Equity release on a non-standard construction home is sometimes possible, but each lender sets its own list of building types, and one lender's refusal may not be the last word.
If your home is timber-framed, steel-framed, prefabricated, concrete or thatched, a lifetime mortgage lender will want to know how it was built before it lends. An FCA-authorised equity release adviser can check your home's build against lenders' rules. Whatever the build, you can request that check, without paying, with the form on this page.
What "non-standard construction" means to an equity release lender
It means a home built in a way the lender sees as a risk to its security. The Equity Release Council explains the reasoning: the lender must be satisfied the property can be re-sold, and "This is because some types of construction have in the past suffered structural defects." The Council adds that this does not make such homes unsafe to live in. The worry is that repairs later on could affect the property's value and its appeal to a future buyer.
Lenders put different building types in this group. Lifetime mortgage provider LV= says that "Some properties like houseboats, listed properties, and those with non-standard construction, such as older timber frame properties, may not be eligible for equity release." Its equity release page lists, among homes that may not be eligible: "The property build is non-standard, such as prefab, a wooden or steel frame." The wording is "may not", not "will not": eligibility is decided lender by lender.
Timber frame, steel frame and prefabricated homes
These are the types lenders most often name. LV= lists "Non-standard construction such as timber-framed homes or prefabricated properties" among the reasons a property can be refused, and gives "Damp timbers and rot that may require a detailed survey" as a separate reason. How a lender treats a particular frame or year of build is something an adviser can explain once you request a call-back.
Some lenders say they are more open. LiveMore, a lender for borrowers aged 50 and over whose range includes lifetime mortgages, says of its property criteria: "Whether multiple acres, above a shop or timber construction - we're happy to consider it." That was its website wording on 29 October 2026, written for all its mortgages, and considering a home is not a promise to lend on it.
Concrete homes: PRC and mundic block
Two kinds of concrete home come up often. Pre-cast reinforced concrete (PRC) houses were built in large numbers after the Second World War, when traditional materials and skilled labour were short. BRE Group, which runs a repair certification scheme for them, says structural repairs are needed because of concrete carbonation and that mortgage lenders show a reluctance to lend on these properties. Under that scheme, a register of repaired properties exists so that third parties such as mortgage lenders can assure themselves a repair is sound. Whether a given repair certificate satisfies a given equity release lender is a question for the lender.
Mundic block is a South West of England issue. Cornwall Council writes that "The word mundic describes the deterioration of concrete." Blocks made with mine and quarry waste were used from about the turn of the twentieth century into the 1950s, and local materials stayed in some blocks and foundations until the early 1960s. A test classifies the concrete, and the council's guide (last updated 19 June 2025) says "Class A1 - A3 are mortgageable (subject to lender)" while "Class B and C are un-mortgageable". Ask the adviser how an equity release lender would read your test result.
Thatched roofs, flat roofs and former council homes
Thatch is treated as its own category. Legal & General says a home may not qualify for equity release if it is a property the lender is not happy to lend against, and gives a thatched roof as an example. Pure Retirement's lending-criteria FAQ for advisers, read on 30 October 2026, gives a product table: a thatched roof is shown as accepted on its Sovereign and Classic plans and on Heritage except Special 3 products, but not on Emerald. It adds: "Please note, the material needs to be reed or straw and that the thatch must be in good condition." Approval is subject to the surveyor's comments, and Pure says its criteria can change. Listing brings its own rules, covered on the listed building page.
Flat roofs are checked for upkeep and resale. The same FAQ shows Pure's limits running from 40% of the roof (non-durable roofs on Emerald) up to 100% (Heritage), with the roof in good condition and the surveyor's approval. Former council homes bring a different check for some lenders: who owns the rest of the street. Pure can consider ex-council houses on all its products, subject to the surveyor, with a minimum value for each product and, on some, a minimum share of privately owned homes nearby. More is on the ex-council house page, and flats in the flats page.
What the valuation and survey do
The lender's valuation is how it looks at your actual home. Equity Release Council standards require members to use a RICS-qualified independent valuer for every product. The same standards say that if a lender shares the valuer's report, it must state that the report "is not a property condition survey and should not be relied upon by the customer for any other purpose". So the lender's report tells you what the lender thinks of its security, not what is wrong with your house. If you want to know about frame, damp or concrete condition, that is a separate job for a surveyor of your own choosing. The valuation page covers how the figure is reached and what it changes.
When one lender says no to a non-standard home
LV= says: "If one lender declines your application, it may be accepted by another." It adds: "All providers have their own rules and criteria." That is a reason to talk to a qualified adviser before you apply anywhere, and this page's enquiry form is the way to get a free call from one. Equity Release Council standards say members' plans must always be sold on an advised basis, and that you must get independent legal advice when you first take one out; see the standards page and choosing a solicitor. If your house is refused everywhere, the alternatives page sets out other routes.
Whichever lender you reach, the usual trade-offs apply. Lifetime mortgages use compound interest, so what you owe can add up quickly without repayments, and the debt reduces what is left for your estate. Repaying early is likely to bring an early repayment charge, and the money may affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits. This page covers the UK; in Scotland a lender's security is a standard security. The equity release overview covers these points, and the benefits page explains which benefits can be affected.
Timber, thatch, concrete: common questions
Is a timber-framed house always refused?
No. LV= lists older timber frame properties as ones that "may not be eligible", and LiveMore says it is happy to consider timber construction. Rules differ by lender, so ask before you apply.
Do I need a structural survey for equity release?
The lender arranges a valuation, which is not a condition survey. Whether to commission your own survey on a timber, steel or concrete home is something a qualified adviser can talk through with you.
Does a mundic test result matter?
Cornwall Council's guide says Class A1 to A3 results are mortgageable subject to lender, and Class B and C are not. How an equity release lender would treat yours is for the lender to say.
Which lenders accept a thatched roof?
Pure Retirement accepts it on some products only, as above. Other lenders may differ and rules change, so check current terms before relying on any of this.
Is a former council house non-standard?
It depends on how the house was built and on the lender. Some lenders, Pure Retirement among them, also look at how many homes on the street are privately owned. See the ex-council house page.