Bankable file
A trade term describing a file whose financial and documentary characteristics are strong enough to be submitted to a bank with a reasonable prospect of approval. A bankable file meets HCSF criteria, has sufficient down payment and residual savings, shows sound account management, and is fully documented. By contrast, a non-bankable file is rejected outright with no derogation possible.
Key points
- Meets HCSF criteria: debt ratio ≤ 35% and term ≤ 25 years (outside derogation).
- Has a down payment covering at least ancillary costs (notary fees, guarantee).
- Shows a clean account record over the last three months.
- Is fully documented: no missing document before submission.
Frequently asked questions
What are the first signals that allow a broker to qualify a file as bankable?
The initial assessment focuses on the debt ratio, income stability, and down-payment level. If these three indicators are within norms, the broker then checks account management (incidents, overdrafts), residual income, and project coherence. A bankable file is not necessarily perfect, but its strengths must offset any weaknesses.
Is a bankable file automatically financed by all banks?
No. Being bankable means meeting the minimum conditions to be submitted, not systematically obtaining approval. Each bank has its own risk policy, scoring model, and current commercial priorities. A file that is bankable at a national bank may be declined by a mutual bank whose scoring policy is more restrictive for certain profiles.
How can a non-bankable file be turned into a bankable one?
The usual levers are increasing the personal contribution (which reduces the borrowed capital and thus the debt ratio), early repayment of consumer loans, waiting longer to build job tenure, or finding a joint borrower. The broker identifies the main obstacle and proposes a costed, time-bound action plan.
In practice
A first-time buyer with a 10% down payment, two years in a permanent contract, and a 33% debt ratio is qualified as bankable; their broker submits the file to three bank partners whose policy matches this standard profile.
Put it into practice with CourtImmo
See how CourtImmo software helps brokers on this topic:
Official sources
- Obtaining a mortgage loan · Service-Public.gouv.fr
- Mortgage credit (official guide) · Service-Public.gouv.fr