Products & Services
We provide information on pensions, mortgages, investment and life cover. Please take a look at the pages within the site or contact us directly for more information.Understanding the Mortgage Market Review
After the 2008 financial crisis, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) undertook a review of the mortgage market. This resulted in the introduction of affordability criteria, which came into effect in 2014. Since then, mortgage lenders have been obliged to stop...
Equity Release
In principle, there are two types of equity release - home-reversion schemes and lifetime mortgages. Home-reversion schemes are when you sell all or part of your home either for a lump sum or an income. Lifetime mortgages are when you mortgage all or part of your...
Remortgaging
Remortgaging means getting a new mortgage for your existing home. You can do this by switching to a new product with your existing lender or by switching to a new lender. If you stay with your existing lender and your repayments will be the same or lower, then you...
Second Charge Loans
Second charge loans are loans where the lender is “second in line” behind another lender if the borrower defaults. They tend to be issued on a short-term basis. The nature of second charge loans means that they tend to be more expensive than standard mortgages. ...
Flexible Mortgages
Flexible mortgages allow you to make overpayments to pay off your mortgage quicker. Some also allow you to make underpayments, take payment holidays and/or draw on your equity to an agreed limit. These can all be helpful when money is tight. With flexible mortgages,...
Offset Mortgages
Offset mortgages are a twist on standard repayment mortgages. They combine a mortgage and a savings account. The money you keep in your savings account is set against the outstanding balance on your mortgage. This means that instead of receiving interest on your...
Buy to Let Mortgages
If you are buying a property to rent out in its entirety (as opposed to letting out a room in your home), then you need a buy to let mortgage. A residential mortgage will not be at all suitable. That said, the basics of buy to let mortgages are fairly similar to the...
Self-Build Mortgages
Self-build mortgages can be used to build a property from scratch or to finance the refurbishment of an existing property. Some self-build mortgages will provide financing for the initial purchase of the land/property. This is, however, not guaranteed and where it...
First-Time Buyers
Picking up the keys to your first home can be one of life’s most exciting moments. It’s even better if you make the move confident that you’re thoroughly prepared to hit the ground running both financially and practically. Here are some tips to help. Get...
Death is free but dying can be expensive
These days, funeral music can go way beyond traditional hymns like Abide with Me, but out of all the songs you might want to choose for your funeral, possibly the most appropriate would be the 2015 hit by LunchMoney Lewis – Bills, because, while death may be free,...