Offset Versus Flexible Mortgages

Most people are keen to save money by paying off their mortgage as quickly as possible. Choosing an offset or flexible mortgage will allow you to do this. But there are important differences between these two types of loan. And if you don’t choose the one that’s right for your circumstances, you could end up wasting […]

How Much Could I Save By Offsetting?

An offset mortgage allows you to cut your monthly interest bill by setting your savings against the money you owe on your mortgage. (For more about how this works, go to The offset mortgage.) But it’s only worth doing if you have enough cash to make up for the fact that these loans tend to come […]

Who Should Have An Offset Mortgage?

With an offset mortgage you reduce your monthly interest bill by setting your savings or, if you choose, your savings and current account balances against your mortgage debt. (To read more about how this works, go to The offset mortgage.) To decide if offsetting is for you, ask yourself • Am I comfortable with the idea? • […]

The Two Types Of Offset Mortgage

As the name suggests, an offset mortgage works by using the money you have to reduce the amount you owe. You don’t earn any interest and can get your cash back whenever you want it, but as long as you leave it in the offset account, you don’t pay any interest on an equal amount of your […]

Features Of An Offset Mortgage

An offset mortgage works by balancing your savings and, in some cases, the cash normally kept in your current account against the amount you owe on your mortgage, to reduce the monthly interest bill. While you don’t earn any interest on the cash you offset, you aren’t charged any on the equivalent amount of debt. If you […]

Open Market HomeBuy

The Open Market HomeBuy Scheme for Cash-Strapped First-Time Buyers NOTE This scheme was a Labour Government policy which has been replaced by the Conservative Government’s Help to Buy scheme. We are leaving the information below for the historical record   This is one of several Government-backed schemes to help workers on a low income buy a home of their […]

New Build HomeBuy

The New Build HomeBuy Scheme for Cash-Strapped First-Time Buyers NOTE This scheme was a UK Labour Government policy which has been replaced by the Conservative Government’s Help to Buy scheme. We are leaving the information below for the historical record The New Build HomeBuy initiative is one of a range of Government schemes set up to give low-paid first-time […]

Social HomeBuy

The Social HomeBuy Scheme for Cash-Strapped First-Time Buyers   NOTE This scheme was a Labour Government policy which has been replaced by the Conservative Government’s Help to Buy scheme. We are leaving the information below for the historical record The Social HomeBuy scheme is one of several Government-backed initiatives designed to help low-paid first-time buyers climb onto the housing […]

Self-Certify Mortgages UK

Do I Need To Go Through A Mortgage Broker To Self-Certify? NOTE: the information below on self–certification mortgages is out of date. Since it was written, the Financial Conduct Authority, the UK regulator, now requires lenders to check affordability when receiving a mortgage application. Therefore UK mortgage lenders no longer offer self–cert mortgages as such. To comply with the regulations, […]

Self Certifying Mortgages UK

How Much Can I Borrow with a Self Certifying Mortgage? NOTE: the information below on self–certification mortgages is out of date. Since it was written, the Financial Conduct Authority, the UK regulator, now requires lenders to check affordability when receiving a mortgage application. Therefore UK mortgage lenders no longer offer self–cert mortgages as such. To comply with the regulations, they […]