Nationwide new-build mortgage criteria

Criteria	Verdict	Detail
New-build max LTV (houses)	Yes	up to 95% LTV 95% up to £750k loan; since 26 Jun 2025
New-build max LTV (flats)	Yes	up to 85% LTV
Builder gifted deposit	Yes	— Max 5%, only at ≤90% LTV; buyer must fund a 5% deposit from own resources; >5% total incentives = decline
Gifted deposit (family)	Yes	—
Max LTV (standard)	Yes	up to 95% LTV Note: Headline standard purchase max is 95% (loans up to £750k); LTV steps down for larger loan sizes per the table above. Scheme LTVs (New Build houses 95%, New Build flats 85%, Shared Ownership 90%) are separate scheme figures, not used here. \| New Build flats 85%, Shared Ownership 90% — scheme-specific, excluded (New Build houses 95% coincides with standard headline)

Criteria

Verdict

Detail

New-build max LTV (houses)

Yes

up to 95% LTV

95% up to £750k loan; since 26 Jun 2025

New-build max LTV (flats)

Yes

up to 85% LTV

Builder gifted deposit

Yes

—

Max 5%, only at ≤90% LTV; buyer must fund a 5% deposit from own resources; >5% total incentives = decline

Gifted deposit (family)

Yes

—

Max LTV (standard)

Yes

up to 95% LTV
Note: Headline standard purchase max is 95% (loans up to £750k); LTV steps down for larger loan sizes per the table above. Scheme LTVs (New Build houses 95%, New Build flats 85%, Shared Ownership 90%) are separate scheme figures, not used here. | New Build flats 85%, Shared Ownership 90% — scheme-specific, excluded (New Build houses 95% coincides with standard headline)

Adviser's view

Nationwide new-build mortgage criteria at a glance

Max LTV (houses): 95% — on loans up to £750k, a ceiling raised in mid-2025
Max LTV (flats): 85%
Builder incentives: a developer gift is accepted up to 5% of the price, only where the loan sits at 90% LTV or below
Above 5% total incentive: the case is declined outright
Buyer's own deposit: a genuine 5% from the buyer's own resources is still required

Nationwide raised its new-build house ceiling to 95% (on loans up to £750k) in mid-2025, putting it among the more generous mainstream lenders on this front. Flats are capped lower, at 85%, so the type of property still matters even with a strong deposit.

The building society is specific rather than vague on builder incentives: a developer gift is accepted up to 5% of the price, but only where the loan sits at 90% LTV or below, and the buyer must still find a genuine 5% deposit from their own resources — incentives can't simply replace it. Push the total incentive package above 5% and the case is declined outright, so it's worth totting up every discount, cashback and freebie on offer before assuming it will be accepted.

The table above reflects the current positions; confirm specifics with Nationwide before applying.

FAQ

Does Nationwide lend on new-build properties?

Yes. Nationwide lends up to 95% LTV on new-build houses (on loans up to £750k, a ceiling raised in mid-2025), putting it among the more generous mainstream lenders on this front. Flats are capped lower at 85%, so the property type still matters even with a strong deposit.

What is Nationwide's builder incentive cap on new builds?

Nationwide accepts a developer gift up to 5% of the price, but only where the loan sits at 90% LTV or below, and the buyer must still find a genuine 5% deposit from their own resources. Push the total incentive package above 5% and the case is declined outright.