Sarah & James — First-Time Buyers in Manchester
A composite first-time buyer case. Sarah and James saved a 5% deposit on a £200,000 terraced house in south Manchester. One applicant had a settled mobile-phone default from 2023 that had been declined by a high-street lender. We placed the case with a lender comfortable with older settled defaults at 95% LTV.
Case snapshot
- Month completed: March 2026
- Location: Manchester, England
- Loan amount: £190,000
- Loan-to-value: 95% LTV
- Income: Combined £52,000 gross (PAYE)
- Difficulty: Small deposit; one applicant had a mobile-phone default from 2023.
- Timeframe: 8 weeks first contact to completion.
The adviser approach
We used our comprehensive Primis panel to identify lenders that assess older defaults on a case-by-case basis and accept 5% deposits. We prepared a full explanation letter and evidenced the settled default before submission.
Outcome
Agreement in Principle within 48 hours; full offer 12 working days after application. Completed 8 weeks after first contact.
Anonymisation statement
This is an illustrative composite based on real adviser experience with cases of this type. Names, exact figures and identifying details have been changed or generalised so that no single client is identifiable. Lender criteria change frequently; your own outcome will depend on your circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a real client?
It is an illustrative composite based on real cases of this type handled by our advisers. No single identifiable client is depicted.
Could you help me with a similar case?
Yes — cases like this are exactly what our advisers handle every week. Contact us or call 0191 580 9890.
The Mortgage Genie Limited is an Appointed Representative of First Complete Limited, trading as Primis Mortgage Network, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Mortgage Genie FCA No 754691; First Complete (Primis) FCA No 435779.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.