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Free and independent. We do not carry out removals and we are not paid by lenders, so the advice is not a sales pitch.
Which mortgage lenders accept spray foam insulation in 2026?
Last reviewed: 11 August 2026. Sourced from the House of Commons Library, the HomeOwners Alliance and BBC research — full list at the end of this page.
Roughly a quarter of UK mortgage lenders will currently lend on a property with retrofitted spray foam insulation, and several of the biggest will do so where the installation is documented and the roof has been properly assessed. A number apply a blanket refusal. Equity release is far more restrictive again.
An estimated 250,000 UK homes have spray foam insulation. If yours is one of them, the question is not really “is spray foam a problem” — it is which lender, and what evidence can you produce. This page sets out where each lender stands, what they ask for, and what to do if you have already been declined.
It is worth saying plainly: the Government’s stated position (June 2025) is that spray foam installed in line with the relevant standards “should not… prevent homeowners obtaining a mortgage”. A decline is a lender policy decision, not a verdict on your house.
Lender-by-lender: who lends, who does not
Lender criteria change frequently. The table reflects publicly reported positions as at our last review. Confirm the current position with the lender or a broker before making any decision — and do not commission a removal on the strength of a table on any website, including this one.
| Lender | Reported position | What this means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Case by case | Will lend where the foam was correctly installed and there is a warranty. |
| Halifax | Case by case | Will not refuse solely because spray foam is present; cases assessed on their merits. |
| HSBC | Case by case | May lend where a specialist report confirms suitable installation and a warranty is provided. |
| Lloyds | Case by case | Decisions made individually on the survey. |
| Santander | Case by case | Decisions made individually on the survey. |
| Barclays | Case by case | Decisions made individually on the survey. |
| Yorkshire Building Society | Restrictive | Would not usually lend where there is a significant amount of spray foam. |
| Metro Bank | Restrictive | Would not usually lend where there is a significant amount of spray foam. |
| TSB | Will not lend (new mortgages) | Blanket position on new lending. Existing customers reviewed case by case, subject to correct installation, a valid warranty and available buildings insurance. |
| Skipton Building Society | Will not lend | Will only consider the property once the foam has been removed. |
| The Co-operative Bank | Will not lend | Reported as declining properties with spray foam. |
| Principality Building Society | Will not lend | Blanket position; the society has noted affected applications are under 1% of its volume. |
| Aviva (equity release) | Will not lend | See the equity release section below. |
Not seeing your lender? The absence of a public position usually means they decide on the surveyor’s report rather than a blanket rule — which is good news, because it puts the outcome back in your hands. A broker who knows this niche can tell you quickly.
Equity release: the hardest case
No equity release provider currently lends on a property where spray foam was retrofitted after the property was built. That is a categorical position across the sector, not a case-by-case one, and it is the single biggest difference between equity release and a standard mortgage.
The reported exceptions are narrow and both concern foam that was never a retrofit:
- Responsible Lending — where the foam was installed during construction.
- More 2 Life — for authorised new builds, with the documentation in place.
If equity release is your goal and you have retrofitted foam, removal with proper documentation is more likely to be necessary than it would be for a remortgage. Establish that early rather than after a valuation has failed.
What lenders actually want to see
Across every lender that assesses case by case, the same four things decide the outcome. None of them is “is there foam in the roof”.
| What they look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Evidence of correct installation | Was it installed to the manufacturer’s specification, by a competent installer? The original paperwork, product certificate or guarantee is the single most useful document you can find. |
| An independent assessment of the roof | A report from a suitably qualified specialist — ideally a Property Care Association member, and commercially separate from any installer or removal firm, as RICS advises. Expect roughly £500–£700. |
| A warranty | Several lenders name this explicitly. If the installer has ceased trading, say so in the application rather than leaving a gap. |
| Buildings insurance in place | TSB names this for existing customers. A property no insurer will cover is a property no lender wants to secure against. |
The pattern is consistent: lenders are not buying the removal, they are buying the evidence. We regularly speak to homeowners who have paid thousands for a removal and still cannot get a mortgage, because the paperwork that came with it does not satisfy anybody.
If your lender has already declined
- Do not assume every lender will say the same. There is no shared industry register of spray foam properties. A decline from one lender does not follow you to another. Roughly a quarter of the market will lend.
- Get the assessment before you get removal quotes. At £500–£700 against a removal costing thousands, it is the right first spend — and it may show there is no defect to fix.
- Ask specifically what the decline was based on. A valuer’s note saying the roof could not be inspected is a very different problem from a report identifying actual timber decay, and only one of them needs building work.
- Use a broker who has done this before. Knowing which lenders assess on merit saves a great deal of time.
- If removal is genuinely needed, get the documentation right. See our spray foam removal cost guide for what a proper quote and completion pack should include.
Where the rules are heading
This is a moving picture, and it has been moving in homeowners’ favour.
- November 2024 — joint HomeOwners Alliance and BBC research found that only 25% of mortgage lenders, and no equity release providers, would lend on a property with retrofitted spray foam. Over 160 homeowners contacted the BBC after it was published.
- May 2025 — the Property Care Association and HomeOwners Alliance told Government that, across more than 500 inspections, 35% of properties had one or more defect as a result of spray foam. Which also means roughly two thirds did not.
- June 2025 — the Government stated that foam installed in line with the relevant standards should not prevent a homeowner obtaining a mortgage.
- March 2026 — the HomeOwners Alliance met the Energy Security Minister alongside manufacturers, lenders and Citizens Advice. Government is now encouraging lenders to lend on homes where the foam was installed under a government scheme.
If your foam was fitted under a government-backed energy scheme, that last point matters to you directly — make sure the lender knows which scheme, and keep the paperwork.
What the industry bodies say
| Body | Position |
|---|---|
| PCA & RPSA | Published inspection protocols (March 2023) so surveyors can assess spray foam risk properly, rather than treating its presence alone as decisive. |
| RICS | Advises homeowners to obtain independent expertise that is commercially separate from the installer. |
| Insulation Manufacturers Association | Code of practice (May 2023), updated guidance (October 2024) on installation standards. |
| TrustMark | Dispute resolution where the work was done under a government energy scheme. |
| HomeOwners Alliance | Currently advises homeowners not to install spray foam insulation. |
Related reading: spray foam and mortgage problems · what removal costs · if you were mis-sold · common spray foam problems.
Not sure where you stand with your lender? Talk to an adviser.
Free and independent. We do not carry out removals and we are not paid by lenders, so the advice is not a sales pitch.
Frequently asked questions
Which mortgage lenders accept spray foam insulation?
Nationwide, Halifax and HSBC have each been reported as willing to lend subject to evidence, and Lloyds, Santander and Barclays assess cases individually. TSB, Skipton, the Co-operative Bank and Principality have been reported as declining. Criteria change, so confirm the current position with the lender or a broker.
How many lenders will lend on a house with spray foam?
Around a quarter of UK mortgage lenders will consider a property with retrofitted spray foam. That is a minority, but it is very far from none.
Can I get a mortgage with spray foam insulation?
Often yes, where you can show the foam was correctly installed and an independent assessment confirms the roof is sound. The Government’s position is that correctly installed foam should not prevent a mortgage.
Why do mortgage lenders not like spray foam insulation?
Mainly because it prevents a surveyor inspecting the roof timbers, and because poorly specified installations can restrict ventilation and trap moisture. The lender is securing a loan against a structure that cannot be examined.
Does it matter whether the foam is open-cell or closed-cell?
It can. Closed-cell foam is denser, bonds harder to timber and is more likely to raise concerns about trapped moisture and inspection. Establishing which type you have is part of any competent assessment.
Can I get equity release with spray foam insulation?
Not if the foam was retrofitted after the property was built — no provider currently lends in that situation. The narrow exceptions are for foam installed during construction.
My lender declined. Will another lender find out?
No. There is no shared industry register of spray foam properties. A decline from one lender does not follow you to another.
Will removing the spray foam guarantee a mortgage?
No — and this is the most expensive misunderstanding in this niche. What satisfies a lender is the evidence: a removal certificate plus an independent report on the condition of the roof structure afterwards. A removal without that documentation frequently fails to solve the problem it was bought to solve.
Sources
Reviewed 11 August 2026: House of Commons Library briefing CBP-10658; HomeOwners Alliance guidance; HomeOwners Alliance, “Government urged to tackle spray foam insulation mortgage problems”, which sets out the lender positions above drawing on BBC research.
This page is general information, not mortgage advice. We are not regulated to give mortgage advice and we are not paid by any lender. Lender criteria change frequently — always confirm the current position directly.