Getting a home loan with a ‘bad’ credit score

Don’t let a below-average or poor credit score hold you back. Life can throw unexpected hurdles; from missing a few bills, to a full-on default, sometimes these things happen. But even after you get back on track, some banks may hold this against you for years to come. As a non-bank lender we see things differently.

We try to look at options for each of our customers. We want to help you achieve your goals, even if you have a poor credit history. Talk to us about your situation and we’ll see how we could help with your home loan application.


Why Link Home Loans?

We’re fast: Credit decision within 1 working day

We’re flexible: We’ll always try to give you options

We’re accessible: Talk through your situation with us


Cash-out, including for renovations (refinances only)

Borrow up to 85%* of the property value 

Deal directly with a decision-maker 

Get started with 6 months’ business banking documentation

We look beyond just your credit score

Alternative documentation applications considered

Do I have a ‘bad’ credit score?

There’s actually no such thing as a ‘bad’ credit score. What you actually may have is a lower-than-average credit score, which may limit options when applying for credit or a loan. 

If you’ve had issues on your credit record, then it’s important to keep your payments up-to-date and understand what happened in the past. As part of our responsible lending assessment of your application, we’ll ask the questions that matter and look to uncover the meaning behind any poor credit history. This allows us to make an informed decision based on your objectives and requirements, and ability to repay a loan with us. We’ll ask about your situation and uncover why you may have missed payments or had issues with credit in the past. We’ll then do our best to see what options could work for your situation.

Any loan applications are subject to the Link Home Loan team completing responsible lending checks and considering your/every customers individual circumstances.

Your Loan, Your Rate

Discover our flexible approach to home loans. We look at a range of factors (including your financial situation, credit history and property)  to provide eligible borrowers with an interest rate estimate. Talk to a lending specialist to find out where you stand.

Get to know our investor home loan

The choice is yours

Choose a floating rate or fix your loan for 2 or 3 years. Or split your loan up to 4 ways and choose a mix of fixed and floating rates.

Alt Doc application options

We accept alternative documentation (alt-doc) applications, meaning you could apply with as little as 6 months business bank statements if self-employed ~.

Non-metro lending

From North to South, we’re here to help – even if your first home is outside of a major regional area.

Need some help with your home loan?

Whether you’re unsure of the purchase process, wondering what LVR means, or are looking for help along the way, our resources are here to help make sense of all that finance jargon.

Don’t forget to read this bit…

Information and interest rates are correct as at 19 October 2023 and subject to change at any time. Offers and promotions may be continued, withdrawn, or changed at any time without notice.

* Offer applies to ‘New Build’ Prime, Near Prime and Specialist Full Doc home loan applications with LVR >80-85%. Available for Metro security locations only. A New Build is a property where the borrower has made a financial and legal commitment to buy in the form of a purchase contract with the builder, prior to the property being built or at an early stage in construction. This could be traditional ‘construction lending’ where the loan is disbursed in staged payments, or it could be a loan to finance the purchase of a property, which will be settled (in one payment) once the build is complete Or a newly-built entire dwelling completed less than six months before the mortgage application. The dwelling must be purchased from the original developer (the contract to buy at completion can be agreed while the building is still being constructed).

Information provided on this website is factual information only, and is not intended to imply any recommendation about any financial product(s) or constitute tax advice. If you require tax or financial advice, contact a tax adviser or get in touch with one of our licenced financial advisers..

All applications are subject to credit assessment, loan eligibility criteria and lending limits. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply. The actual interest rate will depend on the borrower’s circumstances and the information verified during the loan application assessment.