'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.
How to challenge unreasonable service charges as a UK leaseholder — what counts as 'reasonable', how the First-tier Tribunal process works, and what the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act changes.
A lease under 80 years becomes progressively harder to mortgage, and marriage value kicks in on any extension. Why lease length matters so much and what thresholds to watch for.
Buying a second home or buy-to-let in England or NI? You pay a 5% SDLT surcharge on top of standard rates (raised from 3% in October 2024). Worked examples on £200k-£500k properties
