Ask the experts

About our experts...

At John Charcol, we are constantly asked for advice by borrowers on what they should do when it comes to mortgages.  As such, we created this section so that you can submit your questions to our experts.  The answers are provided by a number of people who have years of experience in the mortgage market.  The team is led by Peter Woodward who works in our technical department.  Peter spent his formative years as an underwriter with one of the major UK lenders so what he doesn't know, quite frankly, isn't worth knowing...

So please do submit your question and we will do all we can to answer it as quickly as possible

Please be aware that these answers can only be generic and no personal recommendations can be made.


Posted on 14 May 2008

We have just started making overpayments on our mortgage beginning with £10,000 off, continuing with £200-£500 a month hopefully. Is it better to reduce the term or reduce the mortgage payment amount but continue paying the...

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Category: Offset mortgages, Overpayments, Payment Holdays, underpayments, Borrowback


Posted on 5 May 2008

You gave us some very good advice before. We have already been in touch with an adviser at your firm. He advised us to borrow the whole amount we need, around £150.000, with an Offset Mortgage and draw the amounts required for...

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Category: Offset mortgages, Overpayments, Payment Holdays, underpayments, Borrowback


Posted on 26 February 2008

Katie, I'm considering an offset mortgage with a term of 14 years and a sum of £73,500. My wife and I have savings of £25,000. We earn bonuses which give us lump sums to reduce the debt further, approximately every 6 months...

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Category: Offset mortgages


Posted on 8 October 2007

I own outright the property I live in (no mortgage) I would like to buy a smaller property to renovate and sell on, which mortgage is the best for me?

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Category: Offset mortgages, Remortgaging, Second properties


Posted on 7 October 2007

I have an interest only mortgage of £110k at 6% and savings of £15k. Is it viable to use those savings as an 'offset' and pay 6.3% mortgage rate? I can keep the offset in ISAs.

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Category: Offset mortgages


Posted on 29 August 2007

I have an offset mortgage owing £122,000 left over the next 21 years. My monthly repayments are £900 on a variable rate mortgage. I want to sell the house but it does not look likely to sell as no-one has shown interest in it...

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Category: Buy-to-let, Offset mortgages, Remortgaging


Posted on 15 August 2007

Hi, would appreciate advice on what kind of mortgage to get. I am buying a £160,000 maisonette with a £100,000 deposit and should have about £15,000 left in savings.  I would like to keep repayments low for at least 2 years...

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Category: Lower mortgage payments, Offset mortgages


Posted on 24 July 2007

We currently have a £28,000 mortgage with Barclays its fixed rate is due to end soon.  Would you advise us to use our £9,000 in mini-cash ISAs to offset the interest or look for another competitive fixed rate.  We are...

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Category: Offset mortgages


Posted on 12 July 2007

My wife and I have quite a significant investment saved in various stocks and shares ISAs (about a third of the value of our mortgage). Is it possible to use these equity-based ISAs to offset a mortgage? If so, is it a good...

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Category: Offset mortgages


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