Guides
Mortgages, minus the jargon
Short, practical guides to help you understand your mortgage and time a switch well.
Your First Home scheme: the new 2.5% deposit plan explained
The government's proposed Your First Home scheme would let first-time buyers buy a new build with a 2.5% deposit and a 20% equity loan. What we know, what's still to come, and the catches.
Read guideFee or no fee? How to tell which mortgage deal is cheaper
A lower rate with a big product fee isn't always cheaper. How to compare the total cost of a deal, with a worked example and the loan size where a fee starts to pay off.
Read guideRemortgage costs explained: what switching really costs
Product fees, valuation, legal work, exit fees and early repayment charges — what each one is, which are usually free, and how to keep the cost of switching down.
Read guideLoan-to-value (LTV) explained: why it changes your rate
What loan-to-value means, how to work yours out, why lenders price in LTV bands, and the practical ways to move into a cheaper band before you remortgage.
Read guideTracker vs fixed rate mortgage: which suits you?
How tracker and fixed rate mortgages work, what happens to your payments when the base rate moves, early repayment charges, and how to choose between them.
Read guide2-year vs 5-year fixed: which should you choose?
The trade-offs between a shorter and longer fix — rate, flexibility, fees, and how to decide which suits your plans.
Read guideWhat is APRC? Why the headline rate isn't the whole story
APRC explained in plain English — what it includes, why two deals with the same rate can cost very differently, and how to use it.
Read guideWhen does my fixed rate end (and what happens next)?
How to find your fixed-rate end date, what an SVR is, and why the months before your deal ends matter most.
Read guideHow to switch your mortgage: a plain-English guide
Remortgaging vs. a product transfer, the paperwork involved, and how to time a switch so you don't slip onto a higher rate.
Read guideWhat is a product transfer?
Staying with your current lender on a new deal — how a product transfer works, its pros and cons, and when it beats remortgaging.
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