Why your mortgage term matters

With increases in the cost of living impacting on many household budgets, the cost of your monthly mortgage payment continues to be important. On a capital repayment mortgage, the quicker you pay off your balance, the bigger your monthly payments will be. By having a longer term, you may benefit from a lower monthly payment, […]

How might rising interest rates affect your mortgage?

The Bank of England has raised interest rates and warned further hikes are likely in the coming months. This will mean bigger bills for some homeowners. On 22 September 2022, the Bank of England raised interest rates from 1.75% to 2.25% – the seventh hike since December 2021 – in a bid to combat soaring […]

What is a Standard Variable Rate Mortgage?

Sarah has never overstretched herself when it comes to money. After paying her monthly bills, she’s always had a bit left over. So, when her mortgage lender wrote to her to remind her that her five-year fixed-rate deal was coming to an end and that she needed to find a new deal or she’d be […]

How to save for a house deposit

Here is our First Time Buyers guide to saving for a deposit When preparing to buy your first home, saving for a deposit can be a difficult process. As house prices, inflation, cost of living and mortgage rates increase, it can mean that some mortgage lenders may require larger deposits of the property value. This […]

How does a Remortgage work?

A remortgage is the process of moving your home’s existing mortgage to one with a new lender. Remortgaging could help you save money if you weigh up the fees involved with the savings you could make. Here’s how it works. People remortgage for many different reasons, including: Finding a better deal elsewhere – you might […]

What are value-added services?

Value-added services are benefits included in an insurance policy that you might not be aware of – but could help improve your overall health and wellbeing. When you take out an insurance plan like life insurance, critical illness, or income protection, you get the financial protection in the form of a payout, but there are […]

How might rising interest rates affect your mortgage?

The Bank of England has raised interest rates which means bigger mortgage bills for some homeowners. Since December 2021 the Bank of England raised interest rates from 0.1% to 1.25% to combat soaring inflation. This move will have a knock-on effect as mortgage lenders raise interest rates in response, which will increase monthly payments for […]

Why homebuyers need to check their credit score

Carly and Steve made serious sacrifices to save a deposit for their first home. To cut costs, they moved from their two-bedroomed flat in the centre of Manchester to a studio flat in one of the less well-regarded suburbs. When the damp and the noisy neighbours got too much, they moved in with Steve’s mum […]

Mortgages – Sorting the fact from the fiction

Lindsay and Sam have just found out they’re expecting their first baby. Although they’re excited at the prospect of starting a family, it’s come as a bit of a surprise and their current living situation is far from ideal. They’ve been staying with Lindsay’s dad in his two-bedroomed terrace for just over a year while […]

What is a Standard Variable Rate mortgage?

Sarah has never overstretched herself when it comes to money. After paying her monthly bills, she’s always had a bit left over. So, when her mortgage lender wrote to her to remind her that her five-year fixed-rate deal was coming to an end and that she needed to find a new deal or she’d be […]