Finding the right mortgage with CCJ credit issues

All mortgage lenders have their own criteria. The following factors all play a part in determining their mortgage offer and how much they are willing to lend to you:

• Amount you wish to borrow
• Size of your deposit
• Employment status and income
• Credit rating
• Outgoings
• Existing debt
• Your age
• Length of the mortgage term
• Your credit status
• If you are applying solely or jointly

In order to be accepted, you need to convince lenders that you are able to repay your mortgage. To do this, lenders typically use your credit report to check your repayment history. Your credit file will contain current and existing records on items such as credit cards, loans, overdrafts, mortgages, mobile phone/s, some utilities payments and all accounts opened in the past six years. If you have had arrears, defaults, CCJs, debt management plans or previously been made bankrupt, there are mortgage options available which we can help you with.

To get a mortgage, you will need to save a deposit of at least 5%. However, the more you can save, the better your rate will usually be. If you already own your own home, you can use the equity in your property for this. Our expert mortgage advisors can talk you through the benefits and the difference in your monthly payments by increasing your deposit.

Once you have found the property you want to buy, our mortgage advisors will assess your personal needs and circumstances and recommend a mortgage product that is right for you. They will compare hundreds of mortgage quotes, including a number of exclusive products that cannot be found on the high street or comparison sites, and ensure that you get the right deal at a great price.

If you are happy with the mortgage product your advisor recommends, you will pay an upfront fee to receive your Agreement in Principle (AIP). This will give you an approximate sum of how much the lender is willing to let you borrow, and enable you to put an offer in on your dream home.

If your offer is accepted, you will need to appoint a solicitor to handle searches, surveys and contracts, which we can arrange for you. We handle the entire mortgage application process through to completion, liaising with your solicitor and lender to ensure that your application is a success.

If you are looking to remortgage, then we recommend looking for a new mortgage deal around 3 months before your current deal expires. Starting early will give you plenty of time to compare all the available mortgage products and submit your application. If your mortgage is approved early there's no need to panic, as we will ensure that the completion date corresponds with your current deal's end date.

For the majority of mortgages, you borrow money from a lender to buy a property and pay interest on the loan until you have paid it back. The only exception are interest-only loans. Here are the different types of mortgages available:

• Repayment
• Interest-only
• Fixed rate
• Variable rate
• Tracker
• Discounted rate
• Capped rate
• Cashback
• Offset
• 95%
• Flexible
• First time buyers
• Buy to let

Repayment mortgages: Every month you make a payment which is calculated so that you pay off some of the capital you have borrowed, as well as the interest. By the end of your mortgage term, you would have repaid the entire loan.

**Interest-only mortgages: **Each month you pay only the interest on your mortgage and repay the capital at the end of your mortgage term. This option will not suit everyone, as you will need to guarantee that you can find the money when the time comes. If you don't, you risk having to sell your property to pay off the mortgage. Lenders can also insist that you provide evidence on how you intend to do this.

Fixed rate mortgages: Popular with first time buyers, as you know exactly how much you'll be paying each month for a particular length of time.

The disadvantages are that you may have to pay a higher rate if the interest rate falls, and a repayment charge if you either switch or pay off your mortgage before the end of the fixed term.

The lender will also automatically place you on a standard variable rate (SVR), which will probably have a higher interest rate, in which case you will need to apply for another fixed rate deal.

**Variable rate mortgages: **Also known as a Standard Variable Rate (SVR) and are every lender's basic mortgage. The interest rate fluctuates, but never above the Bank of England's base rate and is determined by your mortgage lender.

Tracker mortgages: Vary according to a nominated base rate, normally the Bank of England's, which you will pay a set interest rate above or below.

Discount rate mortgages: Some of the cheapest mortgages around but, as they are linked to the SVR, the rate will change according to the SVR and are only available for a fixed period of time.

Capped rate mortgages: A variable rate mortgage, but there is a limit on how much your interest rate can rise. However, as mortgage rates are generally low at present, many lenders are not offering them.

Cashback mortgages: Lenders typically give you a percentage of the loan back in cash. However, you need to look at the interest rate and any additional fees, as it is very likely that you will be able to find a better deal without cashback.

Offset mortgages: Combines your savings and mortgage together, by deducting the amount you have in your savings, meaning you only pay interest on the difference between the two. Using your savings to reduce your mortgage interest means you won't earn any interest on them, but you will also not pay tax, helping higher rate taxpayers.

95% mortgages: Generally for those with only a 5% deposit. However, as there is a risk that you may fall into negative equity if house prices go down, mortgage rates are usually high.

**Flexible mortgages: **Allow you to overpay when you can afford to. Other mortgages give you this option too, but you can also pay less at particular times or miss a few payments altogether if you have chosen to overpay. This does however come at a cost, as the mortgage rate will generally be higher than other mortgage deals.

First time buyers mortgages: All of the aforementioned mortgages are available to first time buyers, although some are more favourable than others. The government also offers a number of incentives for first time buyers through its help to buy scheme.

Buy to let mortgages: Enables you to purchase additional property for renting purposes only. The amount you can borrow is partially calculated on the rent payments you expect to receive.

The amount you pay each month is dependent on the total cost of your property and the type of mortgage you have. The costs you may need to pay vary but typically include:

Interest: Accrues across the lifetime of the mortgage and is charged as a percentage rate on the amount you owe.

Mortgage fees: A product fee which is charged for taking out the mortgage.

Application fees: Charged on application, regardless of whether you take out the mortgage.

Valuation fees: Can be charged by lenders for calculating how much your home is worth.

Higher lending charges: Can be applied to mortgages that have a small deposit.

**Telegraphic transfer fees: **Charged by the bank for arranging to transfer the money they are lending you (usually to your solicitor).

**Broker fees: **Often charged if you use a broker to arrange your mortgage.

**Early repayment charges: **Can be charged if you repay your mortgage before the end of the agreed term.

**Exit fees: **Lenders can charge these if you move to a new lender.

**Missed payments: **These can be charged by your lender if you fail to keep up your repayments, which can increase the total amount you owe.

If you have a history of bad credit including; arrears, defaults, county court judgements (CCJs), debt management plans or bankruptcy, there are still mortgage options available. Your choice of mortgage lender and type of mortgage will however be limited, and the rate of interest will be higher than someone who has a good credit rating. Our expert mortgage advisors are in regular contact with adverse mortgage lenders and are well placed to advise you on all your available options.

If you have bad credit, the mortgage options available to you are similar to standard mortgages. However, you will have to pay a higher rate of interest, and will likely need a larger deposit of around 15% or more. The more you can save however, the better your chances are of getting your mortgage application approved.

Mortgage lenders see those with poor credit as a risk, and therefore charge a higher rate of interest and request a bigger deposit to mitigate this.

If you have a history of bad credit or are worried about your finances, get in touch. Our mortgage advisors are experts in adverse mortgages and can advise you on your available options to help you get on the property ladder.

Most people have a general idea about their credit rating. But, it's important to check your credit rating before you apply for a mortgage. In doing so, you will know whether you will need to apply for a standard or poor credit mortgage, and avoid having a rejected mortgage application appear on your report, which could affect your future credit chances. To obtain a copy of your credit report, sign up to either Experian, Noddle or Equifax.

To improve your bad credit rating, there are a few things you can do to possibly increase your chances of being approved for a bad credit mortgage:

• Check that you are on the electoral roll
• Always pay your bills on time and in full
• Close any credit accounts you have for stores or catalogues and no longer use
• Consider applying for a credit builder credit card, to help show lenders that you can manage money responsibly
• Guarantor loans can also improve your credit score, if you keep on top of your repayments
• Regularly check your credit report to make sure that all the information is correct. If any of the details are incorrect, contact the relevant lender and ask for these to be amended.

Making these changes should help improve your credit score, but it will not happen overnight, especially if you have a history of bad credit or have missed multiple payments.

If you have a history of bad credit including; missing a few credit card payments or County Court Judgements (CCJs), there are still mortgage options available, even if you have previously been turned down by a high street bank or building society.

There are mortgage lenders who specialise in providing mortgages to individuals with a poor credit history. Interest rates for bad credit mortgages are usually slightly higher than standard mortgages, as you are seen to be a higher risk. However, if you keep up your repayments, your credit rating should improve and allow you to move to a standard mortgage within a few years.

Our mortgage advisors regularly deal with bad credit mortgage lenders, and are well placed to find you the perfect right to buy mortgage to suit your individual needs.