Can I Get a Mortgage After an IVA?
Getting a Mortgage After an IVA — Is It Possible?
Completing an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) is a significant achievement. After five or six years of managed payments and financial discipline, you deserve the fresh start that completing an IVA is meant to deliver. One of the most common questions from people who have finished — or are nearing the end of — an IVA is whether they can ever get a mortgage.
The straightforward answer is: yes, it is possible to get a mortgage after an IVA. But it is not simple, and it requires patience, realistic expectations, and a deliberate plan to rebuild your credit profile.
How Long Does an IVA Stay on Your Credit File?
An IVA appears on your credit file for six years from the date it started — not from when it ended. This means that if your IVA started in 2020 and ended in 2025, the record will be removed from your credit file in 2026. At that point, the IVA will also be removed from the publicly searchable Individual Insolvency Register (three months after completion).
During those six years, most mainstream lenders will decline mortgage applications outright. The further you move from the start date of your IVA, the better your chances, even while the record still appears.
Mortgage Options While the IVA Is Still on Your Credit File
If the IVA is still showing on your credit report, mainstream high-street lenders are very unlikely to approve a mortgage application. However, there is a specialist mortgage market that caters specifically for people with adverse credit history, including IVAs.
Specialist or adverse credit lenders assess applications on a more detailed basis than mainstream banks. They look at factors including:
- How long ago the IVA started and whether it has been completed
- Whether you have maintained payments during the IVA without defaults
- Your current income and its stability
- How much deposit you can put down
- Any other adverse credit markers on your file since the IVA started
As a general rule, the larger your deposit, the better your chances with specialist lenders. Deposits of 25% to 30% or more are often required to access the better specialist mortgage rates. The rates themselves will be higher than mainstream mortgage deals, reflecting the perceived risk.
Getting a Mortgage After the IVA Drops Off Your Credit File
Once the six-year period has passed and the IVA is removed from your credit file, your options open up considerably. You will no longer need to declare the IVA to most lenders, and you can apply to mainstream mortgage lenders on the same basis as any other applicant.
At this point, what matters is the credit profile you have built in the years since the IVA ended. Lenders will want to see:
- A consistent record of paying bills and credit commitments on time
- Responsible use of credit (for example, a credit card that you clear in full each month)
- Stable employment and income history
- No County Court Judgments (CCJs) or other adverse markers in recent years
- A reasonable debt-to-income ratio
Steps to Improve Your Mortgage Chances After an IVA
Regardless of where you are in the post-IVA timeline, the following steps will help improve your chances of getting a mortgage:
1. Check and Monitor Your Credit Reports
Obtain your credit reports from all three main agencies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — and review them carefully. Once the IVA end date plus three months has passed, check that the IVA has been removed from all three reports. Errors on credit files are not uncommon and can significantly affect your score; if you spot any inaccuracies, raise a dispute with the relevant agency.
2. Build a Positive Credit History
You can start rebuilding your credit history during and after the IVA. A credit builder card — where you spend a small amount each month and pay it off in full — demonstrates responsible use of credit and creates a positive payment record. Ensure all your regular bills (utilities, phone, broadband) are paid on time and in full, as these can be registered on your credit file.
3. Register on the Electoral Roll
Being registered on the electoral roll at your current address is one of the simplest steps you can take to improve your creditworthiness. Many lenders use this to verify your identity and address stability.
4. Save the Largest Deposit You Can
A larger deposit reduces the lender’s risk and improves your chances of approval. It also means borrowing less, which results in lower monthly payments and potentially access to better rates. Even while in an IVA, if there is any capacity to save — perhaps towards the end of the arrangement — doing so will pay dividends when you apply for a mortgage.
5. Work With a Specialist Mortgage Broker
A mortgage broker who specialises in adverse credit and post-IVA applications will know which lenders are most likely to consider your application and in what circumstances. Going directly to lenders and being declined multiple times can further damage your credit score. A broker can guide you to the right lender first time, making soft enquiries rather than leaving hard footprints on your file.
Typical Timelines
While every situation is different, here is a general guide to what you might expect:
- During the IVA: Extremely unlikely to get a mainstream mortgage. Some specialist lenders may consider it in very limited circumstances with a very large deposit.
- 1–3 years after IVA completion (record still on file): Specialist lenders may consider applications, particularly with a 25%+ deposit and a clean payment record since the IVA started.
- After the credit file record is removed (6 years from start date): Mainstream lenders become accessible. Your success will depend on the credit history you have built in the intervening years.
What About an IVA Mortgage During the Arrangement?
If you are a homeowner already in an IVA, your existing mortgage is not automatically affected — you continue to make your mortgage payments as normal outside the IVA. If you wish to remortgage during an IVA (not in the final year equity release process), you should speak to your Insolvency Practitioner first, as any changes to your financial circumstances need to be disclosed and approved.
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