It may be possible to remortgage with arrears and other adverse credit, but a new lender’s decision cannot be assumed. If a payment is overdue or the next one looks unaffordable, speak to your present lender now. A remortgage enquiry does not change what you owe today.
What should you do before trying to remortgage?
Tell your current lender if you have missed a mortgage payment or expect to miss one. Ask it to confirm the shortfall, the next amount due, any charges and the support it can consider. Get free debt advice if the household budget does not cover priority bills.
Act on the payment problem first. A broker can discuss future mortgage routes, but only your current lender can deal with the existing account and an arrears arrangement. MoneyHelper’s free debt advice locator can help you find confidential support. If you have received legal papers, check the deadline and seek debt or legal help promptly.
Bring the lender’s latest statement or arrears letter to the conversation. Make a realistic list of income, essential spending and other debts so the lender and any debt adviser can discuss a payment plan you may be able to maintain. Do not promise a catch-up payment that would leave another essential bill unpaid.
If this was a single payment problem and you need to understand what happens next, the separate missed mortgage payment guide covers that immediate process. This article focuses on whether replacing or changing the mortgage could form part of a later, sustainable plan.
Which mortgage routes might be worth examining?
Support from your current lender
Ask about an affordable arrangement for the shortfall and what any change would mean for the balance, term and credit record. FCA rules require regulated mortgage lenders to consider appropriate support for customers in payment difficulty; that does not mean every requested measure must be granted.
A new deal with the same lender
If your existing rate is ending or has reverted, ask whether a product transfer is available for your account. The lender may assess an account with arrears differently from an up-to-date one. A new rate does not, by itself, clear an outstanding shortfall.
A remortgage to another lender
A new lender would consider the current mortgage conduct, other credit issues, income, commitments, property value and requested loan. There is no universal minimum clean-payment period or equity percentage. An offer and its price depend on that lender’s assessment and the full costs of switching.
The broader bad-credit remortgage service covers homeowner options when adverse credit is the main issue. If your fixed deal is near expiry, the deal-end guide explains the timing; neither guide replaces an arrears discussion with your current lender.
What needs checking before changing lenders?
Your present position
- Amount overdue, dates missed and whether an arrangement is in place.
- Current payment, interest rate, deal end date and any early repayment charge.
- Income, essential spending, other commitments and whether future payments are affordable.
- Mortgage balance, estimated property value and any other secured borrowing.
Any proposed new loan
- Whether the new lender will consider the credit history and present mortgage conduct.
- New monthly payment, product fee, legal and valuation costs, and the total cost over a comparable period.
- What happens to the arrears and whether any extra borrowing is requested.
- How a longer term or capitalised shortfall would affect interest and the total balance.
Do not treat equity as a cure for an unaffordable payment. Adding arrears or other debt to a mortgage may increase the amount secured on your home and the interest paid. Ask for an illustration and an affordable budget before making that decision. Approval is never guaranteed.
Check your credit reports for accuracy, but do not delay contacting your lender while gathering them. For a later application, the credit-report guide explains how to obtain the records. An adviser can then decide whether a lender approach is appropriate, rather than submitting multiple speculative applications.
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Remortgaging with arrears: quick answers
Can I remortgage while I am in mortgage arrears?
A new-lender remortgage may be possible in some circumstances, but active arrears and other credit problems can limit the options. A lender would assess the payment history, current affordability, property and full credit record. Contact your present lender about the arrears now; a proposed remortgage does not pause payments or recovery action.
Will my current lender offer another rate if I have arrears?
Ask your lender what it can offer on your account. A same-lender product transfer is a different route from applying to a new lender, but availability and any conditions depend on its policy and your circumstances. Discuss payment support and any deal-end date at the same time.
Does telling my lender I am struggling affect my credit file?
The conversation itself does not affect your credit file. Missed or reduced payments, and the terms of a support arrangement, may be reported differently. Ask the lender to explain the credit-file effect of any proposed arrangement before agreeing it.
Can I add the arrears to my mortgage balance?
Your existing lender may consider changing how a payment shortfall is repaid, including capitalisation in appropriate cases. It must not automatically add a material shortfall to the balance. Adding arrears can increase interest and the total debt, so ask for a written comparison of payments, term and total cost and seek free debt advice if needed.
How long must I wait after arrears before remortgaging?
There is no universal six- or twelve-month rule. Lenders make their own decisions using the timing, amount and status of the arrears alongside affordability, other credit information and the property. A future approval cannot be promised; ask for a case-specific assessment when your position is clear.
What if I have received a possession letter or court papers?
Do not wait for a mortgage enquiry to be answered. Contact your lender and get independent debt or legal help promptly, note every response or hearing deadline, and attend any hearing. MoneyHelper explains the support routes, including housing-loss advice where applicable.
Where the guidance was checked
General UK mortgage-arrears and support points were checked on 23 October 2026. Your lender’s current statement, the terms of any arrangement and a new lender’s actual offer determine the answer in your case.
- MoneyHelper: help with mortgage payments — contact your lender, budget and free advice when payments are missed.
- MoneyHelper: debt advice locator — free, confidential help.
- FCA Handbook: MCOB 13 — treatment of payment difficulty and consideration of appropriate arrangements for regulated mortgages.
- MoneyHelper: remortgaging to get the best deal — same-lender transfers and costs of switching.
This guide is general information, not individual mortgage or debt advice. Lender policies, credit reporting and product terms differ. Do not wait for a broker response if a mortgage payment or legal deadline needs immediate action.
Discuss a realistic mortgage route
If you have active arrears, speak to your current lender and consider free debt advice first. Count Ready can discuss a mortgage review once the amount owed, support arrangement and affordable budget are clear. Tell us the approximate balance, deal end date, arrears position and what you hope to change. We cannot promise a lender, rate or approval.
Please do not send bank statements, credit reports or identity documents through an open enquiry form. Read our Terms of Business for service and fee information. Count Ready is a broker, not a lender. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.