One of the tools mortgage lenders use when reviewing your application is your credit score and report. Having negative factors on your report doesn’t mean your application will automatically be rejected. 

A credit report is a record of your credit history and behaviour. The report will include your open accounts, repayment history, and public records. 

Some details could act as red flags to potential lenders, such as:

  • Recent missed payments
  • Public records showing bankruptcy or County Court Judgements
  • Payday loans
  • Several hard credit checks within a short period.

Factors such as these could suggest to lenders that you’re more likely to default on your mortgage repayments. As a result, they may reject your application or offer you a higher rate of interest to offset this perceived risk. 

According to an article from the Financial Reporter (23 January 2026), around 1 in 3 UK adults, the equivalent of more than 16 million people, have experienced adverse credit. So, you’re not alone if you’re worried about how your financial circumstances in the past might affect your ability to secure a mortgage.

Fortunately, if homeownership is your goal, there could be some steps you may take to improve your chances of being approved for a mortgage.

Check your own credit report for potential red flags

One of the first steps you should take is to review your own credit report. You can do this for free and it will not affect your credit score. Seeing what potential lenders will see could identify ways to remove red flags.

Take note of the dates on the red flags on your report. Usually, factors will remain on your report for six years and hard credit checks are removed after 12 months. So, if potentially harmful factors will soon be removed, simply delaying your plans could make sense.

There are other negative factors you could do something about. For example, not being registered on the electoral roll could have a negative impact as some lenders might interpret this as instability. You should note that changes may take several months to appear on your credit report, so reviewing yours as early as possible could be valuable. 

Focus on establishing good money habits now

While lenders will look at the full credit history available on your report, they will analyse the most recent data more closely. A missed payment from five years ago is likely to have less of an impact than one that occurred within the last six months.

Establishing good money habits in the months before you intend to apply for a mortgage could be useful. 

Make sure you stay on top of your financial commitments and reduce them where possible. For example, if you have a debt that you’re able to clear, doing so could mean it’s removed from your credit report and that your monthly outgoings might fall, which lenders consider when assessing affordability. 

Specialist lenders may approve mortgages even if you have a poor credit history 

There are specialist mortgage lenders that may be more likely to approve applications from people with a poor credit history. As mortgage advisers, we could work with you to assess which lenders might be suitable for you and offer guidance during the application process.

Keep in mind that a specialist lender may expect a higher deposit or charge a higher rate of interest than high street lenders.

Contact us

If you’re worried that your credit score could affect your ability to secure a mortgage, please contact us. We could work with you to assess how you might improve your chances and identify the lenders that may be more likely to approve your application. 

Please note: This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loans secured on it.