The entries are still on your credit file, since each one lasts 6 years from when it was recorded, but many lenders weigh recency heavily, so a longer, clean run of payments since often opens up more of the market. What tends to matter most at this stage is not simply how much time has passed, but what your file has looked like throughout that time.
This page looks at how the weight of arrears tends to change as they age, what a lender is likely to focus on at the 2-year point compared with earlier, and how to use the time since to your advantage. For arrears you are still dealing with, see current arrears, and for arrears cleared very recently, see cleared mortgage arrears.
On this page
This page covers
- Credit issue
- Mortgage arrearsUsually 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
- Arrears remain on your credit file for 6 years from when each entry was recorded, however long ago they happened.
- Many lenders weigh recent history more heavily than older entries, so options often widen with time.
- A long, clean run since the arrears is usually the strongest evidence you can offer.
- How close the arrears are to falling off your file entirely can also be worth checking.
Does time alone make a difference?
On its own, the passage of time does not remove anything from your credit file. What it usually does is add more clean months alongside the earlier arrears, and that longer run of on-time payments is what most lenders focus on. Two years of arrears followed by two years of clean payments reads very differently to two years of arrears followed by two months of clean payments, even though the arrears entries themselves have not changed.
There is no set point at which arrears stop counting. Some lenders look mainly at the last 12 to 24 months, others look further back, and none of this is published as a fixed rule. Treat any timeframe you read, including on this page, as general context rather than a guarantee.
How does the picture usually change over time?
| Time since the arrears ended | How it is often viewed |
|---|---|
| Under 1 year | Recent, and usually the most significant factor in the application |
| 1 to 2 years | Still relevant, but a growing clean record starts to count for something |
| Over 2 years, clean since | Often carries less weight, particularly alongside a strong record since |
| Close to 6 years | May concern fewer lenders, though it remains visible until it drops off |
General illustration only. Individual lender criteria vary and are not published.
What if something else happened during those 2 years?
If the arrears led to a default, or if other credit issues appeared around the same time, those may have their own separate dates and their own 6-year clocks. Our page on remortgaging with defaults covers how a default is dated, and it is worth checking your file for anything connected to the same period, since it can be easy to overlook.
If you moved into self-employment or changed how you are paid during or after the arrears, see self-employed with bad credit for how that income is usually assessed.
How can you check where you stand?
Your statutory credit report is free from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Checking it is a soft search that other lenders cannot see, so there is no downside to looking before you apply.
- Confirm the dates of each arrears entry and when it is due to drop off
- Check your payment record since is showing correctly, with no gaps
- Look for any related default, CCJ or arrangement marker from the same period
- Note your current mortgage balance and an estimate of your property’s value
What may affect options with arrears from over 2 years ago
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Time since the arrears | More time since usually helps, though there is no fixed point at which it stops mattering. |
| Length of the clean run since | A longer, unbroken record of on-time payments is usually the strongest evidence available. |
| How far behind you were at the time | A brief, small arrears period is often viewed differently to a longer or deeper one. |
| Related entries from the same period | A default or CCJ from the same time may carry more weight than the arrears alone. |
| How close to 6 years the entry is | Entries nearing the end of their 6 years may concern fewer lenders. |
| Loan to value | More equity generally widens the choice of lender for an older credit issue. |
| Income and affordability | Current income needs to support the new payment under a standard affordability check. |
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.
- Recent copies of your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion reports
- Mortgage statements covering the arrears and the years since
- A short explanation of what caused the arrears at the time
- Details of any related default, CCJ or arrangement from the same period
- Proof of your current income and outgoings
- An estimate of your property’s value
Frequently asked questions
Do mortgage arrears stop mattering after 2 years?
Not automatically. They stay on your credit file for 6 years from when each entry was recorded. Many lenders weigh recent history more heavily, so a clean 2 years since often helps, but there is no fixed rule that arrears stop being considered.
Is a longer clean record more important than how the arrears happened?
A long clean run since is usually the strongest evidence, but being able to explain what caused the arrears and why it has changed still helps an adviser present your case.
Should I wait until the arrears are 6 years old before applying?
Not necessarily. Many people successfully remortgage well before that point, particularly with a solid record since and reasonable equity. Waiting is one option, not a requirement.
Can a product transfer work while the arrears are still on my file?
It is worth asking your current lender, especially if you are not borrowing more, since FCA rules allow product transfers without a full affordability assessment in some cases. A lender can still decide what it offers.