How Many Missed Payments Stop You Getting a Mortgage?
Supporting explainer · FCA Registered (989177)
There is no fixed number. What matters most is how recent the missed payments are, which accounts were affected, how severe the late status was, whether there is a pattern, affordability, and which lender you approach. High-street automation and specialist underwriting often reach different conclusions on the same file.
What lenders usually weigh
Recency
Marks in the last year usually weigh heavier than older, settled history. Clean conduct since can matter as much as the original miss.
Account type
A miss on a mortgage or other secured account is typically scrutinised more closely than an isolated unsecured card late.
Pattern and severity
Repeated consecutive lates, or deeper late statuses, read differently from a single shallow miss during a one-off life event.
Affordability and the rest of the file
Income, deposit or equity, and any other adverse marks sit alongside payment history — lenders do not assess the miss in isolation.
Why exact lender-tolerance tables mislead
Criteria change, manual underwriting varies, and the same count of missed payments can be treated differently depending on account type, recency and the rest of the file. Named-lender comparisons and fixed rate-premium tables go out of date quickly and are not a substitute for a file review.
For the full commercial decision journey — including how specialists assess pattern and what happens next — use the main missed payments mortgages page.
Want an adviser to review your payment history?
Tell us when the payments were missed, which accounts were affected and whether everything is now up to date. Continue on the main missed-payments page to request a free initial review — no hard credit search at this stage.
Common questions
How many missed payments stop you getting a mortgage?
There is no fixed number. Lenders weigh how recent the marks are, which accounts were affected, how late each status went, whether there is a pattern, affordability, and their own criteria. Specialist lenders often read the full history more carefully than high-street automation.
Can I get a mortgage with one missed payment?
Often yes — especially when the mark is older, isolated and followed by clean conduct. A very recent miss, or a miss on a mortgage or secured loan, usually faces tighter scrutiny. The main missed-payments flagship explains how specialists assess the pattern.
Do missed payments stay on a credit file forever?
Most UK credit-file entries remain for six years from the date they occurred, but their practical impact on mortgage applications usually reduces as they age and as clean conduct builds. Exact lender treatment still varies.
Are mortgage arrears treated differently from a late credit card?
Yes. Secured or mortgage arrears typically face tighter scrutiny than an isolated unsecured late. Account type is one of the factors specialists review alongside recency and pattern.
Next step: the missed-payments mortgage decision page
This page answers the exact count question. The flagship explains lender assessment, client scenarios and how to enquire.
Open missed payments mortgages