Endowment Guide

Search
Directory
Links


Create the future you want! Learn to make money online. Visit our website and start today!  www.exclusivebizopps.com

Lenders' Exit Fees under Investigation

Endowment Policy
With most buyers borrowing well over £100,000 to buy their property, lenders' exit fees - usually in the region of £50 to £300 pounds - are a tiny percentage of the overall mortgage costs. Yet these penalties have created so much anger, that some borrowers have taken on the big lenders - and won.



The problem - as mortgage brokers should explain to their clients - is that, unlike other fees associated with mortgages, the exit fee is not normally fixed at the time the client signs up. Over the past couple of years, a number of lenders have taken advantage of this and used it to hit borrowers with massively increased penalties when they come to redeem their mortgages. Alliance and Leicester has raised its mortgage exit fee by £100 to £295. Cheltenham and Gloucester charges £225 and Nationwide has introduced a fee for the first time and charges £90. Some of the biggest percentage increases have come from smaller lenders. Skipton Building Society raised its "redemption administration fee" from £75 to £175 (133%), while Lambeth Building Society raised its "discharge fee" from £65 to £150; an increase of 131%. The trend has been big news in the mortgage industry, with BBC Radio 4's Money Box and BBC Radio Five Live's Wake Up To Money launching their own investigations.



According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the fees are going up for a variety of reasons, one of which is that the services are being charged more accurately. However, cynics have pointed out that exit penalties are providing fees which are counter-balancing lower interest rates. Firms have claimed that these hikes are necessary because of the increased costs and extra work involved in taking property deeds out of storage and producing a final account statement. Yet this justification appears hollow when one considers that property deeds are now held electronically at the Land Registry. The practice of charging these inflated exit fees has been likened to entering a car park where the prices were clearly displayed, only to find that they had more than doubled when it was time to pay.



The industry regulator, the FSA, has recently held discussions with several lenders about their exit fees, following a number of complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). So far, none of these complaints have been resolved by the FOS, possibly because lenders are wary of the FOS finding against them, thereby setting a precedent. With lenders prepared to settle cases to avoid publicity, some canny borrowers have successfully argued their cases.



Mark Smith, from London, complained to C&G that the closing administration charge on his mortgage, taken out in 1999, had been increased by 350%. He persuaded the lender that a fair rate for him to pay would be based on a 50% increase in costs and C&G duly accepted that he should pay only £75, not £225.



The message to consumers, then, is clear: If you think you've been treated unfairly, don't suffer in silence - be prepared to haggle with the lender.

You should also read the "Mortgage Guide" section of the Website which provides information about mortgage products, interest rates and associated fees and charges. We receive commission and fees from certain mortgage lenders who advertise on or are linked to the Website. We retain the commission and fees and we do not charge you for the service we offer via the Website. The Mortgage Channel allows you to compare mortgage products and then links you to the relevant websites of certain mortgage lenders.

Selling Endowment

I acknowledge that this loan origination fee will be paid to you. I further acknowledge that there is no other fee agreement between us. If required by the Lender, I may have to pay a loan application fee and credit report fee. The Lender will determine the amount of this fee. The Lender's policy, not yours, determines if the fee is refundable. If the fee is refundable, the Lender will tell me the conditions for obtaining a refund.

Endowment Mis Selling Author:
Michael Hanna

Arrangement fees, also known as lender arrangement fees, are one cost that mortgage lenders have greatly increased in recent years. To secure the most competitive deals, rate mortgages or discounted mortgages, lenders often attach an arrangement fee. This type of mortgage fee, and the requirements of payment, varies in cost depending on the type of deal sought and the lender themselves. There are several key things to be aware of when it comes to arrangement fees.

Selling Endowment Policy About Michael

3. Approval and Prior to Consummation of the Mortgage Loan 3.1 Fees associated with loan commitments, if such fees are required by the lender upon receipt of a written commitment, provided the fees are payable to the lender. 3.2 Fees that the lender may require in advance of a loan closing, provided, however, party provider.

Endowment Fund Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced it is to start an investigation into the legality of credit card interchange fees.

Lilly Endowment Contact details:

Endowment Mortgage Uk E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com
Phone: 0131 561 2251

Endowment Plan Mortgage Michael's Website: Belfast

[ Comment, Edit or Article Submission ]

Share this:

Digg This Add To Del.icio.us Add To Reddit Add To Yahoo MyWeb Add To Google Bookmarks Add To Furl Fav This With Technorati Add To Newsvine Add To Bloglines Add To Ask Add To Windows Live Add To Slashdot Stumble This

More about:

Oct November 2008 Dec
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
            1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30            

Endowment Guide Blog on Technorati Related Blog of Endowment Guide on Sphere

Endowment Guide

Copyright © 2008 www.endowmentguide.org.uk. All rights reserved. Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional

uSwitch Save on Home Service and Financial Product