Latest interest only mortgage offers:
2 Year Fixed - Interest Only Deal
- Initial Rate - 1.21% APR
- 60% Loan To Value (LTV)
- £250 cashback
Overall cost for comparison 4% APRC
Call RBS FREE on 0800 096 7966
How To Get An Interest Only Mortgage
The good news is that in recent years a number of lenders have relaxed their criteria for this type of lending. Things to be mindful of include:
- Lenders are keen understandably to ensure at the end of the mortgage term the loan will be repaid. Criteria for lenders will vary but all will want to understand how you intend to pay off the mortgage at the end of the term.
- A repayment vehicle strategy will be required. Some lenders will accept sale of property as a way of paying off the debt. Some will want to see a saving plan such as regular investment into ISAs or investment vehicle. Where sale of property is not acceptable to lenders, they will often want to see statements of your investments as evidence that a repayment vehicle is in place.
- Most lenders will only offer an interest only mortgage if the loan to value (LTV) is lower than a set percentage of the value of the property you are mortgaging.This is typically 75% LTV or less. There are a few lenders that will go up to 85% LTV but you will need to speak to our independent mortgage team to access these rates. Some lenders will require a part interest and part capital repayment strategy for any borrowing over a set limit e.g. 60%. So if you have a 25% equity in your property, a lender may require that 15% of borrowing is on a part and part basis with 60% fully on an interest only basis.
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Click here for Santander Interest Only Mortgage Quotes >>
Interest Only Mortgage - What Are The Income Requirements?
This will depend on the lender...
Some lenders have no minimum income requirement although they may cap what you can borrow on an interest only basis up to e.g. 65% LTV (Loan To Value). With the balance if you are borrowing more than this being on an interest & repayment of capital basis.
A number of lender who offer higher income multiples when it comes to borrowing e.g. 5 x income will require your salary to be over a set amount pa e.g. £70,000. Different lenders will also have different criteria regarding how you pay the mortgage back.
Some interest only mortgage lenders will accept sale of property; some will have conditions on this e.g. NatWest require you to have at least £200k of equity in your property at time of sale.
With some lenders it is possible to split your mortgage repayments on a interest only mortgage and a capital repayment mortgage basis.
This will reduce your mortgage balance over time, but at the end of the term there will still be an outstanding capital sum to repay. For advice on your interest only options click here
Using Sale of House as a Repayment Strategy
Lenders take different approaches to sale of house as a exit strategy for paying off a mortgage. For many people downsizing to a smaller home later in life is a logical step and often it will be to a part of the country where house prices are lower.
Some lenders will want to know where you intend to downsize to so they can assess the valuation of properties and ensure you plan is plausible.
Affordability
A key consideration for lenders is affordability when they lend. In assessing whether an interest only mortgage is right for you income criteria will come into play.
Typically lenders will want to see an individual with an income of at least £50,000 or a household income of £75,000 to lend on a interest only basis. This criteria will vary so speak to a broker such as ourselves will help you get the right deal for your circumstances.
Why do people Choose an interest only mortgage?
The main reason is to keep monthly costs to a minimum.
1. Has your initial mortgage deal come to an end?
By switching to a better deal with a different mortgage provider, an interest only mortgage could potentially allow you to benefit from lower interest rates and lower monthly mortgage repayments.
2. Are you looking to raise money?
By remortgaging you may be able to releasing equity in your home.
People often remortgage to provide money for:
- Home improvements
- New Kitchen
- New En-suite bathroom
- Consolidate other existing debts.
3. Borrowing in retirement interest only up to age 80
Free up funds from your home so you can live the life you want to.
Post Office through their Retirement Link Mortgage » provide an interest only mortgage option which allows you to borrow on an interest only basis up to age 80.
This could be right for you if you are looking for a good alternative to equity release or you are looking to home improvements or raise funds for something special e.g. a child's wedding or first home deposit.
You can borrow up to 30% of the value of your property and your property must be worth at least £250,000 to qualify. Click here for more details »>
2019 - Another strong year for remortgaging
This trend is likely to continue in 2019, with nearly a third of eligible homeowners planning to remortgage, as revealed in
The impact of Brexit is likely to affect the market and could well lead to rising inflation and a squeeze on family finances, making remortgaging to cut monthly repayments an attractive option.
5 year fixed rate interest only mortgage with no product fee
Post Office is offering a great deal on their 5 year fixed rate interest only mortgage with no product fee.
They also offer a great 3 year interest only fixed rate deal. Call Post Office on 0808 178 6813 or click here to find out how much you could borrow »
How does a interest only mortgage work?
Your current mortgage lender may offer an interest only option or part and part option. Alternatively you may need to remortgage with a new lender to get an interest only basis mortgage.
People usually consider remortgaging because they think they can get a better deal and reduce their monthly repayments, or because they want to increase their borrowing.
There are usually several costs associated with remortgaging, typically including a valuation fee, administration fee and legal fee. Many (but not all) lenders will offer to pay these costs when you switch your mortgage to them to make remortgaging more attractive.
Click here for Santander Interest Only Mortgage Quotes >>
A staggering £2.78 billion of interest is being paid by people on the wrong mortgage deal!
This is because according to latest research* 36% of UK homeowners are sitting on their lender Standard Variable Rate (SVR).
When you took out your mortgage there was a good chance that you were given an initial fixed term deal over 2,3 or 5 years.
At the end of the initial fixed term you will usually have been switched automatically to the lender’s Standard variable Rate (SVR) of interest. The current average lender SVR is 4.40%.
If this is you there is a good chance your monthly mortgage payments are a lot higher than they need to be.
You are not alone. 4 million UK homeowners are in the same boat.
Buy to let - Looking to purchase or remortgage?
Buy to let mortgage rates have fallen significantly in the last few years so if you are a landlord looking to maximise your bottom line you should consider reviewing the cost of finance.
With recent tax changes to btl landlords ensuring you are not paying over the odds for your mortgage funding should be a priority.
Remortgaging your buy to let(s) is relatively straightforward depending on your circumstances - it makes a lot of sense to review the cost of borrowing to maximise your profit.
For latest buy to let mortgage deals from UK lenders click here »
Older borrower?
Historically for older borrowers (aged 60+) flexible options for homeowners looking to raise capital or simply remortgage to get a better rate or to switch to an interest only basis were limited.
The good news is that this has changed - in the last 12 months a number of lenders have been launching mortgages in retirement products which are designed to help borrowers stay in their homes without being pressurised to downsize.More information can be found here on retirement mortgages »
Independent Mortgage Advice
Remortgaging is particularly popular at the moment as interest rates are low.
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Whether it will be a good idea for you to remortgage depends on a number of factors, including your goals and your personal circumstances.
However, in general, if interest rates are lower than you are currently paying on your mortgage, it may be a good time to remortgage.
If interest rate are higher than you are currently paying, it may be better to look at other options, such as a second mortgage or a personal loan (if you aim is to borrow more).
If you are not sure whether now is the right time to remortgage, it is a good idea to speak to an independent mortgage broker who will be able to offer impartial advice.
