The score you need to buy a house

As a rule of thumb, the higher your 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 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, insolvency events including bankruptcies and IVAs — and 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.

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.

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, and how a mortgage in principle 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 (opens external site), 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 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. A poor score on their side can affect your application.
• Avoid credit applications for six months beforehand. Each one records a hard 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.