---
title: "The score you need to buy a house"
description: "No minimum credit score exists for a UK mortgage. Lenders assess income, debts and history. A low score may mean higher rates or a bigger deposit, not…"
canonical: "https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/the-score-you-need-to-buy-a-house/"
topic: "Mortgages and buying a home"
published: 2024-04-23
updated: 2026-06-22
author: "Katie Callaghan"
publisher: "Total Credit Check (Piomes Ltd)"
---

# The score you need to buy a house

There is no magic number, and mortgage lenders don't look at your score anyway. What they look at is the report behind it — and three other things entirely.

**The short version:** no minimum credit score exists for a UK mortgage. Lenders assess income, debts and history. A low score may mean higher rates or a bigger deposit, not automatic rejection.

As a rule of thumb, the higher your [score](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#credit-score), the more likely your application is approved — **but there's no magic number for instant approval.**

Your credit score isn't something mortgage lenders consider directly. Your score reflects the information on your credit report, and *that* can make or break an application.

## Is there a minimum score?

**No minimum credit score is required for a mortgage.** Worth busting that myth first.

A good or excellent score alone won't get you an offer. It's a jumping-off point rather than a guarantee, because **your score is a signifier of risk to a lender**.

- **A high score** suggests you're a lower-risk customer, likely to repay on time and in full. Good chances, not certainty.
- **A low score** suggests higher risk to some lenders. Outstanding debt or missed payments lower your chances — **but it doesn't always mean rejection**, because it isn't the only thing considered.

Every lender is different, with specific criteria to qualify. Your score is only part of the equation.

## What else lenders check

**1. Your affordability.** You'll share your employment status and [monthly income](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#proof-of-income) and expenses, including fixed costs like car finance, Council Tax, childcare and utilities. Lenders work out your **mortgage affordability** — your ability to repay what you want to borrow alongside your existing commitments.

Many also **stress test** that figure, checking whether you could keep paying if interest rates rose.

**2. Your credit report.** Lenders comb through it for public records — [CCJs](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#county-court-judgment), insolvency events including [bankruptcies](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#bankruptcy) and [IVAs](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#individual-voluntary-arrangement) — and [Electoral Roll](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#electoral-roll) records. They want to know whether you've been taken to court over unpaid money, or moved around a lot. **Most lenders like stability.**

They'll also look at what you owe on cards and loans, and whether you've repaid reliably.

**3. Their own lending policy.** Everything gets scored against their internal idea of an ideal customer.

Different lenders have different appetites for risk — some strict, some more lenient. Don't be too downhearted by a rejection; there's likely a lender who will work with you.

## What counts as a good score

Each agency uses its own system, so you'll see a different number depending on where you check — and each has a different definition of good.

| Agency | Range |
| --- | --- |
| Equifax | 0 – 1,000 |
| Experian | 0 – 1,250 |
| TransUnion | 0 – 999 |

You might have a lower score from missed payments or a default within the last six years, among other reasons. But your score is only a guide, so a poor rating doesn't take home ownership off the table. There's more in [10 reasons behind a low credit score](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/14-reasons-your-credit-score-dropped/).

## Can you get a mortgage with poor credit?

Tricky, but **by no means impossible**.

A low score makes you look riskier. Some lenders will reject you; others will take the risk and offset it with a **higher interest rate or a larger deposit**.

To access lower rates and a wider choice of deals, you may want to improve your score before applying.

## Improving your score before you apply

Some of these are quick; others take longer to register. It's also worth knowing [what your report needs to show at each stage](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/your-credit-report-at-each-mortgage-stage/), and how [a mortgage in principle](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/mortgages-in-principle-and-your-score/) differs from a full application.

- **Register to vote.** This gets you onto the Electoral Roll, helping lenders confirm your name and address, reduce fraud risk and assess stability — a long spell at one address reads positively. It takes about [five minutes](https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote), then **1 to 3 months** to appear on your report.
- **Pay on time.** Consistency over a long period is the most effective thing you can do.
- **Use credit responsibly.** Only using your card for purchases you need and can afford builds a track record of responsible management.
- **Close unused credit cards.** Too many open accounts shows access to a lot of credit, which lenders may not want to add to. Closing old ones can help — though it **temporarily** lowers your score, since you'll have less active positive repayment history.
- **Keep credit utilisation low.** [Utilisation](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#credit-utilisation-rate) is your usage against your limit. A £1,500 limit with £150 spent is 10%. Running close to your limit suggests over-reliance on credit.
- **Check your report for errors and fix them.** Confirm current and previous addresses are correct and payment history is accurate. If something's wrong, contact the company and ask them to fix it.
- **Get your partner to do the same.** If you're applying jointly, their report matters too — particularly if they're a [financial association](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#financial-association). A poor score on their side can affect your application.
- **Avoid credit applications for six months beforehand.** Each one records a [hard search](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/glossary/#application-search). Too many in quick succession lowers your score, and since lenders can't see outcomes, they may conclude you've taken on a lot of credit at once.

## The key things to remember

- No minimum score exists; lenders read your report and apply their own policy.
- Affordability, your credit report and internal lending policy are the three tests.
- Expect a stress test on whether you could cope with rate rises.
- Agency ranges differ: Equifax 0–1,000, Experian 0–1,250, TransUnion 0–999.
- Poor credit usually means a higher rate or bigger deposit, not a flat no.
- Registering to vote takes five minutes and 1–3 months to show.
- Closing unused cards helps affordability but dips your score temporarily.
- Avoid credit applications in the six months before applying.