12 February 2026
In a market where home buyers are facing tougher affordability and rising upfront costs, you’re doing more heavy lifting than ever. And with lenders pushing to stand out, having products that genuinely support your conversations – and widen the pool of clients you can help really matters.
To help you with this, you told us you want options that better reflect real life journeys. That’s why we’ve made updates to how our Delayed Start mortgages work, and introduced a delayed start feature to our Track Record and Shared Ownership mortgages – all designed to give you more tools, flexibility, and routes to “yes” for your clients.
What Delayed Start already does
We created Delayed Start to let your clients delay their mortgage repayments for the first three months after completion, though interest still accrues from day one. It’s designed to ease the immediate cash pressures that tend to come with moving home.
What’s new?
1) New optional one or two month delay
You told us that not every client needs (or wants) a full three month delay before repayments begin. In fact, shorter delays can often work better and keep overall costs down.
- From now on you can choose a one- or two-month delay as well, depending on your client’s needs, affordability and the product they choose.
- This lets you tailor the delay to the client’s actual situation – whether that’s needing just a few weeks to get settled or a couple of months to rebalance finances after the move.
2) Track Record now available with delayed start feature
You’re already using our Track Record mortgages to help clients who can show they’re comfortable making monthly repayments. Remember, we’ll accept a deposit of less than 5%, but your clients don't need a deposit to apply.
But even with this, some still struggle with upfront moving costs or getting financially settled as soon as they get the keys.
By combining Track Record with a delayed start feature, you can:
- Remove the deposit requirement
And
- Ease upfront pressure with delayed mortgage repayments.
Our Track Record mortgages are:
- Open to buyers aged 21 or above who have paid all rent on time for 12 months in a row, within the last 18 months
- For buyers who haven't owned a property for the last three years.
It means more flexibility and fewer barriers for your clients who need a bit of breathing room at the point of completion.
3) Shared Ownership now available with delayed start feature
Shared Ownership mortgages already help clients with smaller deposits – but many still hit a wall when it comes to the immediate costs of moving.
You can now apply a delayed start feature to Shared Ownership, helping you:
- Support clients who have the deposit, but not the upfront cashflow
- Offer a softer financial landing as they transition into homeownership
- Increase accessibility for buyers who sit close to affordability limits.
It’s another option in your toolkit to keep conversations moving forward when budgets are tight. The delayed start feature does not apply to rent payments. Rent payments to the housing association or registered landlord are still due from the start of the term.
Lower costs. Cleaner conversations. A more streamlined proposition.
These updates are about giving you more ways to support your clients when the standard products don’t quite fit. Use the shorter delay options to reduce total interest for clients who only need a small cushion, and try the combinations when you want to remove deposit barriers and manage early cashflow risk.
And with the market continuing to evolve, you’ve now got more tools and flexibility to adapt with it – helping more home buyers take their next step on the ladder.
Delayed Start and Track Record mortgages only available in Great Britain. Shared Ownership mortgages only available in England and Wales.
Products subject to eligibility and lending criteria.
