UK Mortgage Guides From Moneyfactscompare.co.uk

5 steps to becoming a buy-to-let landlord

If you already have a mortgage on your property but wish to convert it to buy-to-let, it's important to speak to your mortgage lender. Read on to find out more.

What are mortgage exit / redemption fees?

Borrowers may not realise that many mortgage providers charge exit/redemption fees. Read our complete guide to find out more.

What are the costs of buying a home in the UK?

From arrangement fees to conveyancing costs, what type of fees can you expect when buying a home?

Is it better to pay off a mortgage or save?

It can be hard to decide whether to put money into savings or use it to overpay your mortgage. See our guide for the pros and cons of each option.

What is a building society?

Building societies are financial institutions that are similar to banks in some ways, but there are several key differences in how they work.

How to improve your credit score

Our guide sets out 11 steps to boosting your credit score, including making payments on time and keeping your credit utilisation low.

How can I handle difficult tenants?

Tenants can be responsible people, however, there are always going to be exceptions. Our guide outlines what you can do as a landlord when the worst happens.

Overseas Mortgages Explained

You must get an ‘overseas mortgage’ to purchase a house abroad – normally from a lender in the country you want to purchase in.

Should I use a mortgage broker?

A mortgage broker specialises in finding lenders who meet your specific needs for a mortgage. Find out how mortgage brokers can help and what fees to look out for.

A mortgage broker specialises in finding lenders who meet your specific needs for a mortgage.

What is a cooling off period? What are my rights?

A cooling off period is a number of days, usually 14, that allows you to change your mind about a purchase or contract you completed from a distance. Find out when this applies and how it works.

A cooling off period is a number of days, usually 14, that allows you to change your mind about a purchase or contract you completed from a distance.

Repay your mortgage or contribute to your pension? A UK guide

Deciding whether to increase your mortgage payments or pension contribution can have a significant effect on your finances. As a starting point, our preferred independent financial adviser company Kellands encourages consumers to align their mortgage term with their preferred retirement date.

Deciding whether to increase your mortgage payments or pension contribution can have a significant effect on your finances.

What is the best type of mortgage for you?

Looking for a mortgage and don’t know where to start? Here’s a list of things to consider when deciding on the right type of mortgage for you.

Energy Performance Certificates explained and how to improve your score

In this guide we’ve explained what an EPC is, and how it may influence the property market.

How to fund home improvements

In this guide we’ve listed some of the different ways you can finance your home renovation project.

How to spend an inheritance

If you’ve inherited a large sum of money, what’s the best way to manage it?

What is conveyancing?

Whether you are buying or selling a property, you will need a conveyancer to oversee all the legal requirements and ensure your transaction completes. Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from one person to another, and a property sale can’t complete without it.

Whether you're buying or selling a property, you'll need a conveyancer to oversee all the legal requirements and ensure your transaction completes.

Getting a mortgage if you are disabled

Being disabled is not a barrier to getting a mortgage and buying a home. Our helpful guide explains everything you need to know. Includes information on Help to Buy and shared ownership schemes.

Being disabled is not a barrier to getting a mortgage and buying a home. Our helpful guide explains everything you need to know.

Tips on finding the best estate agent

Your choice of estate agent can play a crucial part in the process of buying or selling a property. Take your time and make sure that you know exactly what services are being offered. Our helpful guide explains what to look for.

Your choice of estate agent can play a crucial part in the process of buying or selling a property. Our helpful guide explains what to look for.

Should I get an interest-only mortgage?

An interest only mortgage means that the borrower only has to pay back the interest on the loan each month, leaving the capital untouched. Read the Moneyfacts guide...

An interest only mortgage means that the borrower only has to pay back the interest on the loan each month, leaving the capital untouched. Find out more.

How to prepare for a mortgage interview

Your mortgage lender or adviser will want to make sure it is reasonable to give you a mortgage. Our four step guide tells you how to prepare for your mortgage interview.

From getting your finances in order to gathering together the right paperwork, here's what you need to know ahead of your interview.

Dealing with a mortgage during divorce or separation

The mortgage guide that makes things clearer and easier for all concerned. Consider these three options outlined in our handy guide.

What is the best way to release cash from your home?

One of the benefits of paying off a large portion of your mortgage is that you will have built up equity in your home. In this article we discuss the three main ways for homeowners to release cash tied up in their home.

These are the three main ways for homeowners to release cash tied up in their home.

How to buy and sell a home in Scotland

Solicitors in Scotland not only do the legal work, but also often take an active role in the buying and selling of property, much like an estate agent in the rest of the UK. Our guide explains more.

Solicitors in Scotland not only do the legal work, but also often take an active role in the buying and selling of property. Our guide explains more.

The ultimate guide to saving for your first home

Saving for a deposit can seem like a daunting task but there's plenty of practical steps you can take to boost your savings and cut your costs.

Is using equity release to pay off an interest-only mortgage a good option?

Equity release can be a good way of releasing money built up in a home’s equity. So for those who have an interest-only mortgage and are thinking about using equity release to pay off an interest-only mortgage, we’ve looked at whether this is possible.

Is equity release a good way to pay off an interest-only mortgage

How does equity release affect inheritance?

While equity release can be a good way for older homeowners to tap into the wealth they have built up within their homes, many will have concerns about how it will impact the inheritance they leave behind.

Many homeowners will have concerns about how equity release impacts the inheritance they leave behind.

What is Shari’ah-compliant banking and how does it affect your finances?

From expected profit rate to home purchase plans, there are a number of terms you will have to know if you are to consider a provider which complies with Islamic banking principles. Also known as Shari’ah-compliant banking, we explain below how this works.

From expected profit rate to home purchase plans, there are a number of terms to consider when using an Islamic banking provider.

Everything you need to know about Open Banking

Open Banking is a practice that allows you to securely share your financial data with authorised third-party providers, such as budgeting apps or other banks, through APIs. Depending on the app or service, you can also give them permission to make payments directly from your account.

Open Banking is a practice that allows you to securely share your financial data with authorised third-party providers such as apps or other banks, through APIs

UK inflation explained - and how to deal with it

Whether you are looking to invest for your future, save for retirement, or find your perfect mortgage you have probably come across a term called inflation. With its widening effect, it is important to understand what inflation is, why it is necessary, and how it affects the economy.

Whether you are looking to invest for your future, save for retirement, or find your perfect mortgage you have probably come across a term called inflation.

For how long should I fix my mortgage?

Fixed rate mortgages are typically the first port of call for borrowers, offering rate certainty and set repayments that can make the process of homeownership more streamlined and potentially cheaper, too. But the question is, for how long should you fix your mortgage?

For how long should you fix your mortgage? This guide will discuss your options in more detail.

What happens to your debt when you die

Here, we take a closer look at what will happen to outstanding mortgage and lifetime mortgage (a type of equity release) debt and any loans, credit cards and similar unsecured credit agreements you have, and how you can prepare accordingly.

We take a closer look at what happens to outstanding mortgages, debt, loans and credit card and other credit agreements and how you can prepare accordingly.

What is the mortgage guarantee scheme?

The mortgage guarantee scheme allows buyers to purchase a home with just a 5% deposit - find out if you qualify in your guide