Mark Langshaw
Author: Mark Langshaw
Lee Trett
Peer-reviewed by: Lee Trett
Updated 24 January 2026

Quick overview of mortgages and property types

The type of property you are buying has a bearing on the mortgage options available as some are higher risk than others. Anything out of the ordinary, such as a listed building or anything that wasn’t built from bricks and mortar, is likely to have higher deposit requirements and be more difficult to secure a mortgage on without expert advice.

You can read more on this in our guide to mortgages and property types.

Types of non-standard construction

Non-standard construction is one of the most common risk factors in the eyes of mortgage lenders when it comes to property types. Here are the most common types of it:

  • Steel or timber-framed houses (including eco-homes)

  • Thatched or felt roofs

  • Listed buildings

  • Prefabricated (prefab) homes, including Cornish units and Airey houses

  • Concrete houses (including Wimpey No-Fines houses)

  • British Iron and Steel Federation (BISF) properties

  • Flat roofs

  • Flats or apartments in high rises or tower blocks

  • Single brick

  • Glass-walled homes

  • Barn, Lighthouse, or Church conversion (and other unusual conversions)

  • Unusual materials like cob, wattle and daub, or straw bale

How the property type affects LTVs

Having a higher risk property type usually means lower loan-to-value (LTV) requirements and therefore having to put down extra deposit. This table show what LTV you should typically expect based on the type of property you are buying.

Property Type

Typical LTV Requirements

Detached or Semi-detached House

Up to 95%

Terraced House

Up to 95%

Maisonette

Up to 95%

New Build Home

Up to 90% (Requires at least 10% deposit)

Leasehold Property

Up to 85%

Listed Building (Grade II)

Up to 85%

Modern Modular Home

Up to 85%

Flat Above Shop

75% – 85% (Depends on commercial category)

Timber Framed House

75% – 80%

Flat or Apartment

Around 75% (Deposits can be up to 25%)

Multi-Unit Freehold Block (MUFB)

Maximum 70%

Traditional Prefab / Steel Framed

Maximum 50%

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FAQs

While many lenders are happy to mortgage new builds, they sometimes view them as a higher risk because their value can depreciate slightly once they are "pre-owned." As a result, lenders may ask for a minimum deposit of 10-15% (85-90% LTV), whereas older standard properties might be available with just a 5% deposit.

Get expert mortgage advice tailored to your property type

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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