New-build houses (not flats) sold on a leasehold basis are being phased out under leasehold reform. What the ban covers, why it doesn't apply to flats, and what to check if buying new.
Lenders deduct committed childcare costs in full from your income before calculating what you can borrow. How this catches parents out, and what to do about it.
Missing mortgage payments doesn't mean immediate repossession. What lenders must do first, the realistic options available, and how the FCA's rules protect struggling borrowers.
'Mortgage prisoners' are borrowers unable to remortgage onto a cheaper deal despite paying reliably. Why they get trapped, what's changed, and options for escaping a high SVR.
A retention means part of your mortgage isn't released until specific repairs are completed. How retentions work, typical triggers, and how to get the held-back funds released.
A mortgage valuation is not a survey. RICS Level 1, 2 and 3 surveys explained — what each checks, what they cost, and which one suits your property.
The NHBC Buildmark warranty covers new-build defects for 10 years, but the two halves of the policy work very differently. How to make a claim and what's excluded.
100% mortgages have returned to the UK market, alongside family springboard and offset products that let relatives secure a deposit without gifting cash outright. How each works and the real risks.
Right to Manage lets leaseholders take over building management from the freeholder without proving fault. How it works, what it costs, and what changes under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act.
A holiday home and a rental property both count as a 'second property' for stamp duty, but lenders assess them on entirely different criteria. Affordability, rates and use restrictions compared.
Self-build mortgages release funds in stages rather than as a single lump sum. How advance vs arrears staging works, typical stage payment schedules, and what lenders require.
You can't sell a probate property until the grant of probate is issued. What executors need to arrange first, typical timelines, and practical pitfalls that catch families out.
