Bluestone Mortgages has announced a series of credit policy and tiering updates across its residential product range, aimed at improving access to homeownership for a wider pool of borrowers.

The enhancements are part of the lender’s ongoing efforts to support brokers and customers through more inclusive lending criteria.

COUNTY COURT JUDGEMENTS

Key changes include expanded allowances for County Court Judgments (CCJs). Customers in the AA credit tier can now have up to two CCJs in the past 36 months, while those in the A tier can have up to three within the same period.

Bluestone has also raised the threshold for disregarded CCJs and defaults to £500—an increase from the previous £300 limit—and will now exclude utility bill-related defaults and CCJs, in addition to existing exemptions for telecoms.

The lender has also extended its flexibility for applicants recently discharged from bankruptcy. For the AA tier, borrowers discharged for more than two years are now eligible, while those in the A and BBB tiers are eligible after one year.

ATTAINABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP

Steve Griffiths, Retail Mortgages Commercial Director at Shawbrook, said: “It’s crucial that lenders adapt to the diverse needs of borrowers.

“These changes reflect Bluestone’s understanding of the challenges many customers face in accessing mortgages.

“By offering greater flexibility with CCJs, defaults, and bankruptcy history, we’re ensuring that more people have the opportunity to secure a mortgage, even if their financial past doesn’t fit the traditional mould.

“Our aim is to make homeownership more attainable in a modern world where credit histories are far from straightforward.”