Coventry Building Society increased its maximum loan-to-income multiple for eligible first-time buyers to 6.5 times income. ^[1] Samuel Mather-Holgate, managing director and IFA at Mather and Murray Financial, warned that stretching loans to 6.5 times income risks turning aspiration into financial overreach and that larger loans could leave households exposed if rates stay higher, wages stall or property prices fall. ^[2] Coventry Building Society announced it will raise fixed-rate mortgage deals for new and existing borrowers from the Monday following the announcement, making it the first major lender to respond to the recent spike in UK government bond yields. ^[3] Under Coventry Building Society's new rules, single applicants must earn at least £30,000 and joint applicants a combined income of £50,000. ^[4] Under Coventry Building Society's previous borrowing limit, the same buyer could have borrowed about £176,277, requiring a deposit of roughly £69,173 (more than 28% of the property value), a difference of £56,900 compared to the new limit. ^[5] As of the date of the article, the average rate on a new two-year fixed-rate mortgage was 5.59%, while the typical rate on a five-year deal was 5.63%, down from 5.9% and 5.78% respectively in April 2026. ^[6] Rachel Springall, finance expert at the data provider Moneyfacts, said the jump in swap rates 'does not bode well for borrowers, as lenders use swap rates as a key influence to reprice their fixed-rate mortgages'. ^[7]