plenty of equity and comfortable affordability will usually have more options than someone borrowing close to the value of their home, even with the same credit history.
High-street and specialist lenders
Some high-street lenders will consider older or minor credit issues, particularly where they have been settled. Where the history is more recent or more serious, specialist lenders are often the ones to look at. They assess applications individually, usually in exchange for higher rates or fees.
Many specialist lenders only accept applications through mortgage intermediaries. That is one reason people with adverse credit often find it helpful to speak to an adviser who knows which lenders are likely to consider their circumstances, rather than applying directly and risking a decline.
How lenders look at it
What affects your remortgage options?
No two adverse credit cases are assessed quite the same way, but lenders tend to weigh up the same handful of things.
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How recent it is
Many lenders look most closely at the last two to three years. An issue from five years ago usually carries less weight than one from last year.
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How serious it is
A late phone bill is viewed differently from mortgage arrears or bankruptcy. Lenders tend to group issues by severity.
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Whether it’s settled
A satisfied CCJ or settled default generally looks better than one still outstanding, even though both stay on file for six years.
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How many issues
One explained problem is often easier to place than several spread over different years.
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Your mortgage record
Lenders look closely at how you have paid your current mortgage, particularly over the last 12 to 24 months.
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Your equity
A lower loan to value usually widens the choice of lenders who may consider an adverse credit application.
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Affordability
Your income and regular outgoings need to support the new mortgage, including a stress test at a higher rate.
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How you earn
Employed, self-employed, director or contractor: each is evidenced differently, which can affect the options.
Every lender sets its own criteria and they change over time. These are general patterns, not rules. Work out your own figures with our bad credit remortgage calculator, or read how loan to value affects a bad credit remortgage.
Why people remortgage
Remortgaging with adverse credit
The reasons are the same as anyone else’s. Credit history just changes which options are open and what they are likely to cost.
Your current deal is ending
When a fixed or tracker rate ends, most mortgages move to the lender’s standard variable rate, which is usually higher. Many people start looking three to six months before the end date.
You want a more suitable deal
You may already be on the standard variable rate, or your credit may have improved since you last looked, which can open up options that weren’t there before.
Consolidating debts
Some people use equity to repay other borrowing. It can lower monthly outgoings, but it secures those debts on your home and can cost more over time.
Debt consolidation remortgagesRaising money
Borrowing more for home improvements or another purpose increases your loan to value, which matters more when you have adverse credit.
How LTV affects your optionsChanging your mortgage
Changing the term, the repayment type or who is named on the mortgage usually means a fresh application and a fresh look at your credit history.
You’ve been declined before
A decline from one lender doesn’t mean every lender will say no. Understanding why it happened, and avoiding repeated applications, can make a real difference.
Why applications get declinedYour routes
How a bad credit remortgage works
A remortgage replaces your current mortgage with a new one, either with your existing lender or a different one. The new lender pays off the old mortgage and you make payments to them instead. If you borrow more than you currently owe, the difference is released to you.
With adverse credit the process is broadly the same as any remortgage. The difference is in the preparation: understanding what is on your credit file, choosing lenders whose criteria fit, and presenting your circumstances clearly. Applying to the wrong lender can mean a decline and another hard search on your file.
A typical remortgage involves an application, a valuation and legal work, and often takes several weeks. You may be able to secure a new deal a few months before your current one ends, which gives time to prepare.
| Option | What it is | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Product transfer | A new deal with your current lender | Often no full affordability check if you aren’t borrowing more. Choice is limited to one lender. |
| Remortgage | A new mortgage with a different lender | Wider choice, but a full application with credit and affordability checks. |
| Further advance | Extra borrowing from your current lender | Assessed like a new application for the extra amount. |
| Second charge mortgage | A separate loan secured on your home | Can avoid early repayment charges on your main mortgage. Also secured on your home. |
General descriptions only. Availability depends on the lender and your circumstances.
How it works
Three steps to your options
Straightforward, and you stay in control throughout.
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Step 1: Tell us about your circumstances
Answer a few questions about your home, your mortgage and your credit history. It takes about two minutes, and approximate figures are fine.
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Step 2: Your enquiry is reviewed
An adviser who works with adverse credit looks at what you have told us, so the conversation starts from your actual situation.
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Step 3: Speak to a specialist
They will talk you through what may be possible, what it could cost and what the alternatives are. You decide whether to go ahead.
Check your remortgage options
Tell us a little about your circumstances and we’ll help you understand your next steps.
Guides
Understand your credit history
Plain-English explanations of how credit files, equity and lenders’ attitudes fit together.
Adding someone to your mortgage when you remortgage
Adding someone to your mortgage usually happens through a remortgage or a transfer of equity, and both applicants’ finances and credit files are assessed together.
Balance transfer or debt consolidation remortgage?
A balance transfer card and a debt consolidation remortgage both aim to make debt cheaper to manage, but one keeps the debt unsecured and the other moves it onto your home. This guide compares them.
Buy now pay later and your credit file
Whether a buy now pay later plan shows on your credit file depends on the provider. Some report missed and on-time payments, others report very little unless a debt is defaulted or sold on.
Bad credit remortgage questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most before they remortgage with adverse credit.
Can’t see your question? Our guides go into more detail, or you can ask about your own situation.
Can I remortgage if I have bad credit?
Often, yes. Many homeowners with CCJs, defaults, missed payments or a past IVA do remortgage. Whether it is possible for you depends on what is on your file, how recent it is, whether it has been settled, how much equity you have and whether the new mortgage is affordable. Some high-street lenders may consider minor or older issues, and specialist lenders exist for more complex histories.
Will checking my options affect my credit score?
Sending an enquiry through this website does not involve a credit check. If you decide to go further, an adviser may ask your permission before running a search. Eligibility checks are usually soft searches, which other lenders cannot see. A full mortgage application involves a hard search, which is recorded on your file.
Are bad credit remortgage rates higher?
They can be. Lenders price for risk, so a recent or serious credit issue often means a higher rate or fees than someone with a clean record would be offered. Older, settled issues and a lower loan to value can narrow the gap. An adviser can explain the total cost of any option, including fees, before you decide.
Can I stay with my current lender instead?
Possibly. A product transfer is a new deal with your existing lender. If you are not borrowing more, lenders can switch existing customers without a full affordability assessment, which can help if your credit has changed since you took the mortgage out. Lenders can still decide what they offer, especially if you are in mortgage arrears, so it is worth comparing a product transfer with remortgaging elsewhere.
How much equity do I need to remortgage with adverse credit?
There is no single figure. Each lender sets its own limits, and they usually depend on the type and age of the credit issue. As a general pattern, more equity (a lower loan to value) tends to widen the range of lenders who may consider you. Our guide to how LTV affects a bad credit remortgage explains how it is calculated.
Should I wait until my credit improves before remortgaging?
Sometimes waiting helps, because most credit issues carry less weight as they get older. But if your current deal is ending, moving to the standard variable rate while you wait can cost more. It is worth finding out what is available now, and what might change in 6 or 12 months, before deciding.
Is Bad Credit Remortgage a lender or a broker?
Neither. We publish information about remortgaging with adverse credit and pass enquiries to an authorised partner firm, who can talk to you about your options. We do not make lending decisions or give mortgage advice ourselves. See about us for more detail.
Check your options
Ready to see what may be possible?
Tell us a little about your circumstances and we’ll help you understand your next steps.
- Takes about two minutes
- No obligation to go ahead
- No credit check to enquire
Check your remortgage options
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.