Adverse Credit
Getting a Mortgage After an IVA
Most lenders want an IVA completed before they will lend, and some want a period to have passed since. Specialist lenders can consider you after completion, and occasionally during an IVA with your supervisor's agreement.
Written and reviewed by Davi Thakar, CeMAP qualified mortgage and protection adviser Updated
Yes, you can get a mortgage after an IVA, but usually only once it has completed and only with specialist lenders at first. Getting a mortgage during an IVA is rare and needs your insolvency practitioner’s agreement.
An individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) is a formal, legally binding agreement to repay part of your debts over a set period, usually five or six years, supervised by an insolvency practitioner. When it ends successfully, the rest of the included debt is written off.
The IVA stays on your credit file for six years from the date it started, or until it ends if it runs longer. Lenders care most about whether it completed, how long ago, and how you have managed money since.
This guide covers what lenders check, deposits, remortgaging during an IVA and how to rebuild. For the wider picture, see our bad credit mortgage guide.
Can you get a mortgage after an IVA?
Yes, with specialist lenders. Most want the IVA completed and your completion certificate in hand. Expect to need a deposit of around 15% to 25% in the first few years after completion. Options widen the longer it has been, and widen again once the IVA drops off your credit file after six years.
Is a mortgage during an IVA possible?
| During the IVA | After completion | |
|---|---|---|
| Buying a home | Very rare. You usually need your insolvency practitioner’s agreement, and few lenders will consider it | Of the lenders we checked, the earliest was three years after completion. More options appear at six years |
| Remortgaging | Possible in some cases, often only like-for-like, and you must tell your insolvency practitioner. Equity may need to be released into the IVA in the final year | As for buying, with specialist lenders |
| Typical deposit or equity | Often 25% or more | Often 15% to 25% in the first few years |
During an IVA you have agreed to put your spare income towards your creditors. Taking on a new mortgage changes that, which is why your insolvency practitioner has to be involved and why so few lenders will look at it.
Where does an IVA show up?
An IVA shows in two places, and they work to different timescales.
- Your credit file. It stays for six years from the start date, or until the IVA ends if that is later. This is what most lenders see first.
- The Individual Insolvency Register. GOV.UK says an IVA is removed from the register 3 months after it ends. You can search the bankruptcy and insolvency register to check your own entry.
GOV.UK’s guide to individual voluntary arrangements explains how they are set up and what happens if you miss payments.
What do lenders look at after an IVA?
| Factor | What lenders want to see |
|---|---|
| Completion | A completion certificate showing the IVA ended successfully |
| Time since completion | The longer, the better. Very recent completions narrow the choice |
| Record since | No new missed payments, defaults or CCJs after the IVA |
| Deposit | Usually more than a clean applicant would need |
| Affordability | Income and outgoings that work on today’s figures, with room to spare |
| Bank statements | Steady management, no payday loans and no regular overdraft reliance |
A failed IVA, which ended without completing, is treated much more seriously and often leads to bankruptcy. If that happened, read our guide to mortgages for discharged bankrupts.
How long after an IVA do lenders want? (criteria checked October 2026)
We checked the criteria these lenders publish for brokers on 16 and 17 October 2026. Criteria change often, every lender also credit scores, and meeting a rule does not guarantee approval. Use this as a guide to where you might fit, not a promise.
| Lender (source) | What they publish |
|---|---|
| Nationwide (high street) | Not while active. Considered once discharged for at least 3 years |
| Skipton (building society) | Discharged at least 3 years ago, subject to score and no recent arrears |
| Virgin Money (high street) | Not within the last 6 years, even if completed |
| TSB (high street) | Discharged at least 6 years |
| Leeds (building society) | Not accepted unless discharged more than 6 years ago |
| Accord (building society) | Satisfied for at least 6 years |
| Bluestone (specialist) | More than 3 years after completion on most tiers, up to 85% LTV |
| Kensington (specialist) | Not in the last 6 years |
What this tells you: the 3-year and 6-year marks after your IVA completes are the big milestones. Some lenders open up at 3 years, many more at 6.
Rules are summarised in plain English from each lender’s own published criteria. Lenders change them regularly, so we check again before recommending anything.
Real client case: remortgaging to clear an IVA and improve the home
Our clients were in an IVA and wanted to raise money for home improvements. They had worked hard to get their finances back on track, but the IVA meant mainstream lenders’ criteria ruled them out.
We looked at the whole picture: the IVA, their current commitments, their income and the equity in their home. We then went to specialist lenders that consider IVA cases, rather than relying on the stricter rules most high street banks use. The remortgage completed, the IVA was cleared as part of it, and the clients had the money for their home improvements.
What this shows: an IVA does not always mean waiting years before you can borrow. If you have equity in your home, a remortgage that clears the IVA can sometimes be arranged with a specialist lender. Your insolvency practitioner has to be involved, and the terms reflect the higher risk.
Which situations do lenders see most?
These are illustrative situations, not Option Finance client outcomes.
Just completed
The IVA finished a few months ago and the certificate has arrived. A small number of specialist lenders may look at it.
Expect fewer lenders and a bigger depositTwo years clean
The IVA completed some time ago and every account since has been paid on time. More specialist lenders come into play.
Time plus a clean record opens doorsFinal year equity release
You own a home and your IVA terms ask you to try to release equity. Few lenders will lend during an IVA.
Start early with your practitionerOff the file
The IVA started more than six years ago and has dropped off your credit file. Some lenders still ask if you have ever had one.
Answer honestly and options widenIllustration only
A buyer completed a five-year IVA 18 months ago and has had no missed payments since. A specialist lender might consider them with a 15% deposit. If the IVA had been completed only a month ago, the same buyer would likely face fewer lenders and need a larger deposit.
What happens to your home in an IVA?
If you already own your home, many IVAs include a clause requiring you to try to release equity towards the end, usually in the final year. If you cannot remortgage, the IVA is often extended by up to 12 months instead. Your insolvency practitioner will explain the terms of yours.
Speak to a broker early if this applies. Finding a lender during an IVA takes time, and the lender will want written agreement from your practitioner before it goes further. If you are already past the IVA and want to switch, see remortgaging with bad credit.
How do you rebuild your credit after an IVA?
- Get your completion certificate and keep it safe.
- Check your credit files with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The debts included should show as settled through the IVA, and the IVA should show as completed.
- Register on the electoral roll at your current address.
- Build a clean record with bills paid on time. A small credit-builder card paid in full each month can help.
- Avoid payday loans and short-term borrowing. Many lenders treat them as a warning sign, as our payday loans guide explains.
- Save a bigger deposit. It widens your choice more than anything else.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Applying the day the certificate arrives to a lender that will not accept it. Each declined application leaves a search on your file.
- Hiding the IVA on an application form. Lenders find it, and a false answer can end the application.
- New credit in the months before applying. Even small loans or finance deals can count against you.
- Assuming six years means a clean slate. Some lenders ask whether you have ever had an IVA.
How does an IVA compare with other debt solutions?
Many lenders treat an IVA more seriously than a debt management plan and less seriously than bankruptcy. A debt relief order is another formal insolvency option and sits close to an IVA in most lenders’ eyes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a mortgage after an IVA?
Yes, with specialist lenders, usually once the IVA has completed. Options widen with time and a clean record, and once it drops off your file after six years.
Can I get a mortgage during an IVA?
It is rare. You usually need your insolvency practitioner’s agreement and a specialist lender, often with a large deposit.
How long does an IVA stay on my credit file?
Six years from the start date, or until it ends if it runs longer.
When is an IVA removed from the Insolvency Register?
GOV.UK says it is removed 3 months after the IVA ends. Your credit file follows the separate six-year rule.
Do I have to remortgage during my IVA?
Many IVAs require you to try to release equity in the final year. If you cannot, the IVA is often extended instead. Check your IVA terms.
How much deposit do I need after an IVA?
Often 15% to 25% in the first few years after completion, depending on the lender and your record since.
Do I need to tell a lender about an IVA that has dropped off my file?
If the application form asks whether you have ever had an IVA, yes. Always answer truthfully.
Speak to Option Finance about a mortgage after an IVA
Send us your IVA dates and your credit files. We will tell you straight whether lenders would consider you now, or exactly what to work on first.
Book a free initial consultation using the enquiry form below. See our adverse credit mortgage advice, and read about mortgages with a default if older accounts still show problems.
Talk through your mortgage options
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Talk through your mortgage options
Tell us about your plans and circumstances. Your initial consultation is free.
Written and reviewed by Davi Thakar
Director & Senior Mortgage Broker
CeMAP Qualified Mortgage and Protection Adviser
Davi founded Option Finance with a vision to deliver transparent mortgage advice from a wide panel of lenders. With over 10 years in financial services, he specialises in complex cases including adverse credit, self-employed borrowers with limited trading history, and large buy-to-let portfolios. He works directly on complex cases and explains each option clearly.
Meet Davi Thakar
