Today’s borrowers don’t fit neatly into one box. Affordability pressures, changing employment patterns and historic credit events mean brokers are increasingly supporting customers whose circumstances fall outside mainstream lending criteria.
Foundation has strengthened its Residential proposition to help brokers place more complex cases with confidence. Enhancements include simplified credit tiers, broader consideration of historic adverse credit and loan-to-income ratios of up to 5.99x for qualifying higher earners, providing greater flexibility to support more customers and continue making mortgages happen.
The Market Trends Shaping More Complex Borrowing Needs:
- Affordability remains stretched: The average UK property price now stands at £272,000, while the median home in England costs 7.6 times annual earnings.
- More borrowers are relying on higher income multiples: In Q2 2026, 46% of mortgage advances were made to borrowers with higher loan-to-income ratios, up 4.6 percentage points year-on-year.
- Smaller deposits are becoming more common: 8.4% of lending was above 90% LTV, the highest proportion since 2008, demonstrating the continued importance of flexible lending solutions.
- Demand for payment flexibility remains strong: Around 354,000 mortgage accounts used Mortgage Charter measures to reduce monthly payments between July 2023 and June 2026, underlining the value borrowers place on flexibility when managing their finances.
Got a case to discuss?
Speak to your Foundation Regional Account Manager to find out how Foundation’s enhanced Residential proposition could help you place more specialist cases, support a wider range of complex borrowers and continue making mortgages happen.