The short answer is yes — bad credit does not automatically stop you getting a mortgage. 17% of UK adults have adverse credit. Specialist lenders exist for exactly this situation. What matters is the type of credit issue, how long ago it was, and whether it's resolved. Darryl will tell you exactly where you stand within minutes.
The most common question Darryl hears is "can I get a mortgage with bad credit?" The answer, in the vast majority of cases, is yes. The UK mortgage market has a significant specialist lending sector that exists specifically for borrowers who don't meet high street bank criteria.
According to Pepper Money's 2026 Specialist Lending Study, 9.26 million UK adults — 17% of the population — have experienced adverse credit in the last three years. This is a mainstream market, not a niche one, and there are many lenders competing for this business.
Bad credit covers a wide range of situations — not all of which are treated equally by lenders:
The severity, age and resolution of your credit issues all affect what's available to you. Darryl assesses each case individually and gives you a clear, honest picture of your options.
Bad credit affects your mortgage application in three ways:
A bad credit mortgage is not a life sentence. Most borrowers use specialist lenders as a stepping stone. After 2-3 years of consistent on-time mortgage payments, your credit score typically improves significantly, allowing you to remortgage onto a mainstream rate.
Darryl plans this journey with his clients from the start — identifying the right initial lender and setting a clear path to better rates when your credit file improves.
Before applying, these steps make a real difference:
Yes. Bad credit does not prevent you from buying a house in the UK. Specialist mortgage lenders offer products specifically designed for borrowers with adverse credit histories including CCJs, defaults, IVAs and missed payments. A specialist broker like Darryl Dhoffer can identify which lenders will consider your situation and at what terms.
There is no single threshold. Each lender has its own criteria. High street banks use automated scoring that can decline applications for relatively minor issues. Specialist lenders manually underwrite each case and can consider borrowers with very significant adverse credit histories. Being refused by one lender does not mean all lenders will refuse you.
A 100% mortgage is not currently available in the UK for most borrowers. However schemes like Shared Ownership allow you to buy a share of a property with a smaller deposit. For bad credit borrowers, most specialist lenders require a minimum 15-25% deposit. Some lenders will consider 10-15% deposits depending on the severity of the credit issues.
Most adverse credit markers stay on your file for six years from the date they were registered. However their impact diminishes over time. Many specialist lenders will consider applications where adverse credit is older than two to three years and has been resolved. Darryl can tell you exactly how your specific credit history affects your current options.
A good income significantly improves your mortgage options even with bad credit. Higher income means you can afford larger repayments and may qualify for lenders who would otherwise decline you. Income does not override credit issues completely, but it is a major positive factor that specialist lenders consider carefully alongside the credit history.
20+ years specialist experience. 90+ lenders. No credit search at this stage.
The Mortgage Geezer is a trading style of Access Financial Services Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority — FCA No. 301173. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage.