The base rate is the UK interest rate set by the Bank of England. A change in the base rate is likely to affect your mortgage rate. By understanding what it is and how it works, you can avoid paying more than you need to.
The mortgage set up fee, also known as the mortgage arrangement fee, is the cost the bank or building society charges for setting up the mortgage
The deposit protection scheme is a vital safeguard for the millions of tenants renting their property across the UK. Learn how it all works in our guide.
Our first time buyer guide will help you choose between a first time home buyer mortgage, help to buy mortgage, and other first buyer schemes.
Find the best 5 year fixed rate mortgage for you with the help of our guide and mortgage comparison service.
Which mortgage is best for you? Read our guide to fixed rate versus standard variable rate mortgages and what mortgage interest rates mean.
Find out if you meet the criteria for a Help to Buy mortgage and learn more about the government’s schemes designed for first time buyers and home movers.
Home buying, moving and mortgage costs. uSwitch guide to all the costs of buying a house, including deposit, solicitor fees, stamp duty and conveyancing.
The mortgage market review is a fundamental change to the UK's mortgage market, but what is the mortgage market review or MMR?
Moving home can be among the most stressful things to do, but a lot of that stress can be mitigated by a bit of planning in advance.
What is Rent to Buy? Is Rent to Buy right for you? Does the government’s scheme help you decide whether to rent or buy? How can you find Rent to Buy homes?
Can shared ownership be your best chance of getting a foot on the property ladder? Lower income families can own a share of the property while paying rent.
A two year fixed rate mortgage will protect you against potential interest rate rises. Read all about the pros and cons of two year fixed rate mortgages.
LTV, or loan-to-value, is the size of mortgage compared to how much your property is worth. Do have enough equity to qualify for the best mortgage rates?
Remortgaging your property can offer a better deal on your monthly repayments or a chance to consolidate your debts. Compare remortgage deals with uSwitch.
Fixed rate mortgages rates are getting increasingly competitive, with rates at all time lows, but is 2015 the year to fix your rate?
The Bank of England increased interest rates to 0.75% in August 2018. The highest rate since 2009, this could spell more expensive mortgage payments but better returns on savings.
Mortgages are often complicated products, with a lot to take into account. But, you can compare the cost of different mortgages by looking at monthly repayments.
Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney has implied that interest rates may rise as early as January 2016. Should you be concerned?
Pay off your mortgage early or build up your savings? In this uSwitch guide we explain in detail what the options are too paying off your mortgage early
Parents, families and friends can help out first time buyers with deposits, a guarantor mortgage or family offset mortgages.
Stamp Duty is a lump sum tax that is owed when purchasing a property or land that is valued over a certain amount.
Your bank already knows your circumstances and can get an idea of your reliability with less effort when it comes to assessing your mortgage application
A house valuation will tell you about the property and how much it might potentially cost. Our guide explains how to get a free house valuation.
Buying a new build home off-plan you may find it a lot harder to get a mortgage than for a new build home that has already been built
Many first time buyers get help from their parents, but if you are being gifted a deposit, here are some things you need to watch out for.
Your home's value can fluctuate according to the market, but you can also increase its value by taking a few steps. Our guide explains further.
Capital gains tax is a tax on the profit you make when selling or disposing of an asset. The tax is only the profit, i.e. the gains.
The length of a mortgage offer will vary from lender to lender, but is usually valid for a period between around 3 months and 6 months.
A repayment holiday is an agreement with a lender to allow you to take a break usually for a month or two or perhaps longer from your usual payment plan.
Find out more about how to build your own home. Building your own home could be cheaper than buying a house, but there's a lot to consider.
Gazumping is when a buyer had an offer accepted at the end of the purchase but the seller at last minute has decided to accept an offer from another buyer
If you are moving home you might be able to keep your existing mortgage and move it over to your new property – this is known as porting
Learn all about the the largest and most common form of credit in the UK helping millions of us buy homes.
To apply for a mortgage you need as minimum as three months bank statements, proof of income and your passport or any other identification
We have put together a mortgage glossary to help even the experienced homeowner get to grips with all of the important terminology
A second home mortgage is exactly how it sounds – a mortgage for buying a second home. Read our guide to learn more about the second home mortgage.
A 10 year fixed rate mortgage deal will fix your interest rates and monthly repayments at the same level for 10 years
Once you're over 50 your mortgage options begin to change, so it's worth carefully considering your options
Finding the size of mortgage you can get before you start house hunting is a sensible move and can help you set your budget.
In this step by step guide to buying a home, we explain different steps that one needs to take before buying a home
In the long run buying a home is usually better value than renting. Despite the large upfront costs that come with paying a deposit, legal and mortgage fees
The average deposit size to get a mortgage is generally 20% of the property value, which means you will likely need somewhere between £20,000 and £50,000
The mortgage interest rate determines how much your monthly repayments will cost. The higher your interest rate, the higher your mortgage repayments
With fixed rate, variable rate or tracker rate mortgages, the option to pay interest only, capital, offset, finding the right mortgage can be difficult
No deposit mortgages are mortgages that give you a 100% Loan to Value ratio (LTV), aimed at customers who do not have a deposit to put up to buy a home
A mortgage broker is someone who compares the market for mortgages and provides impartial advice to help you find the right deal
The time it takes to get a mortgage will depend on a number of factors: having good credit rating, reliable and steady income, mortgage valuation survey
The largest UK mortgage providers are often Lloyds, Santander, Nationwide, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC
Mortgages are typically most accessible to people aged between 25 and 40, who have a larger than average and reliable income and sizeable savings
Mortgage affordability criteria requires a proof of regular salary, sufficient income enough to meet your mortgage repayments
Discover what is needed to complete a successful mortgage application. What information lenders need to accept, process and approve your application
Remortgaging to a new deal and new lender can save you lots of Money, it can also land you with Early repayment charges, exit fees and high SVR
Understanding cash back and cash back mortgages is necessary to finding the best type of mortgage deal for you and your property – Read the uSwitch Guide
Your credit score will be looked at when you apply for any type of mortgage and often have more stringent lending criteria to loans – Read the uSwitch Guide
Understanding what mortgage and repayments you can realistically afford is essential to know what size property you can purchase & how much deposit you need
The cost of a mortgage is almost entirely defined by the interest rate, so the lower the rate, the cheaper your mortgage will be – Read the uSwitch Guide
Mortgage overpayments can save you thousands of pounds in interest, but there are some potential fees to consider before doing so – Read the uSwitch Guide
Are discounted mortgage deals too good to be true? Is a discount mortgage the best type of mortgages for you? What are the downsides? Read the uSwitch Guide
The final true cost of you home move can be calculated when you consider and understand all fees associated with your mortgage – Read the uSwitch Guide
You should look to remortgage to a new deal when your current introductory mortgage rate is close to ending, but not before – Read the uSwitch Guide
Build to rent refers to an emerging sector in the housing market involving large scale developments built mainly for the use by private renters
Independent mortgage advice is a helpful way of finding the right deal for you amid a complicated and overwhelming range of home buying options.
Conveyancing is the legal transfer of ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer. Read our guide that explains all about Conveyancing.
If you work for yourself, freelancer, contractor or classed as self employed and are looking for a mortgage? Read our self-employed mortgage guide
Learn more about financing holiday home properties. Looking for a holiday let mortgage? Find out if you could get a mortgage for a holiday home
A joint tenancy when home buying means you have joint ownership with someone else sharing the ownership, responsibilities and rights
Buying a second property? Everything you need to know about buying an additional residential property and how to get a second property mortgage
Self build mortgages can give you the financing you need to make that dream home a reality.
Having the right amount of deposit to buy a house can make a huge difference in getting the best mortgage deal. Read on how to save for a mortgage deposit.
How to get a deposit for a house? Is borrowing money or using a credit card towards a mortgage deposit an option? uSwitch.com
To buy a house you need to set a budget, find a home you can afford, apply for a mortgage and transfer funds to the seller
How do mortgages in the UK work? Who are the biggest lenders and what do you need to know about the British mortgage market?
A bridging loan is a form of financing that allows you to borrow money on a short-term basis in the gap between buying a new home and selling your old one.
Over 55s can withdraw their pension pots in one go to reinvest as they fit. We explain what these changes mean, and what need to be aware of.
To get a mortgage you need to have at least a 5% deposit for a home as well as meeting affordability and credit score criteria with a lender.
Remortgaging to buy a rental property, or buy to let property, could be one way to raise enough cash to get the deposit for a buy to let mortgage
Consumer buy to let mortgages are regulated as residential mortgages aimed at 'accidental' or non-professional landlords
Saving for a mortgage deposit typically takes around ten years and requires careful planning and discipline with your money
Investing in buy to let property has become a popular in recent years, what do you need to know before you become a buy to let landlord?
Is a fixed rate mortgage right for you? If you're not sure uSwitch is here to help. Find out all about the advantages and disadvantages
Are mortgage interest rates going up or down? What kind of mortgage has the best fixed rate, tracker, offset? Compare mortgage interest rates
Interest-only mortgages offer cheaper monthly repayments but what's the catch?
What could the first government budget after the election hold for you? Wednesday 8 July will be the first Conservative party budget in 18 years.
The March 2015 budget is the last before May's General Election, but what will George Osbourne's announcements mean to you?
Your questions on bad credit mortgages answered. Bad credit mortgages do exist - find out how and where to get a mortgage if you have a bad credit history
Compare the best buy to let mortgages. Find out everything from fixed rate, trackers & new landlord BTL deals. FAQs and top tips from uSwitch
Your questions on tracker mortgages. Find out what a tracker mortgage is, see tracker mortgage rates and compare tracker mortgage deals with uSwitch
Offset mortgages can reduce the mortgage interest you pay and cut your mortgage term by years. Find out if an offset mortgage is right for you with uSwitch.
Looking for mortgage information? Use the mortgage guide for the essential facts you need to make an informed choice about your mortgage today.
What is equity and how can you access it? We explain how you can use the value of your house to get a cash lump sum.
Eight excellent tips for first-time buyers. Things are tough for first-time buyers, learn how to find a mortgage, buy a house on the property ladder