Credit scores part 1: tips for improving your credit score
A poor credit score can affect your chances of getting a mortgage offer. Read our tips on how you can improve your credit score here.
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If you’ve got your heart set on a new home, but can’t get a mortgage due to bad credit, then you’re probably feeling rather devastated.
If you have a bad credit history, it’s important to know that although it might be difficult to get a mortgage, it certainly isn’t impossible, and we’re here to help you get mortgage approved!
A bad credit mortgage works just like any other mortgage. The only difference is that not as many lenders are willing to offer a mortgage to someone with bad credit, as they’re seen as a riskier customer. And those that do, tend to charge more.
Your best bet to get mortgage approved is to contact an experienced mortgage adviser.
A mortgage adviser will have access to more specialist lenders and deals that aren’t available on the high street. And they’ll often save you time, stress, heartache – and money.
There are two main things you need to be prepared for:
The bigger the deposit you are able to put down, the more attractive you become to the lender so they’ll be more inclined to make you a mortgage offer. Also the bigger deposit you have, the lower the interest rate may be.
When you apply for credit, lenders aim to verify two things:
A poor credit score indicates that you can’t manage your money, which in turn means you’re a high-risk applicant.
The most common causes of bad credit are:
Different things carry different weight. For example, missed mobile phone contract payments have less impact than missed mortgage payments.
If you’ve rarely, or never, had credit before, and so have no way of showing good financial management, that can also count against you.
You can easily check your credit score using CheckMyFile.
Your final credit score is derived from information held about you from companies like your mobile phone provider, credit card provider, bank etc.
They also have access to public records to check for things like CCJs, bankruptcies and IVAs, plus information held on the electoral roll.
Depending on your score, lenders will either agree to lend you the money or not. Perhaps they’ll agree, but with conditions attached. For instance, you get your money but not as much as you asked for, and at a higher rate of interest.
Any adverse credit events are removed from your record after six years. And the further in the past they happened, the less impact they’ll have now.
There are things you can do to improve your credit score, meaning that you may be able to get a better rate on a mortgage. For example, you could:
Read our article on how you can improve your credit score. In the meantime, avoid running up any more debt and pay your bills on time.
Also, it’s important to remember that this can take a while, so try to be patient and don’t give up!
Please get in touch with us for more guidance on how to secure a mortgage with bad credit. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have and support you through your mortgage application.
A poor credit score can affect your chances of getting a mortgage offer. Read our tips on how you can improve your credit score here.
Just because you have a low credit score, doesn't mean you can't still get a mortgage.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual amount you pay will depend upon your circumstances.
The fee is up to 1% but a typical fee is 0.3% of the amount borrowed.