Accord Mortgages is one of the biggest lenders in the UK that you cannot walk into a branch and apply with. It is an intermediary only lender, which means every Accord mortgage is arranged through a broker. Thousands of brokers across the UK have access to Accord's products, and we are one of them. If you have seen an Accord rate you like, already have an Accord mortgage and want to change it, or a friend has told you Accord were good to them, this guide explains how the lender works, who it tends to suit, and how our advisers help clients get an application over the line.
I have placed cases with Accord for years, so this is written from the broker's side of the desk, drawing on the cases our advisers see every week: what their underwriters look for, where their criteria are more generous than the high street, and where they are not. As always, we are a fee free mortgage broker, so using us to access Accord's products costs you nothing.
Accord is the intermediary lending brand of Yorkshire Building Society, one of the UK's largest building societies. It launched in 2003 to serve borrowers who come through brokers rather than through YBS branches, and it has grown into one of the most widely used lenders on broker panels across England, Wales and Scotland, with products for first time buyers, home movers, remortgage clients and landlords. Being part of the Yorkshire Building Society group matters: Accord lends the society's money, is regulated in the same way, and is not going anywhere.
Its registered office is Yorkshire House, Yorkshire Drive, Bradford, and its underwriting teams and business development managers are based in the UK. In practice you will never need the address. Everything about an Accord application happens between your broker and the lender's teams.
Some lenders run branches, a call centre and an intermediary channel side by side. Accord chose to focus on one route, the intermediary market, which lets it keep costs down and put its energy into underwriting rather than a retail network. For you that means two things. You cannot apply direct, and your broker or adviser is your point of contact for everything from the decision in principle to the mortgage offer. The trade off is that the advice, the packaging of your case and the chasing are all done by someone who works for you rather than for the lender. Brokers also see how Accord's products compare with the rest of the market, which a single lender can never show you.
Every lender says it treats people as individuals. In our experience Accord is one of the few where that is visible in how cases are handled and how lending decisions are made. Three things stand out for brokers and clients alike.
Most mainstream lenders run your application through an automated scorecard and either accept it or decline it with very little room for discussion. Accord uses a scorecard too, but its underwriters can look at the story behind the numbers. That common sense approach to lending is the reason brokers send Accord the cases that need a human to read them. If your credit history has a blip from a few years ago, your income is made up of several parts, or your circumstances are slightly unusual, a case underwriter can weigh that up rather than simply saying no. We have had clients approved with Accord that a high street bank would have bounced on day one.
Accord's Cascade Score range is designed for applicants who narrowly miss the main scorecard, often because of a historic credit issue or a thin credit file rather than anything serious. Instead of a straight decline, the application cascades to a slightly higher rate product with the same underwriter looking at it. It is not a bad credit range in the way specialist lenders offer, and it will not suit every applicant with adverse credit, but for clients who are a near miss it can be the difference between buying now and waiting another year. If your credit history is more complicated than that, our bad credit mortgage broker page explains the alternatives.
As brokers we have named business development managers we can telephone, a live chat with underwriting support, and case updates through Accord's MSO portal. Accord also runs the Growth Series, a programme of business support and market insights for intermediary firms, which tells you something about how seriously it takes its brokers. When something needs a judgement call, we can put the case to a person and get an answer. That speed and directness is a big part of why Accord comes up so often in our recommendations to clients.
Accord's product range covers most of what a typical borrower in the UK needs. Rates on individual products change constantly and depend on your loan to value, the Bank of England base rate and market conditions, so I will not quote them here. What follows is the shape of the range at the time of writing, and a broker will have access to the live rate sheet on the day you apply.
Fixed rate mortgages over two, three and five years are the core of the range, alongside tracker products that follow the base rate. We compare the two in our guide to fixed vs tracker mortgages. Accord lends to first time buyers, home movers and people remortgaging from another lender, typically up to 95% LTV on standard houses. Terms can run up to 40 years, which helps affordability for younger buyers, and the maximum age at the end of the term is generous compared with many lenders.
Standard income multiples across the market sit around 4.5 times household income, and most lenders reserve anything higher for professionals on large salaries. Accord's Boost LTI products allow eligible first time buyers to borrow up to 5.5 times income. In December 2025 the minimum income threshold for this was removed, so it is no longer reserved for higher earners. There are conditions: at least one applicant must be a first time buyer, the LTV is capped, and affordability still has to work on Accord's calculator. For buyers with a solid deposit but a stretched budget, it can add tens of thousands of pounds to what you could borrow. Try our mortgage borrowing calculator to see how much difference a higher multiple makes.
Accord's £5k Deposit Mortgage lets first time buyers purchase a house with a deposit of just £5,000, borrowing up to 99% of the property value. It is aimed at renters who can afford monthly payments but struggle to save a large deposit, and it is one of very few products of its kind in the market. There are limits: it is for houses rather than flats, new build is excluded, the purchase price is capped, and you will need a clean credit file and strong affordability. We wrote about how these work in our 99% loan to value mortgage guide.
Accord offers buy to let mortgages to individual landlords and portfolio landlords, on both purchases and remortgages, and it is one of the lenders our advisers use most for buy to let mortgages on standard properties. Two features landlords tend to like: top slicing, where personal income can be used to support a rental shortfall in the affordability calculation, and a straightforward approach to portfolio landlords who own several properties. Rental cover is assessed against a stressed rate, so the numbers work differently from residential lending. Buy to let mortgages with Accord are usually on interest only, and its buy to let products and rental cover requirements compare well with other lenders in the market.
Accord lends on new build homes, including flats, with offers that can be extended to suit a developer's timescale. Its offset mortgages, where savings held with the group reduce the interest charged on the mortgage, are one of the few offset ranges still available through brokers. Interest only products are available on residential lending up to a lower LTV, with a credible repayment plan required, and part and part is possible for clients who need a middle ground.
For family members who want to help someone buy without going on the deeds, Accord accepts JBSP applications where a parent's income is added to the affordability assessment while only the buyer owns the property. Our JBSP mortgage guide covers how it works and the tax reasons people choose it.
Lending criteria change, and your broker will check the current rules before submitting, but the themes below have been consistent for years. This is where the common sense approach shows most clearly: the criteria set the framework, and the underwriters apply judgement inside it.
Employed applicants normally need to have passed probation, though Accord will consider new jobs with a contract in place. Self employed borrowers are usually assessed on two years of accounts or SA302s, with an average of the last two years or the latest year if income is falling. Contractors and other professionals can be assessed on a day rate, and applicants with several income sources are common. Bonus, overtime and commission can count, typically at a percentage. Our self employed mortgages page goes into how lenders read accounts.
Accord is a mainstream lender, so it expects a reasonably clean file. Small, old defaults or a satisfied CCJ may be considered, especially through Cascade Score. Recent missed payments, current arrears or a bankruptcy will usually mean looking at a specialist lender instead. Accord runs a soft search at decision in principle stage, so getting a DIP does not leave a mark on your credit file.
Deposits can come from savings, a gift from a family member, or the sale of a property. Accord needs to see where the funds have come from, so keep the paper trail tidy. Gifted deposits need a signed letter confirming no repayment is expected. On the property side, Accord takes a sensible view on ex local authority houses, flats above shops and non standard construction, but each property is looked at individually and a valuation report may raise questions. Properties with unusual construction or a short lease need checking before you commit.
We start with a conversation, by phone or video, about what you are buying or refinancing, your income, your deposit and your plans. From that we can tell you quickly whether Accord is a realistic fit for your needs or whether another lender's products will do better. You get a choice, explained in plain English.
If Accord looks right, we run a decision in principle through the MSO portal. It is a soft search, usually comes back within minutes, and gives you a figure you can house hunt with.
Once you have an offer accepted on a property, we submit the full mortgage application, upload your documents and pay the valuation fee if one applies. Packaging the case properly at this stage is where brokers earn their keep. Missing bank statements or an unexplained transfer can add weeks.
An Accord underwriter assesses the case while the valuation is instructed. If they have questions we answer them directly, which is one of the practical advantages of a lender that only works with brokers. Straightforward cases can be offered within a couple of weeks; more complex income or a tricky property can take longer.
The mortgage offer goes to you and your solicitor. Accord offers are typically valid for six months, which gives breathing room if the property chain is slow. We stay involved until the day you complete.
Clients often ask how a fee free broker makes money. When your Accord mortgage completes, Accord pays us a procuration fee, a standard commission that every lender pays to intermediaries for introducing and packaging the business. It does not affect your rate, and Accord pays a similar amount whichever of its brokers you use. Because that payment route covers our costs on straightforward cases, we do not charge you a broker fee on top. Our guide on going direct versus using a broker explains the difference in more detail.
Like any lender, Accord has a mix of fee and fee free products, and the right choice depends on your loan size and how long you plan to keep the deal. A product fee can often be added to the loan. Valuation fees vary by property value and are sometimes free on remortgages. Early repayment charges apply during a fixed or tracker period and step down each year, and the overpayment allowance of up to 10% a year lets you reduce the balance without triggering an ERC. Our overpayment guide shows what a regular overpayment saves.
When your fixed rate ends you can switch to a new Accord rate without a new affordability assessment or valuation, provided you are not borrowing more or changing the term. Product transfers can be arranged through us and we will compare the switch against remortgaging to another lender before recommending either. Existing clients often assume the retention products are the best deal, and sometimes they are, but not always.
Accord offers further advances for home improvements, debt consolidation and other purposes, subject to affordability and loan to value limits. Additional borrowing is assessed on current criteria, so income and credit checks apply.
Most Accord products are portable, meaning you can take your existing rate to a new property and avoid early repayment charges, with any extra borrowing on a new product. Porting is a new application in all but name, so criteria still have to be met. Our porting your mortgage guide explains the mechanics.
Existing borrowers can speak to Accord about payments and account queries. At the time of writing the existing borrower line is 0345 1200 891 for changing your rate, borrowing more or moving home, and 0345 1200 872 for direct debit, payment and offset queries. Details are on the existing customer section of the Accord website. For advice on whether to stay or switch, speak to your broker rather than the lender.
Accord tends to be a strong fit for first time buyers and home movers with a reasonable credit history who want a well priced rate and a lender that will listen if something in the application needs explaining. It is often a good match for buyers who need higher income multiples, for professionals and applicants with more than one income, for landlords who want top slicing on buy to let mortgages, and for anyone buying a new build. It is less likely to suit borrowers with recent adverse credit, very complex company structures, or unusual properties that a specialist lender is set up for.
The honest answer is that we never start from a lender. We start from you and your needs, search the whole market across dozens of lenders and thousands of products, and if Accord comes out on top we will tell you why. If another lender does, we will tell you that too. You might also find our guide to BM Solutions, another broker only lender, useful for comparison.
No. Accord is intermediary only, so new applications and most changes to existing loans go through a mortgage broker. Existing borrowers can contact Accord about their account.
Accord is part of the Yorkshire Building Society group and lends the society's funds, but it is a separate brand with its own product range, criteria and underwriting teams that serve brokers only.
Some brokers do. We do not charge a fee for standard residential and buy to let cases because Accord pays us a procuration fee on completion.
Typically around 4.5 times income, rising to 5.5 times for eligible first time buyers through Boost LTI. Income multiples like these are a ceiling, not a promise. Your actual figure depends on Accord's affordability calculation, your credit commitments and the loan to value.
Minor historic issues may be considered, and Cascade Score exists for near misses. Recent or serious adverse credit usually means a specialist lender is a better route.
A decision in principle takes minutes. Full applications with clean documents are often offered within two to three weeks, though valuations, complex income and busy market conditions can extend that.
Yes, usually up to 10% of the outstanding balance each year without an early repayment charge. Above that, ERCs apply during the deal period.
Yes. Accord lends across England, Wales and Scotland, with the Scottish conveyancing process handled by your solicitor as normal.
If you want to know whether Accord is the right lender for your purchase, remortgage or buy to let, get in touch. Our advisers are based near Southampton and Romsey in Hampshire, work with clients across the UK, and have over 190 five star Google reviews from people we have looked after. There is no broker fee for standard cases, just clear advice from advisers who work for you, access to Accord's full range of products, and someone who will pick up the phone. If you would rather start online, use the contact form and we will call you back.
Get in touch or call 03300 432 428.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Alexander Southwell Mortgage Services is not affiliated with Accord Mortgages or Yorkshire Building Society. Criteria and product details are correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing and change regularly.
