The Poor Credit Mortgage Market

Poor credit mortgages are for those people who have a bad credit history, maybe showing defaults, mortgage arrears, bankrupt, county court judgements (CCJs) or other problem debts.

Current estimates are that one in four people, or five million households in the UK, come across problems when trying to get a mortgage or remortgage because they’re suffering from poor credit history. This poor credit mortgage market is also known as the sub-prime market.

Despite recent problems in the sub-prime market there are still a good number of lenders who offer mortgages for people with a poor credit history and mortgage advisors can help you locate the right adverse credit mortgage for your situation.

Every mortgage application will mean a check by the lender with a credit reference agency such as Experian or Equifax to determine your creditworthiness. If the search reveals any problems, you will have a poor rating or low credit score and as a consequence would have problems getting a mortgage with a high street lender. However there is a wide range of Poor credit mortgages which are designed for people who have blemished credit records.

The main reason people fall into the sub-prime category is because they have suffered previous credit difficulties and consequently have a bad credit rating. However, a bad credit rating does not necessarily mean you have done anything wrong in the past. For example, divorce and redundancy can account for some of the reasons why people get into financial difficulty through no fault of their own.

In addition, in a culture of borrowing and consumer credit as we now have, there are times when people take on too much debt and can find themselves struggling to make repayments.

Would-be borrowers who have no credit history at all, individuals who do not appear on the electoral roll, and people who have moved a lot of times in a short space of time can also find themselves categorised as a non standard borrower.

The sub-prime market rose by 28% during 2006, making it worth £24.6bn. Previous research suggested that the market would continue to expand, and faster than the regular mortgage market. This is as a result of levels of debt in Britain, which are at their highest ever level and still increasing, and more difficult circumstances such higher interest rates on mortgages. However, some companies are finding it difficult to stay in the market. Northern Rock has all but been lost, and it is forecast that others may follow.

It is likely that the economy will become trickier in the next year or two. This, together with high levels of debt will help to push the sub-prime market forward in the next five years. As more people default or make late payments, more will become poor credit mortgage candidates.

Specialist poor credit mortgage providers give options to obtain a mortgage, rehabilitate finances and improve future credit ratings. There are still plenty of lenders in this sector including global investment banks and specialist arms of high street banks who underwrite a broad spectrum of cases, from people with minor financial misdemeanours to those with heavy adverse credit.