TSB and spray foam insulation
Our contractors: 15,123 verified reviews across 8 platforms, rated 4.9 on GoogleTSB is reported as one of the lenders that declines mortgage applications on a property with spray foam in the roof, largely regardless of what an inspection finds. That position was last verified in September 2026, and it is not published by TSB itself, so confirm it with a broker before you rely on it.
TSB's reported position
Trade press and broker sources place TSB among the lenders that decline outright rather than weighing a specialist inspection report, consistent with the BBC's November 2024 finding that around a quarter of the UK's largest mortgage providers would not lend on a foamed roof at all. TSB does not publish spray foam criteria, so this is a reported position, not a quoted policy, last verified September 2026.
What this means for you
A blanket-refuse position usually means the type of foam and the condition of the timbers underneath do not change the outcome. Where a case-by-case lender might accept a specialist inspection report written to the Property Care Association's protocol, a lender working from a blanket exclusion may never see that report reach an underwriter, because the policy is understood to sit above survey level.
That is a hard thing to hear if you have already paid for an inspection, but it is worth knowing early rather than late. If TSB is the lender on the application in front of you, whether you are the seller, the buyer or remortgaging, the practical question changes from whether an inspection will satisfy this lender to whether the mortgage can move to a lender that assesses spray foam properly.
This is not TSB's published policy. No mortgage lender publishes its spray foam criteria, and broker experience shifts as underwriting teams change. Treat this as a reported starting point, last verified September 2026, and confirm the current position with a broker before you act on it.
What to do next
Three routes, and with a lender in this group the third one usually matters most.
- Get the loft inspected anyway. It costs you nothing if it turns out you do not need removal, and it tells you which of the two situations you are in: a documentation problem or a genuine defect. Around two thirds of the lofts inspected by the Property Care Association and the HomeOwners Alliance had no defect at all.
- If it does need to come out, remove it and document it properly. A full evidence pack, removal certificate, photographs and a condition report, keeps every future lender's options open, not just this one.
- Talk to a broker about a lender that assesses spray foam case by case. TSB's policy does not bind Nationwide's, Halifax's or several others'. A broker who deals with spray foam cases regularly will know which lenders are currently taking them, and moving the mortgage is very often faster than waiting for one lender to change its mind.
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Get the loft looked at properly
Whatever your lender's position, the starting point is the same: know what is actually up there. An inspection gives you a written verdict and photographs, and if the foam is sound that is what the report says.
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TSB and spray foam, common questions
Does TSB ever make an exception for spray foam?
Possibly, but it is not something to plan around. A blanket-refuse position reported this widely usually reflects an underwriting rule rather than a case-by-case judgement, so an exception, if one exists, is not something a broker can reliably request. Confirm the current position directly through a broker before assuming either way.
Will removing the foam change TSB's decision?
It might, because removal takes away the reason a valuer could not inspect the timbers. But nobody, including us, can promise that outcome. The lending decision belongs to TSB, and the only honest answer is that documented removal gives you the best available case, not a guarantee.
Should I switch to a different lender instead of removing the foam?
For many people in this position, yes, that is worth exploring first. If the foam itself is sound, the obstacle may be this specific lender's policy rather than the roof. A broker can check that quickly, often before you commit to any removal cost.
How do I find out TSB's current position for certain?
Ask a mortgage broker to check directly, or have your conveyancer raise it with the lender in writing. Published tables like this one, including our own, are built from press reporting and broker experience rather than a stated policy, and positions in this market move without an announcement.
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Every lender, one table
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Around two thirds of inspected lofts had no defect. Work out which kind of loft you have.
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Every 2026 figure, by foam type and property size, with the extras itemised.
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