Award-Winning Bad Credit Specialist · FCA No. 301173
Mortgage With Late Payments UK More Options Than You Think
✍️ Author: Darryl Dhoffer, CeMAP · CeRER · FCA 301173·📅 Updated 18 August 2026
The short answer
Can you get a mortgage with late or missed payments? Yes. A single old missed payment rarely blocks a mortgage on its own — lenders look at how many, how recent, on what type of account, and whether you are currently up to date. Specialist lenders assess the full pattern rather than auto-declining on the first missed payment they see.
✅ Easiest to place — Late payments are the most common adverse credit situation and the most straightforward to place.
Darryl Dhoffer
CeMAP · CeRER · FCA 301173 · ⭐ 48 Reviews
"I specialise in exactly this. Free assessment — no credit search, no obligation. I respond within 2 hours."
Late or missed payments are the most common type of adverse credit and one of the most misunderstood. Most people are surprised by how many options are available. Darryl Dhoffer explains.
Being declined feels personal. It isn't — banks use computers. Darryl uses judgement.
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Late Payments and Mortgages — What Lenders Actually See
A late or missed payment on your credit file does not automatically prevent you from getting a mortgage. The key questions lenders ask are how recent was the late payment how many payments were missed what type of account was it on and have you been up to date since.
A single missed payment on a utility bill from 3 years ago will have minimal impact on your mortgage options. Multiple recent missed payments on a mortgage or credit card will require a specialist approach. Darryl Dhoffer knows exactly how each lender assesses late payment history.
Darryl Dhoffer — The Mortgage Geezer
20+ years in mortgages. Award-winning specialist. Featured in the Daily Express, FT Adviser, The Intermediary and Daily Mirror. I have helped hundreds of people across the UK who were told no by their bank — and I work with 65+ lenders including specialist adverse credit lenders you will not find on comparison sites.
When you contact me, you speak to me directly. No call centres. No being passed around. I personally review every case and respond within 2 hours.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a mortgage with missed payments? ›
Yes. Missed payments are the single most common type of adverse credit Darryl sees, and there are real, active lender policies built around them. What matters is how many were missed, on what type of account, how recently, and whether you're currently up to date. Even a payment missed last month doesn't rule you out — it just means working with a lender who assesses the full picture rather than an automated system.
Does one missed payment stop me getting a mortgage? ›
Genuinely, no — a single missed payment, especially an old one or on a smaller account like a mobile phone or utility bill, is one of the most forgivable things on a credit file. Lenders distinguish clearly between an isolated slip and an ongoing pattern. If everything else on your file is clean and you're up to date now, one missed payment rarely blocks a mortgage on its own.
How long do missed payments stay on my credit file? ›
Six years from the date of the missed payment. However, their impact fades well before that — a missed payment from four years ago carries far less weight than one from four months ago, and most specialist lenders focus their scrutiny on the last 12–24 months of your file rather than the full six years equally.
Are missed mortgage payments worse than other missed payments? ›
Yes, significantly worse. A missed payment on your actual mortgage or rent is one of the most serious things a lender can see — it directly signals risk on the exact product they're being asked to offer you again. A missed payment on a mobile phone contract or a store card is viewed far more leniently. If your missed payment was on a mortgage specifically, it's worth speaking to Darryl before applying anywhere.
How many missed payments can I have and still get a mortgage? ›
There's no fixed limit — Darryl has placed mortgages for clients with a single missed payment and for clients with a genuinely difficult run of several. What matters most is the pattern: a cluster of missed payments during one specific difficult period (redundancy, illness, a relationship breakdown) is viewed very differently to scattered missed payments with no clear explanation across several years.
What deposit do I need with missed payments on my file? ›
For a single old missed payment with everything else clean, some lenders will work with as little as 5–10%. For more recent or more frequent missed payments, expect 15–25% depending on severity. A missed mortgage payment specifically tends to require a higher deposit than a missed payment on an unsecured account. Darryl will confirm your real position once he's seen your actual file.
How much can I borrow if I have missed payments? ›
Missed payments don't directly reduce how much you can borrow — that's calculated from your income and outgoings, same as any application. What they affect is which lenders will consider you and what deposit or rate you're offered. Once matched to the right lender, your borrowing amount follows their normal affordability rules.
Do only certain lenders accept missed payments? ›
Missed payments are common enough that most specialist lenders — and a fair number of mainstream ones — have an explicit policy for them. The real skill is matching your specific pattern of missed payments to a lender whose criteria genuinely fits, since applying to the wrong one leaves a mark on your file without getting you any closer to an offer.
How can I improve my chances after missed payments? ›
Get and stay up to date on everything from today — the single strongest signal to a lender is a clean run building since the missed payment. Set up direct debits so it can't happen again by accident. A larger deposit helps. And speak to a specialist broker before applying, since the right lender match on the first attempt matters far more with missed payments than almost any other credit issue.
What if I missed payments during Covid? ›
Many lenders have specific policies for Covid-related payment difficulties and view them more sympathetically than standard missed payments, particularly where a formal payment holiday was agreed with the lender at the time. Darryl will assess how your specific Covid-related payment history is viewed by lenders currently active in the market.
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FCA No. 301173
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Lender criteria, rates and deposit requirements quoted on this page are indicative and subject to change without notice. Individual circumstances vary. This page provides general information only and does not constitute regulated financial advice. The Mortgage Geezer is a trading style of Access Financial Services Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Financial Services Register number is 301173. Registered in England No. 04427489. Registered office address Access Financial Services Ltd, Unit 1 Furtho Court, Towcester Road, Old Stratford, Milton Keynes, MK19 6AN. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP YOUR REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER LOAN SECURED AGAINST IT.