Please see below for detailed information about our lending criteria, and how to make the pre-application to completion process easier.
Acreage
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Any property that is up to 10 acres | Subject to no agricultural ties or commercial activity. Where property exceeds 5 acres we will only consider the value of the house and immediate garden area. | Accept |
Any property that is above 10 acres | Subject to no agricultural ties or commercial activity. Where property exceeds 5 acres we will only consider the value of the house and immediate garden area. |
Refer |
Age restricted /Sheltered housing
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Sheltered housing must be self contained and living independently |
Property Type Definitions: Retirement Housing / Sheltered Accommodation
|
Accept |
Re-sale fee exceeds 3% of the property value | Retirement villages have different criteria please refer to Legal & General Home Finance. |
Decline |
Annexes
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
|
We will not consider;
We will consider:
|
Accept |
Bungalow
Information |
Hints,Tips, Caveats |
Accept/ Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Properties which are the main residence in England, Wales, mainland Scotland and the Isle of Wight |
All applications are subject to our underwriting and valuations We do not accept other Isles; Northern Ireland, Scilly Isles, Isle of Man and the Channel Isles. |
Accept |
Caravans or Park homes
Information | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|
Caravans or Park Homes |
Decline |
Close to Commercial Properties
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Any property above, below or adjacent to commercial properties | All cases are subject to valuers comments. For information on classification of commercial properties - include information from our further details. |
Refer |
Commercial and Agricultural
Information | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|
Properties: • Where any part of the property is used for farming. (arable or pastoral), providing any form of commercial. income including renting of land to other parties • Where livestock are being kept for commercial purposes. • Small holdings. |
Decline |
Any property where livestock are kept for non-commercial gain |
Refer |
Construction
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Properties defective under the 1984 housing act |
Decline |
|
Steel framed built after 2001 | Subject to valuers comments. |
Accept |
Steel framed built before 2001 and steel-clad properties |
Decline | |
Wimpey no fines or Mundic properties with current A1 category report held |
Accept |
|
Standard Construction - brick or solid stone |
Accept |
|
Timber framed properties built before 1900 |
Refer |
|
Timber framed properties built after 1960 |
Accept |
|
Timber framed properties built between 1900–1960 |
Decline |
|
Properties with a limited amount of single skin wall may be considered subject to the location in the property and provided there are no adverse structural or damp issues relating to the single skin. Single skin on upper floors can be deemed acceptable if the property is structurally sound i.e. the roof is securely tied in.
|
Properties that are built of Single skin walls of less than 225mm brick thickness up to a maximum of 20% wall area. Historic construction types such as Herringbone brick or wattle and daub in-fill of oak timber framing are not deemed single skin and will be assessed on a separate basis. |
Refer |
Single skin construction of the full building, above ground floor or housing habitable rooms |
|
Decline |
Other types of concrete; any prefabricated reinforced concrete (PRC) and non A1 Mundic concrete or High Alumina cement properties, Laing easiform concrete and Large panel systems (LPS) |
PRC repaired is also not accepted. |
Decline |
Environmental matters
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accep/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Properties near or including contaminated land or waste | For example, properties in close proximity landfill. |
Decline |
Extensions
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Properties with extension exceeding 50% of total floor area | This is subject to valuers comments. |
Refer |
Flats / Maisonettes / Bedsits / Studios
Information |
Hints, Tips, Caveats |
Accept/ Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
|
All applications are subject to our underwriting and valuations. Must have suitable insurance with no onerous terms or excesses. We do not accept other Isles; Northern Ireland, Scilly Isles, Isle of Man and the Channel Isles. |
Accept |
|
Must have suitable block insurance with no onerous terms or excesses. |
Refer |
|
Decline |
Flooding
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Properties/Gardens which have flooded in the last five years, or where our flood risk data indicates a higher risk of flooding | Full buildings insurance must be in place with no exclusions, endorsements or onerous conditions or excesses. |
Decline |
Flying freehold
Information | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|
Properties with up to 15% flying freehold |
Accept |
Houses
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Properties which are the main residence in England, Wales mainland Scotland and the Isle of Wight |
All applications are subject to our underwriting and valuations. Must have suitable insurance with no onerous terms or excesses. We do not accept other Isles; Northern Ireland, Scilly Isles, Isle of Man and the Channel Isles. |
Accept |
Japanese knotweed
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
More than 7 metres away from habitable spaces, conservatory and/or garage of the property | This is subject to valuers comments. |
Accept |
Listed buildings
Information | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|
England and Wales Grade 2 and Scotland Grade C Listed Buildings |
Accept |
England and Wales Grade 2* and Scotland Grade B Listed Buildings |
Refer |
England and Wales Grade 1 and Scotland Grade A Listed Buildings |
Decline |
New build
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
New build properties are defined as properties up to two years old or being occupied for the first time with NHBC Certificate, Building Warranty, or acceptable Professional Consultant Certificate. Properties between two-ten years old with NHBC Certificate, Building Warranty or acceptable Professional Consultant Certificate |
Properties under 10 years old must have a New Build Warranty. The following are acceptable:
|
Accept |
Property value
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
£70,000 and over for houses and bungalows. £100,000 for flats, maisonettes, ex-council, ex-housing association or ex-Ministry of Defence properties |
All types of flat. Except Freehold flats in England and Wales. Any Ex local authority properties have a minimum value required of £100,000. |
Accept |
Property value over £2,000,000 (£1,000,000 for studio flats) | All types of flat. Except Freehold flats in England and Wales. |
Refer |
Property condition
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
|
Excessive stored items causing limited access to the rooms can impact the valuation. |
Decline |
Roof construction
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Standard construction - Tiled or Slate roof |
Accept |
|
Property originally built with a 100% flat roof |
Other roof constructions may be considered e.g Metal roof. |
Refer |
Property with a flat roof where 50% or more of the roof forms part of an extension |
Other roof constructions may be considered e.g Metal roof. |
Refer |
Thatched roof buildings |
Decline |
Second home
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Second homes that are not the main residence | This includes holiday homes. |
Decline |
Service charge and Ground Rent
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Service charge and Ground Rent combined do not exceed 2.5% of the property value | As in the Housing Act 1988 - ground rent must not exceed £250 per annum or £1000 within Greater London - Greater London is defined https://www.londononline.co.uk/boroughs/. |
Accept |
Solar panels
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Solar Panels – owned |
Accept |
|
Solar Panels – Air space lease | The lease needs to meet our requirements. The requirements have taken a broader approach to those implied by UK Finance. This is reviewed by our legal team prior to application. |
Refer |
Sprayfoam
Information | Hints, tips and caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Where spray foam insulation has been applied in the loft space |
Decline |
|
Where spray foam insulation has been removed from the loft space |
Where spray foam insulation has been removed from the loft space Removal has been completed by a professional (member of the PCA). A certificate may be required to confirm it has been satisfactorily removed. Property will be subject to a full inspection and may require a roof report and any repairs required will need to be undertaken prior to completion. |
Refer |
Structural movement
Information | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|
Structural movement underpinned in the last five years. Progressive structural movement |
Decline |
Unadopted roads
Information | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|
Unadopted roads | Refer |
Utilities
Information | Hints, Tips and Caveats | Accept/Refer/Decline |
---|---|---|
Properties without mains water, or have water supplied from a bore hole or a deep well | We will not accept properties served by a spring. |
Refer |