Mortgage and Protection developments and guidance for clients
I’m mindful that it has possibly never been more important, in light of the Coronavirus, to keep an ongoing dialogue with all of my clients.
I’m also keen to ensure you’re being provided with the latest information so that you can take any action appropriate to your potentially changing circumstances.
Please click on the following link for Government advice on home moving during the Coronavirus.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak?utm_campaign=Newsflash&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=87860731
Mortgage Payments
You may be aware that the Chancellor announced that anyone struggling financially as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak will be able to take a three-month mortgage repayment holiday. This includes home owners, landlords and Help to Buy purchasers. This means that ALL lenders will now have to honour the three-month time frame.
A mortgage repayment holiday is an agreement with your lender allowing you to temporarily stop or reduce your monthly mortgage repayments. The repayment holiday will be available to borrowers who are up- to-date on their mortgage payments and not already in arrears.
If you believe you will struggle to make repayments in the coming months, I would recommend you engage directly with your lender as soon as practical to agree the best way forward - which may, or may not, include a payment holiday.
Please note my comments below regarding remortgaging.
Interest will accrue for the period of the holiday and payments missed will be added to the loan and repaid in the future - potentially over the remaining term of the loan.
The credit reference agencies are engaged with the lenders and it is anticipated that borrowers’ credit files will not be negatively affected as a result of the three-month payment suspension.
Lenders have been under extreme pressures over the last few days to answer the enormous uplift in queries, at a time when they have significant operational challenged, so please do not be surprised if there is a delay in responding to your call/correspondence.
If you are concerned I would urge you to keep trying. There also may be an online form, or link to request a payment holiday on the lenders website.
Mortgage Product Availability
Whilst there is no doubt that many lenders are struggling to manage the operational implications caused by the Coronavirus, the availability of mortgages has to date not been impacted significantly. As such, if you are looking for a new mortgage or will require a re-mortgage in the next 6 months then please do get in touch.
In particular, if you are looking to re-mortgage in the next 6 months, but will require a payment holiday, please do speak to me before engaging your lender, as it may influence the mortgage products available to you.
Whilst none of us know what the coming months will bring, there is a possibility that mortgage funding may become restricted. This is particularly true if you have specialist borrowing requirements such as being self-employed, have multiple income sources or have missed any payments. Exploring options sooner rather than later may prove sensible, so do make contact.
Protection Insurance
Existing Policy Holders
For those clients with life, critical illness or income protection policies already in place, you can be assured that the insurers are all responding positively and will pay all valid claims. Please check your existing policies, particularly Income Protection or Accident & Sickness policies for details of your deferred or waiting periods.
The insurers I recommend are the very best in the market and I know they will do their utmost to support clients.
Insurers are continually reviewing their policy terms and conditions in this market, and your policy may contain valuable benefits as they were taken out before the coronavirus pandemic. If you have any concerns or queries about your current policy, please do not hesitate to call me. Whatever you do, keep your cover in place!
If you have missed any payments, give me a call, and we’ll do what we can to get you protected again.
You may have concerns or symptoms unrelated to Coronavirus and may also be struggling to see your GP. Or, perhaps you’d just prefer not to visit them at this time. Please don’t forget that most protection policies offer some great support services which could be valuable in the coming days and weeks. In particular, many offer remote or online GP services, including access via apps on your mobile phone as a safe and convenient alternative.
Many also provide advice lines on broader health, and wellbeing issues. If you think these services may be valuable, I’d recommend checking your policies for more details of the services offered.
Please do get in touch or contact the provider direct (go to their website) if you have any queries. But remember, if you have any concerns or are experiencing any symptoms related to Coronavirus, refer to the latest NHS guidance. This is important, as the situation is changing daily and the NHS or Government advice should be the first port of call.
Looking to Purchase a New Protection Policy
Protection policies are designed to provide a critical safety net for you and your family if you were unable to work due to illness or accidents or if the very worst happened and you were to die.
Whilst there have been some changes to insurer policy conditions and a tightening of medical underwriting in recent days, products remain available and are often far more affordable than people think.
As your adviser I am here to help, so if you have any questions around either engaging your lender or more broadly around your mortgage, protection policies or the wider impacts of the Coronavirus on your financial position please do get in touch.
I hope that you'll find this information useful in light of current developments. I’ll continue to keep you informed and supported but please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions that I might be able to help you with in the meantime.
Buy to Let Mortgages
Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Commercial buy to lets are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Some buy to let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
These types of mortgages are designed for property investors and private landlords, who do not intend to live in the purchased property.
Buying additional property for the purpose of letting it to earn rental income can be risky and complicated since there is no guarantee that house prices will rise nor that rental income will be uninterrupted.
That said, letting a second property to tenants could return respectable financial rewards over the longer term, but it's important to properly consider the risks, as well as rewards, involved in 'Buy to Let' first.
When buying a rental property, you will need to decide whether your investment objective is income or capital growth. Are you looking to cover the monthly costs and perhaps make a profit to supplement your income? Or, are you looking to make a profit later upon the sale of the property, with the assumption your property's value will increase in value over time? The decision may affect the type of property you purchase, its location, and also the risk involved since there is no guarantee that property prices will rise.
If you can't buy the property outright you will need to consider a Buy to Let mortgage. When it comes to this type of mortgage there are several differences to be aware of.
Normally a lender’s decision about whether to offer a mortgage or not, will be based on the rental potential of the property as well as your own income, though in some cases, your income may not be considered at all.
Usually, a minimum of 20% to 30% of the property's value is required as deposit, which is often higher than the desposit required for other types of mortgage, and you can expect Buy to Let mortgages to have higher interest rates applicable to them. It's worth also mentioning that, as of 1 April 2016, there is an additional 3% in Stamp Duty to pay if you are buying a second property whether as a home or for purpose of letting.*
As well as mortgage costs, potential landlords should carefully consider the costs of owning the rental property itself. These additional costs may include:
- Property Maintenance. The upkeep of the property itself, such as repairs to appliances, and redecoration that may be required before a property can be let to new tenants.
- Letting Agent fees. Though it varies, letting agents normally charge around 10% of the monthly rental income for managing tenants. If you need full management of your property, it is not unusual for these costs to be much higher, typically around 15% of monthly rent.
- Ground Rent/Service Charges. These costs only apply to leasehold properties.
- Legal insurance. Say for example in the event of non-payment of rent, anti-social behaviour or damage to the property. Legal insurance can be used to cover costs involved in pursuing eviction.
- Buildings /Contents Insurance. The property will need buildings insurance, and any furnishings provided as part of the rental agreement will also need to be insured with a suitable contents insurance policy.
- Furnishings. If the property is to be let as furnished then you'll need to consider the initial cost of providing the items needed to furnish the property.
- Appliance Safety and Inspection. Certain appliances will need to be regularly inspected and serviced to ensure they are safe to use and compliant with current regulations. Examples include Gas Boilers and Gas Fires.
When choosing a letting agent to act on your behalf, it is wise to choose one that is a member of The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). All members of the ARLA participate in a bonding scheme to protect both rental income and tenants’ deposits.
This article (Buy to Let Mortgages) is intended to provide a general appreciation of the topic and it is not advice.
For more information please contact Sandmartin Financial Advisers on 01642 432555 or email sandmartin@theopenworkpartnership.com and we will be happy to assist you.
Article expiry: 06 Feb 2023
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