Aviva and spray foam insulation
Our contractors: 15,123 verified reviews across 8 platforms, rated 4.9 on GoogleAviva is reported to decline equity release applications on a property with spray foam insulation in the roof, in line with the near-total refusal the BBC found across the equity release market in November 2024. Verified September 2026, and worth confirming with an adviser before you proceed.
Aviva's reported position
The BBC's November 2024 survey found that every equity release lender it surveyed refused to lend on a home with spray foam in the roof, and broker and adviser sources continue to place Aviva among the equity release providers declining these cases outright. Aviva has not published its own spray foam criteria, so this is a reported position, last verified September 2026.
What this means for you
Equity release customers are disproportionately older homeowners, and the properties involved are often bungalows, which happen to be a property type likely to carry a larger area of treated roof and, in this market's history, some of the heaviest targeting by cold callers selling both the original foam and, later, its removal. That combination makes this a particularly unwelcome result for people who may already be relying on the release to fund care, home adaptations or day-to-day income.
Unlike the case-by-case mortgage lenders, a specialist inspection report is not reported to change Aviva's position. The BBC's survey found the refusal applied across every equity release lender it checked, regardless of the foam's condition, and nothing in trade press since suggests that has softened.
This is not Aviva's published policy. No lender publishes its spray foam criteria, so treat this as a reported starting point, last verified September 2026, and confirm the current position with an equity release adviser before you commit to anything.
What to do next
Three routes, weighted differently here than for a standard mortgage.
- Get the loft inspected regardless. It tells you what you are actually dealing with, and around two thirds of the lofts inspected by the Property Care Association had no defect, which matters for the property's value and any future sale even if it does not change Aviva's current stance.
- If removal is realistic, document it fully. Given the near-total refusal reported across equity release providers, removal and a proper evidence pack is generally the route most likely to reopen the market, rather than hoping one report changes one lender's mind.
- Ask an adviser about the narrow exception. A small number of equity release providers are reported to accept spray foam only where it was fitted as part of the property's original construction, not retrofitted, which will not apply to most UK cases but is worth ruling out.
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Aviva and spray foam, common questions
Does Aviva make exceptions for bungalows with a small area of foam?
Not reported. The BBC's survey found the refusal applied across the equity release market regardless of the property type or the extent of the foam.
Will a specialist inspection report change Aviva's decision?
Not according to reported experience. Unlike the case-by-case mortgage lenders, equity release providers surveyed by the BBC in November 2024 were found to refuse regardless of documentation.
If we remove the foam, will Aviva definitely lend afterwards?
Nobody can honestly guarantee that; the lending decision belongs to Aviva. What documented removal does is take away the specific reason for refusal that has been reported consistently across this market.
Are there equity release providers that behave differently?
A small number are reported to accept spray foam only when it was part of the original construction rather than a retrofit, which is uncommon in the UK market. An adviser can confirm whether any case-by-case options currently exist.
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Every 2026 figure, by foam type and property size, with the extras itemised.
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