Shared Ownership and Defaults
A settled default or defaults doesn’t automatically rule you out, but it can make shared ownership tougher than a standard purchase. Shared ownership is already a more restricted part of the market, and many lenders are cautious where there’s both a higher loan-to-value and any recent adverse credit in the background.
That said, the fact it was for a small amount, now settled, and you’re otherwise up to date is a better starting point than an unpaid or ongoing issue.
What Lenders Will Focus on When You’ve Had Defaults
Lenders usually look past the headline and drill into the detail, including:
- how recent the defaults are – if the default or defaults were more than 6 years ago then you stand a much stronger chance of this not being an issue for the lender
- the amount and the reason it happened
- whether it was satisfied quickly or lingered
- your conduct since then (no missed payments, stable usage of credit)
- your overall affordability, not just the loan size
For shared ownership and defaults specifically, the lender will also consider the housing association’s requirements, the property type, the rent and service charge, and how the total monthly cost stacks up.
Deposit
A larger deposit, such as a £20,000 deposit against a £50,000 mortgage is a strong signal, because it reduces the lender’s risk. It won’t “override” a default, but it can help, especially if the default is older or clearly isolated and your recent credit conduct is clean.
What to Do Before You Apply for a Shared Ownership Mortgage with Defaults
You should get everything lined up so there are no surprises at the Decision in Principle stage. In practice that means:
- Pull your statutory credit reports from all three UK credit reference agencies and check the default is recorded correctly as satisfied, with the right date and balance
- Make sure you’re on the electoral roll at your current address
- Keep credit card utilisation low and avoid applying for new credit in the run-up to a mortgage application
- Keep evidence of the settlement and, if relevant, a short explanation of what caused the default and why it won’t repeat
- Be clear on the full shared ownership costs: mortgage, rent, service charge, utilities, and any ground rent
When It May Be Worth Waiting Getting a Shared Ownership Mortgage with Defaults
If the default is very recent, your chances tend to improve with time, especially once you can show several months of clean, stable credit behaviour after settlement. Sometimes a short delay opens up materially more lender options and better pricing.
Speak to a Broker
Shared ownership plus a default is the kind of scenario where lender criteria can vary sharply, and the way the case is positioned matters. If you’d like us to sense-check your credit file, the shared ownership details and likely lender appetite, call 023 8235 2300 and we can take the facts and give you a clearer view of what’s realistic.
