What are the pros and cons of ‘no-deposit’ mortgage deals for first-time buyers?

The “track record” mortgage is available to those who can show evidence of a minimum of 12 months of rental history, as well as passing credit and affordability checks.

Rising rents have added to the mix of surging living costs to make it harder for some people to save anything for a deposit – and many people don’t have help from the “bank of mum and dad” to help them raise additional funds.

There are some other “no-deposit” deals on the market – though these often require some additional financial backing though from family members or friends.

David Hollingworth, an associate director at broker L&C Mortgages, explains: “A number of lenders offer deals that can lend as much as 100 per cent of the purchase price, but require the parent to put down some additional security.

“That will usually require them to lock away some cash or put up spare equity in their own home as additional security for the lender.”

Barclays has a “family springboard” mortgage allows people to get on the property ladder with no deposit, but they must have a “helper” who can deposit the equivalent of 10 per cent of the purchase price into a linked savings account.

Halifax has a “family boost” mortgage and Lloyds has a “lend a hand” mortgage, which work in a similar way.

One major advantage of zero-deposit mortgages is that they can accelerate people’s plans to get onto the property ladder.

If a family “helper” is needed to deposit money into savings, they will often earn interest on this cash.

But, there may also be some potential drawbacks or risks, which need careful consideration.

For example, the bigger the deposit someone has, the lower the mortgage rate they will often be offered, so having no deposit could work out more expensive over the course of the mortgage deal.

Hollingworth says: “Getting a deposit together will open up better rates as a general rule.”

There is also the risk when you have little or no deposit of falling into negative equity – that’s when the loan you’ve taken out ends up being worth more than the property. This can happen at times when house prices are falling.

But, Hollingworth points out: “Equally, if prices rise it could help to get on the ladder sooner rather than watching prices edge further away.”

There may also be restrictions on the type of property you can buy, for example the Skipton deal excludes new-build flats.

Borrowers – and their family helpers – should also consider what could happen if they default on the mortgage.

Lenders often state in their rules that savings will be returned with interest after a set period – provided that the borrower has kept up with their payments.

Hollingworth says: “If things went badly wrong and the first-time buyer property was repossessed and sold at a shortfall then the lender could call on that security to cover the outstanding balance.”

Zero-deposit mortgages have come under the spotlight just as the average price tag on a first-time buyer home across Britain has hit a record high of £224,963, according to Rightmove.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, says: “We’re seeing that buyers are spreading their search wider when looking for a home compared with last year and before the pandemic, to find the right home within budget.

“This is something that has become more possible with flexible working arrangements.”

Borrowers also face the hurdles of passing affordability and credit checks in the first place.

In another innovation to help first-time buyers, Leeds Building Society has partnered up with Experian Boost.

This means that some additional regular payments – including subscriptions to digital entertainment services such as Netflix or Spotify – can now contribute to credit scores and be factored into mortgage applications to the Society.