Mortgage and Property
Glossary
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Advance
The mortgage
loan.
Appointed
representative
This is a salesperson,
company or organisation that advises on the investment products (endowments,
pensions, unit trusts and so on) of one single life assurance company. It can
also refer to an Independent Financial Adviser who is a member of a network.
APR Annual Percentage
Rate.
This is meant to be a way of comparing the
cost of credit. It takes into account most of the up-front and on-going costs
involved in taking out a mortgage. You cannot always rely on it because lenders
work it out in different ways.
Arrangement
fee
A fee you pay to the lender in
return for a mortgage deal. This deal could be fixed, discounted or cashback.
The fees are known as the: · application fee · booking fee
· completion fee · drawdown fee · reservation
fee.
ASU
Insurance
This covers accident,
sickness and unemployment. It provides a monthly payment if you cannot work for
an extended period due to an accident, sickness or unemployment.
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BBA British Bankers
Association.
This is the trade
organisation of the banks.
Bonuses
These are payments that a life assurance company
adds to a 'with-profits' policy. Bonuses are usually added at the end of each
year, and there may be a final (terminal) bonus when the policy comes to the
end of its term. This normally coincides with when you have to repay the
mortgage. Bonuses aren't guaranteed and the amount awarded can change each
year. However, once a bonus is made by the life company, they can't take it
away.
BSA Building Societies'
Association.
This is the trade
organisation of the building societies.
Buildings
insurance
This covers the cost of
rebuilding or repairing the structure of the property. Lenders insist you have
enough buildings insurance before they give you a mortgage. With leasehold
properties, it is the freeholder's responsibility to arrange buildings
insurance, although the freeholder will usually pass on the charges to the
leaseholder.
Buildings and contents
insurance
This is combined insurance,
which may be cheaper than one policy for buildings insurance and another
separate policy for contents insurance.
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Capital and
interest
Your monthly payments are
partly to pay the interest on the amount you borrowed and partly to repay the
outstanding mortgage. Also known as a repayment mortgage.
Capped rate
An interest rate charged for a set period of months
or years which can go up and down with the variable rate, but there is a
maximum (capped) interest rate which it cannot go above.
Cashback
A payment you receive when you take out a mortgage.
It may be a fixed amount, or a percentage of the amount of the
mortgage.
CCJ County Court
Judgement.
A decision reached in the
County Court which can be for not paying debts. If you pay off the debt, the
CCJ is satisfied and a note is put on your records to say this.
CML Council of Mortgage
Lenders.
Building societies and most
banks and other lenders are members of this trade organisation.
Completion
When the sale and purchase of the property are
finalised, and you become the owner of the house or flat.
Contents
insurance
Insurance cover for your
possessions. This may include cover against loss or damage away from the home.
Contracts
The legal documents
under which you and the person selling the property agree to buy and sell the
property .
Conveyancing
The legal process involved in buying and selling
property.
Credit search
A check the lender makes with a specialist company
to find out whether you have any County Court Judgements or a record of not
paying loans, credit-card bills and so on.
Credit scoring
A lender's way of assessing whether you are a good
risk to lend a mortgage to.
Critical
Illness
Insurance that generally pays
out a lump sum if you are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness or
disease.
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Date of entry
In Scotland, this is the same as exchanging
contracts.
Decreasing term
assurance
Life assurance that pays out
an amount if you die during the term of the policy. The amount of cover reduces
each year. So, this makes it ideal to cover repayment mortgages where the
amount you owe the lender reduces each year. Decreasing term assurance is
usually cheaper than level term assurance.
Deposit
The amount of money you put towards buying a
property.
Disbursements
A solicitor's
expenses - for example, for stamp duty, HM Land Registry fees, searches, faxes
and so on.
Discount term
The time that a discounted rate applies to a
variable-rate mortgage. This term may be for a guaranteed number of months or
years, or it could be until a set date in the future; for example, 30 June
1998.
Discounted
rate
A guaranteed reduction in the
standard variable mortgage rate. This often lasts for an agreed period
.
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Early redemption
charges
A fee charged by the lender if
you pay off all or part of your mortgage before an agreed date or you move the
loan to another lender. These charges usually apply on fixed, discounted, or
cashback mortgages.
Endowment
A life assurance
policy that is designed to produce a lump sum to pay off an interest-only
mortgage. There are different types of endowments, for example, 'with-profits',
'unit-linked' and 'unitised with-profits'.
Equity
The amount of value in a property that isn't
covered by a mortgage - simply take the amount of the mortgage from the
valuation to work out the equity.
Equity release
You take a new, larger mortgage, or increase a
mortgage you already have and use some or all of the extra money you have
raised for home improvements, holidays and so on.
Estate agency
fees
The amount the estate agent
charges the person selling the property. This is usually worked out as a
percentage of the sale price, and may be negotiable. On a 4% fee, the estate
agent selling the property for £60,000, would receive
£2,400.
Exchange of
contracts
The point where you and the
person selling the property sign and swap identical contracts that show the
price and what fixtures and fittings are being sold, as well as a date when
everything will be finalised. When you exchange contracts the deal becomes
legally binding, and if you or the seller pull out before completion, you or
they will have to pay compensation to the other side.
Execution only
The company selling or arranging an investment
product like a pension or PEP cannot and does not give any advice on the
benefits of the scheme - they simply sell the product.
Extra cover or accidental
cover
This is insurance against damage
to the structure of your property and its contents - for instance, putting your
foot through the ceiling or spilling paint on the carpet.
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Fixed rate
The interest charged on the mortgage is for a set
amount for an agreed period of months or years.
Fixtures
Any item that is attached to a property, and so is
legally part of the property.
Flexible
mortgage
A type of mortgage where you
can make extra payments and even under payments without paying a charge or
penalty.
FPC Financial planning
certificate.
These are professional
qualifications for financial advisers. There are FPC Levels I, II, III , and
those who have passed all three and are members of the Life Assurance
Association are awarded the designatory letters MLIA(dip).
Freehold
This is when you own the property and the land it
is on.
Freeholder
Someone who owns the freehold of the property.
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Gazumping
This is when the
person selling the property accepts an offer from a potential buyer, and then
accepts a new, higher offer from another buyer before exchange of
contracts.
Gazundering
This is when the person selling the property
accepts an offer, and then the buyer puts in a new, lower offer just before
exchange of contracts.
Ground rent
A fee that a leaseholder has to pay the freeholder
every year.
Guaranteed death
benefit
On certain policies, there is a
guarantee that the company will pay out a certain amount when you
die.
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HM Land
Registry
The official organisation that
keeps records of properties in England and Wales. Transfer of ownership has to
be registered with the HM Land Registry.
Homebuyer's
report
This is when a professional
surveyor checks the structural state of a property. This is more detailed than
a valuation but less detailed than the structural survey. The report is
optional and you pay the bill; but, this report should pick up possible
problems and may give you the chance to negotiate a lower price. And, you have
more grounds to sue or get compensation from a surveyor for a poor report than
you would from a simple valuation .
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IFAs Independent Financial
Advisers.
These advisers can give you
information on and recommend investment products (endowments, pensions, ISA's,
etc) from a wide range of life assurance and investment companies.
Income multipliers or
multiples
The size of mortgage that
lenders will offer will often be worked out by multiplying your income each
year by a set figure. If you are the only person taking out the mortgage, the
usual maximum income multiple is three times your yearly income. So someone
earning £15,000 could borrow three times this amount, or £45,000.
If you are taking out a mortgage with someone else, the multipliers might be
three times the main income plus one times the second income. Or it could be
two-and-a-half times the two incomes added together. (Lenders may consider
including all or part of any regular bonuses or commission you receive as your
income.
Income protection
insurance
This covers accident,
sickness and unemployment. It provides a monthly payment if you cannot work for
an extended period due to an accident, sickness or unemployment.
Income
references
This is confirmation from
your employer that you earn the amount you claim in your mortgage application.
Accountants may also give confirmation of income if you are self-employed.
Interest only
Your monthly payments to your lender are simply
made up of interest. You do not pay off any of the mortgage during the term of
the mortgage. You pay off the mortgage finally using the proceeds of a separate
investment plan for example, an endowment, personal pension or ISA and so
on.
IPT Insurance premium
tax.
A tax on all UK general insurance.
This is currently charged at 4% of the premium when you buy it from an
insurance company or an insurance broker (but the Government can change this
rate).
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Leasehold
This is when you own
the property for a set number of years, after which it goes back to the
freeholder. Most flats in England are leasehold, and although most lenders will
lend on leasehold properties, they will demand that there is a number of years
left on the lease before making a loan (this could be 60 years, but will depend
on the lender) .
Leaseholder
Someone who owns a leasehold property.
Level term
assurance
Life assurance which pays out
a lump amount if you die during the term. The amount of cover stays the same
throughout the term, which makes the cover suitable for interest-only loans,
due to be repaid by an ISA, because the amount you owe on the mortgage stays
the same until the end of the mortgage.
Licensed
conveyancer
An alternative to
solicitors, these people specialise in the legal side of buying and selling
property.
Loyalty bonus
These are special schemes if you already have a
mortgage, that may provide reduced interest rates or fees, and even services
like removals.
LTV
The size of the mortgage worked out as a percentage
of the price you are paying for the property or valuation. (If your property
was valued at £80,000, a £60,000 mortgage would be a 75% Loan to
value.
LTV Loan to
value.
This is the size of the mortgage
as a percentage of the value of the property or the price you are paying for
the property. (A £45,000 mortgage on a house valued at £50,000
would mean an LTV of 90%.
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MIG Mortgage Indemnity
Guarantee.
This is insurance that
covers the lender in case your property is repossessed and the lender cannot
get back their money. (The lender may add the MIG, which usually applies on
high LTV mortgages, to the mortgage.). This guarantee provides no protection
for the borrower, and if a repossesed property results in the indemnity
provider making a payment to the Lender, the indemnity provider will have a
claim to the amount of the payment from the borrower.
Mortgage
A loan to buy a home where you put up the property
as security against you paying back the loan.
Mortgagee
The company or
organisation which lends you the money under a mortgage.
Mortgagor
The person taking
out the mortgage.
MRP Mortgage Repayment
Protection
This is insurance available
to mortgage payers. This will pay an agreed monthly payment if you cannot work
because of an accident, sickness or unemployment. This amount should cover your
mortgage repayments.
Multiple
agency
A number of estate agents agree
to try to sell the property.
Mutuals
Organisations owned by and for the benefit of their
members (savers and borrowers), with no outside shareholders. Some building
societies are mutuals, and so are some insurance and investment companies.
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Negative
equity
This is where the money you owe
on the mortgage is greater than the value of the property. For example, if you
had a £60,000 mortgage on a property valued at £50,000, you would
have £10,000 negative equity.
New for old
This is insurance cover which will pay the full
cost of replacing damaged or lost property with a similar, new item.
No-claims
bonus
This is similar to motor
insurance. You will be given a discount on buildings and contents insurance if
you haven't made a claim for a number of years.
Non-status
A borrower with impaired credit looking for a mortgage,
would likley only apply for Non Status mortgages.,
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On risk
This is when your insurance cover begins. This may be
before you have paid a premium.
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PEP
Personal equity plan. This is a tax-free way to own
shares or unit trusts. Depending on the lender, you can use PEPs to repay an
interest-only mortgage. New PEP's and ups to existing PEP's are no longer
allowed.
Personal
pension
This is a pension plan used to
save for an income in retirement. In some circumstances it will also pay a tax
free lump sum on retirement. Some lenders are prepared to grant mortgages to
borrowers wishing to use their lump sum to repay their interest only
mortgage.
PHI Permanent health
insurance.
This pays a regular monthly
amount until you retire or return to work if you cannot work because of illness
or an accident.
Policy excess
The amount you will have to pay when you make a
claim. For example, this may be the first £50 of a £500 claim for
damage caused by a storm.
Policy
schedule
This gives policy details of
how much cover you have (the sum insured), the discount you qualify for (if
any), and the premiums you have to pay. With some policies you may get a new
schedule when you renew the policy or whenever you want to change your
policy.
Possession
The lenders' term for repossessing your
property.
Private medical
insurance
This simply pays the costs
for private medical or hospital treatment.
Purchaser
The buyer of the property.
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Rebuilding
cost
This is the recommended amount
(from your property valuationthat you should take out buildings insurance cover
for. This may be higher or lower than the market value of your property.
Remittance fee
A charge made by the lender for sending the
mortgage funds to your solicitor when the purchase is just about to be
completed.
Remortgage
A new mortgage although you are not moving home.
Removal
expenses
The cost of hiring a removal
firm. This may depend on the total amount and size of your possessions, the
distance travelled, the number of stairs and so on.
Repayment
Your monthly
payments are partly to pay the interest on the amount you borrowed and partly
to repay the outstanding mortgage. Also known as a capital and interest
mortgage.
Replacement
value
This is the cost of buying the
same or similar items as new if you have to replace them in the event of a
claim.
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Sealing fee
A charge made by lenders when you repay the
mortgage.
Searches
Checks carried out during the conveyancing. These
checks are made with local authorities and other official organisations to
check planning proposals and other matters that may affect the value of the
property, and if it can be sold in the future. The HM Land Registry is also
searched to establish that there are no unknown charges registered against the
property.
Self-certified
You confirm how much you earn, and the lender does
not need any references.
Settlement
In Scotland, this is the same as completion.
Sole agent
A single estate agent agrees to sell the
property.
Solicitor
The person who deals
with the conveyancing.
Stamp duty
A tax you pay on properties which cost over
£60,000.
Structural
survey
This is the most wide-ranging
check of the outside and inside of a property. This is carried out by a
professional surveyor, and it should pick up all but the most hidden faults.
The structural survey is optional and you must pay the bill, but it provides
the greatest protection for the potential buyer in terms of the information it
provides. It also gives you cover against negligence by the
surveyor.
Sum assured
This is normally the amount paid out on a policy if
you die within the term. It is also the guaranteed amount to be paid out at
maturity on a low cost or full with profits endowment policy.
SVR Standard variable
rate.
The interest rate the lender
charges goes up and down, with your interest payments changing accordingly.
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Tie-in period
As a condition of a special mortgage deal (discount
or fixed rate, for example), you may have to agree to stay with the lender for
a period of months or years after the deal has ended. If you move your mortgage
elsewhere during this period, you may have to pay an early redemption
charge.
Term
The period of years over which you take the
mortgage and when you have to repay it. Most new mortgages are taken on a
25-year term.
Third party buildings
insurance
A charge a lender may make if
you decide to take buildings insurance from someone other than the lender. A
typical charge is around £35.
Title deeds
Documents to show proof of who owns the freehold
and leasehold property.
Transfer
deed
A document that, once you sign it,
actually transfers the ownership of the property to you.
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Unit trust
A popular type of stock market-linked investment
that you may use to repay an interest-only mortgage. Your monthly premiums buy
units in a fund of stocks and shares that is run by a professional manager. The
value of units can go down as well as up, and a unit trust doesn't include life
assurance.
Unit-linked
endowment
Your monthly premiums are
used to buy units in a fund or funds run by professional managers. Like unit
trusts, the price of these units can go up and down, so the value of the
endowment can change.
Unitised with-profits
endowment
A recent development allowing
investors to buy units in an insurance company's with profit fund. Unlike the
unit-linked endowment, the value of the units cannot fall, on either death or
maturity, once an increase has been made.
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Valuation
A simple check of
the property in order to find out how much it is worth and whether it is
suitable to lend a mortgage on. This is carried out by a professional surveyor
for the lender. You usually pay the bill and will usually get a copy of the
report.
Variable rate
The interest rate the lender charges goes up and
down, with your interest payments changing accordingly.
Vendor
The person selling the property.
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With-profits
endowment
Your monthly premiums are
invested by the life assurance company in their with profits fund. The policy
will have a basic sum assured to which bonuses are added , to build up a cash
sum. This should be enough at the end of the term to repay the mortgage,
assuming that the investment has performed at a rate equal to that assumed when
the policy started.
If you can suggest any other mortgage and
property-related terms that don't already appear in this glossary, please feel
free to e-mail them to
us.
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