Jump to main content of pageaccessibility informationSitemap
29 Mar 2024
Compare Mortgages Compare Life Insurance Compare Remortgages

News

Sub-prime mortgage conundrum

Darren Cook, mortgage expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, comments:

“Up until July last year the sub-prime market was a growing sector offering 8,148 sub-prime residential mortgage products compared with just 1,252 today.

“Many lenders realised that there was an ever increasing number of people with blemishes on their credit files. Existing lenders added sub-prime products to their range and there was an influx on new lenders offering exclusively sub-prime mortgages.

“As a result of the much publicised difficulties in funding this type of lending, the number of lenders offering such products has dropped from 36 in July 2007, to just 13 today.

“Last year the market for sub-prime was so competitive that some rates being offered were only fractionally higher than standard residential rates. Now, as lenders continue to factor in margins for higher risk, sub-prime customers are paying the price with rates up to 2.75% higher than the same time last year.

Level of sub-prime

Type of deal

Best rate July 07

Best rate August 08

Increase

Light

Fixed

5.75%

8.30%

+2.55%

Variable

5.75%

7.79%

+2.04%

Medium

Fixed

6.00%

8.55%

+2.55%

Variable

5.24%

7.79%

+2.55%

Heavy

Fixed

6.30%

9.05%

+2.75%

Variable

6.15%

8.19%

+2.04%

Source: Moneyfacts.co.uk 28.8.08

“Many borrowers on a light level of sub-prime assumed that if they kept on top of their financial affairs once their deal ended they would be able to move to a much cheaper standard residential deal, but due to stricter lending criteria from prime lenders this isn’t necessarily the case.

“If they can get a standard residential deal their new repayments could potentially drop as a better deal currently available on a two year fixed stands at 5.54%.

“Of those that can’t get a new standard residential deal, they will need to try and find a new sub-prime deal or have no alternative other than moving onto the revert to rate of their existing deal. With this rate currently standing at 9.43% this could prove costly.

 

Rate

Monthly repayment

True cost over 2 years

Light adversity fixed 07

5.75%

£943.66

£22,647.84

Average fixed rate today

5.54%

£924.72

£22,193.28

Light adversity fixed 08

8.30%

£1,187.69

£28,504.56

Average revert rate 08

9.43%

£1,303.25

£31,278.00

Figures based on £150K mortgage
Source: Moneyfacts.co.uk 28.8.08

“Borrowers could be facing up to a £360 hike in their monthly repayments, which could be a step too far for the majority. As a result we are likely to see more people facing the prospect of repossession as more and more deals come to an end in the near future.”

 

Moneyfacts Group
Moneyfacts is the UK’s leading independent provider of personal financial information and our data is used and trusted throughout the financial industry. 

 

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE

Think carefully before securing other debts against your home, your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Go Direct.co.uk is a trading style for website purposes of Go Direct UK Ltd.

Go Financial Services is a trading style of Go Direct UK Ltd which is an appointed representative of Personal Touch Financial Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England & Wales Company 5703224. FCA Number 456600

We normally do not charge a fee for mortgage advice, however this is dependent on your circumstances. Our typical fee would be £349

Remortgages | Mortgage Repayment Guide Remortgage Guide | Life Insurance | Mortgage Protection Life Insurance | Decreasing Term Life Insurance | Accident Sickness Unemployment | Accident Sickness Unemployment Cover | Builds and contents quote | Conveyancing Online | Btl Mortgage | Mortgage Repayment Calculator | Free Mortgage Advice | Online Mortgage Application | Shared ownership mortgages | Site Map