Quick answer: Yes, you can get a mortgage with defaults on your credit file. A default stays on your file for six years from the date it was registered. The older, smaller and fewer your defaults are, and if they have been satisfied, the more lenders will consider you and the smaller the deposit you are likely to need.
The article is updated as of Oct 22, 2026
A default is registered when you fall behind on a credit agreement and the lender formally closes the account, usually after three to six months of missed payments. It is one of the more serious entries on a credit report, but it does not stop you buying a home. What matters is how a lender reads the detail.
Can I Get a Mortgage With a Default?
Lenders do not all treat defaults the same way. Some mainstream lenders will accept a single, older, satisfied default. Others decline any default in the last six years. Specialist lenders, sometimes called adverse credit lenders, build their criteria around applicants with credit problems and will look at recent or multiple defaults. Because criteria are rarely published in full, applying to the wrong lender first can mean a decline and an extra hard search on your file.
What Lenders Check When You Have a Default
- Age: when the default was registered. A default from five years ago carries less weight than one from last year.
- Value: the amount defaulted. Some lenders disregard very small defaults below a set threshold.
- Status: satisfied (paid) or unsatisfied (still owed).
- Type of account: a default on a mobile phone or utility account is often viewed differently from one on a loan, credit card or secured debt.
- Number: one default is assessed very differently from several.
- Your record since: lenders want to see that everything has been paid on time since the default.
How Your Default Profile Changes Your Options
The table below is a general guide to how lenders tend to view different default profiles. Every lender has its own criteria, so treat it as a starting point rather than a decision.
| Default profile | Lenders likely to consider it | Typical deposit expectation |
|---|---|---|
| One small, satisfied default over 3 years old | Some mainstream and most specialist lenders | Similar to a clean record with some lenders |
| One satisfied default 1 to 3 years old | Fewer mainstream lenders, most specialist lenders | Often a larger deposit than standard |
| Default in the last 12 months | Mainly specialist lenders | Usually a larger deposit |
| Several defaults, or any unsatisfied | Specialist lenders | Usually a larger deposit and closer affordability checks |
| Default on a previous mortgage or secured loan | A smaller group of specialist lenders | Usually the largest deposit requirement |
Worked example
Sarah earns £38,000 and has a £600 default from a broadband contract, registered four years ago and repaid two years ago. She has no other missed payments. Because the default is old, small, satisfied and on a communications account, a number of lenders may treat her much like an applicant with a clean file. Compare that with James, who has two unsatisfied defaults on credit cards registered in the last year. His options are narrower and focused on specialist lenders, and he should expect to need a larger deposit.
Satisfied vs Unsatisfied Defaults
A satisfied default has been repaid in full, or settled by agreement with the creditor. An unsatisfied default is still outstanding. Paying a default does not remove it from your file, but it shows lenders the debt is dealt with. Some lenders accept unsatisfied defaults below a certain amount, some require them to be repaid before completion, and some will not proceed at all while one is outstanding.
How Long Does a Default Stay on Your Credit File?
Six years from the date the default was registered, at all three UK credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. After six years it drops off automatically, even if it was never repaid. Repaying it does not shorten that period. If a default was registered incorrectly, you can raise a dispute with the lender and the credit reference agency, and you can add a notice of correction to explain the circumstances. Our guide on getting a default removed after six years explains the process.
How to Improve Your Chances Before You Apply
- Check all three credit reports. Lenders may use any of them, and entries are not always identical. Our guide to checking your credit report covers how.
- Settle defaults where you can and ask the creditor to update the status to satisfied.
- Keep every account up to date from now on. A clean recent record matters more than anything else.
- Register on the electoral roll at your current address.
- Avoid new credit applications in the months before you apply.
- Save a larger deposit if your defaults are recent. It widens the lender choice.
- Use a broker before applying. A broker can match your file to lender criteria first, so you avoid unnecessary declines and hard searches.
Do I Need a Specialist Mortgage Broker?
You do not have to use one, but defaults are where criteria differ most between lenders and where many products are only available through intermediaries. An adverse credit broker can review your credit file, explain which lenders are realistic and present the application with the context lenders want to see. If you also have a CCJ, see our guides to mortgage lenders that accept CCJs and getting a mortgage with a 3-year-old default.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a mortgage with a default?
Yes. Many UK lenders will consider a mortgage application with a default on your credit file. The age of the default, its value, whether it is satisfied and how many defaults you have decide which lenders are open to you and how much deposit you need.
How long does a default stay on my credit file?
A default stays on your credit file for six years from the date it was registered, whether or not you repay it. Paying it off changes the status to satisfied, which most lenders view more favourably, but the six-year period does not restart or shorten.
Should I pay off a default before applying for a mortgage?
In most cases clearing a default helps, because many lenders treat satisfied defaults more favourably than unsatisfied ones. Some lenders will not accept any unsatisfied default, while others ask for it to be repaid on or before completion.
Can I get a mortgage with a default from a mobile phone or utility bill?
Often, yes. Some lenders treat small defaults on mobile phone, utility or communications accounts more leniently than defaults on loans, credit cards or a previous mortgage, especially when they are older and satisfied. Thresholds and rules vary between lenders.
How much deposit do I need for a mortgage with defaults?
It depends on how recent and how serious the defaults are. Older, satisfied defaults may be accepted at similar deposit levels to a clean credit record with some lenders, while recent or multiple defaults usually need a larger deposit with a specialist lender.
Related Mortgage Guides
- Mortgage with a 3-year-old default
- Mortgage lenders that accept CCJs
- Mortgages for fair credit scores
- What credit score do you need for a mortgage?
- Mortgage and property advice hub
- Needing Advice home
This guide is reviewed by Damian Youell CeMAP, Senior Mortgage Broker. Meet the rest of our team, including Romany Youell.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Needing Advice is an independent, FCA-regulated mortgage broker. There is no obligation to proceed.
Damian Youell
Damian is the founder of NeedingAdvice.co.uk and the firm’s Senior Mortgage Broker. He specialises in helping clients across the UK with straightforward and complex mortgage cases, including self-employed applications, adverse credit, buy-to-let, remortgages and first-time buyer mortgages.
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