Mark Langshaw
Author: Mark Langshaw
Lee Trett
Peer-reviewed by: Lee Trett
Updated 26 January 2026

A quick overview on Bad Credit Mortgages

Securing a mortgage when your credit file is less than perfect can be difficult, but a bad credit mortgage could help. They have stricter criteria and can be more costly than standard mortgages, but if you’re in a hurry to buy a home, they could be just what you need. No matter what type of adverse credit you have, there are lenders who will consider your application.

You can find out more in our guide to bad credit mortgages.

How do bad credit mortgages differ from standard mortgages?

Bad credit mortgages are not a specific type of product, any deal approved by lenders that accept applicants with credit issues could be considered a ‘bad credit mortgage’. However, the terms and criteria tend to differ, as follows:

  • Higher interest rates

  • Lower LTV available in some cases

  • A higher deposit is usually required

  • There are fewer lenders willing to offer bad credit mortgages

Deposit requirements and other criteria

Bad credit mortgages tend to be bespoke to the individual applicant’s circumstances, so the deposit requirement will vary quite a lot. However, you’ll usually need a larger deposit than for a standard mortgage, and this requirement is likely to rise with the severity of the credit issue.

Lender criteria vary considerably in terms of what type of credit issues they accept, the age of them, and in some cases, the value of any debts related to the credit issue. Those with less severe issues such as County Court Judgment (CCJ) or Defaults will typically have access to more lenders than borrowers with a Debt Management Plan (DMP), Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) or more serious credit issues.

This table shows approximately how many lenders may be available to you, based on the type of credit issue(s) you have.

Credit Issue

Approx Number of Available Lenders

Default up to 3 years old

Up to 60, depending when it was registered, whether it’s satisfied and the amount of debt

CCJ up to 3 years old

Up to 60, depending when it was registered, whether it’s satisfied and the amount of debt

Active DMP

Up to 25 depending on the standing of your Debt Management Plan

Active IVA

Up to 16, depending on the standing of your Individual Voluntary Agreement

Active DRO (Debt Relief Order)

Up to 14

Bankruptcy discharged within the past 3 years

Up to 9

Repossession within the past 3 years

Up to 5

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FAQs

There are a number of things you can do to improve your creditworthiness before making an application, but not all of them will make an immediate difference. It’s a good idea to read our tips to improve your credit a few months before you apply, to give these steps the best chance of working for you.

Compare bad credit mortgage rates for FREE

THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT.

IF YOU ARE THINKING OF CONSOLIDATING EXISTING BORROWING YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT YOU MAY BE EXTENDING THE TERMS OF THE DEBT AND INCREASING THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU REPAY.

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