Lenders tend to focus on the last 12 to 24 months, so an older marker with a clean record since often has little bearing on the outcome. It is still there, though, and it can still come up in conversation with an adviser or a lender.
This page looks at why an older marker tends to matter less, whether you still need to mention it, and what else on your file is likely to carry more weight instead. See our main page on remortgaging with missed payments for the wider picture.
On this page
This page covers
- Credit issue
- Missed paymentsUsually stays on your credit file for 6 years from the date recorded.
- When it happened
- More than 2 years agoOlder issues usually have less influence, especially when your credit since then is clean.
In short
- The marker stays on your file for 6 years from when it was recorded, whatever its age.
- Lenders tend to focus most on the last 12 to 24 months, so older markers usually carry less weight.
- A clean record since is the strongest thing you can show alongside it.
- Other, more recent entries on your file are likely to matter more than an old missed payment.
Does a missed payment from over 2 years ago still show?
Yes. The marker stays on your credit file for 6 years from when it was recorded, so a payment missed 2 or 3 years ago is still visible and will remain so for a while yet. What has usually changed by this point is not whether it shows, but how much a lender is likely to weigh it against everything that has happened since.
If the missed payment was on your mortgage itself rather than another account, it may be worth reading our page on remortgaging with mortgage arrears as well, since mortgage lenders sometimes take a longer view of arrears specifically.
Why does an older marker tend to carry less weight?
Lenders are trying to judge how you are likely to manage a new mortgage, and your most recent history is the best guide to that. A missed payment from several years ago, followed by a long run of on-time payments, tells a lender that whatever happened has passed. The table below gives a general sense of how that can play out, though every lender takes its own view.
| Age of the marker | What a lender tends to focus on | Likely weight |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | Whether it reflects your situation now | See our page on recent missed payments |
| 1 to 2 years | A growing run of clean payments since | Often reduced, depending on the rest of your file |
| 2 to 3 years | The record since, more than the marker itself | Usually limited if nothing else has happened |
| 3 to 6 years | Whether anything else is on the file | Often minimal for many lenders |
| Over 6 years | Nothing, as the marker has dropped off | No longer part of your credit file |
For illustration only. These are general patterns, not lender rules, and each lender applies its own scoring.
Do you still need to mention it to an adviser?
Yes. An adviser can only put your case forward properly if they can see the full picture, and the lender will see your credit file regardless of what you say. Mentioning an old missed payment yourself, briefly and factually, tends to read better than a lender finding it unexplained.
- Say roughly when it happened and which account it was on.
- Explain briefly what caused it, if you remember.
- Point to the clean record you have had since.
- Have a recent credit report ready so the adviser can see the full context.
Our guide on explaining bad credit to a mortgage adviser covers this conversation in more detail, including what to say about other entries on your file.
Could you now qualify for a mainstream deal?
Possibly. Some mainstream lenders will consider an application where a missed payment marker is several years old and the rest of the file is clean, particularly if there is reasonable equity in the home. Others still ask about any missed payment within the last 6 years, whatever its age, so it is worth having your options compared rather than assuming either way.
If your current deal is ending, also ask your existing lender about a product transfer. Where you are not borrowing more, FCA rules allow lenders to switch existing customers without a full affordability assessment, which can be a straightforward option if your file is otherwise clean.
What if there have been missed payments since?
If the record has not stayed clean, an old marker is less likely to be the main focus. A lender will look at the whole pattern, including any more recent missed payments, defaults or other credit issues, and our pages on missed payments in the last 12 months and remortgaging with defaults may be more directly relevant to your situation.
Where several credit issues sit together, it is usually more useful to focus on the most recent and most serious of them when you speak to an adviser, rather than the oldest entry on your file.
What tends to matter most with an older missed payment
By this stage, the record since the marker usually counts for more than the marker itself.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Exactly how long ago it was | The gap between the marker and today generally has a bigger effect than the missed payment itself. |
| Whether the record has stayed clean | A long run of on-time payments since is the clearest sign the issue is behind you. |
| Other entries on your file | More recent or more serious issues are likely to carry more weight than an old missed payment on its own. |
| Which account it was on | An old marker on a mortgage or secured loan may still be viewed a little more cautiously than one on a smaller account. |
| Property value and equity | More equity generally widens the range of lenders who may not weigh an old marker heavily. |
| Income and affordability | Your current income and outgoings, stress tested at a higher rate, still need to support the new payment. |
| Employment history | A settled income since, including for the self-employed, helps build the wider picture alongside an old marker. |
These are general points, not lender rules. Each lender sets and changes its own criteria.
Information an adviser may ask for
You don’t need all of this to make an enquiry. It helps to know where to find it, because an adviser is likely to ask about most of it.
- Roughly when the missed payment happened and which account it was on
- A brief explanation, if you remember what caused it
- Confirmation that the account has been up to date since
- A recent credit report from at least one agency
- Your mortgage balance, monthly payment and deal end date
- Recent proof of income
Frequently asked questions
Does a missed payment over 2 years old disappear from my credit file?
Not automatically. It stays on your file for 6 years from when it was recorded, so a marker from 2 or 3 years ago has some time left before it drops off. It usually carries less weight by this stage, but it is not the same as being removed.
Can I get a high-street remortgage with an old missed payment?
It is possible, especially with a clean record since and reasonable equity, but not every mainstream lender takes the same view. Some ask about any missed payment within the last 6 years regardless of age. Comparing your options with an adviser is usually more reliable than assuming either way.
Will an adviser still ask about a payment I missed years ago?
Likely, yes, since the lender will see it on your credit file regardless. It is best to mention it yourself with a brief explanation, and to point to the clean record you have had since, rather than waiting for the lender to raise it first.
What if I have had a completely clean record for the last 2 years?
That is generally a positive sign, and many lenders will weigh it more heavily than an old, isolated marker. It does not guarantee a particular outcome, since each lender applies its own criteria, but a long clean run since a single old missed payment is usually one of the stronger parts of an application.