What credit score do you need for a mortgage? The UK test
The FCA's mortgage rule sets an affordability test, not a score. We read it beside Experian's, TransUnion's and Equifax's scales, which do not agree.
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Why has my credit score gone down? Three UK agencies' lists
Experian, Equifax and TransUnion each publish their own reasons a score falls. We set them side by side, with the ICO's route if your file is wrong.
Can I top up my personal loan in the UK? Five lenders' terms
Tesco Bank, HSBC, Barclays, Nationwide and Post Office top-up terms side by side: combined or second loan, history needed, limits, credit checks.
What happens if I miss a personal loan payment in the UK?
The FCA's arrears rules, read in its own Handbook, beside what Tesco Bank and HSBC say happens when a loan payment is missed. No guesswork on fees.
Can I make overpayments on a personal loan in the UK?
Four UK lenders' own pages, read side by side: how you overpay, whether notice is needed, any fee, and whether the term or the payment falls.
Cancel a personal loan after signing? The UK 14-day rule
Yes: Citizens Advice says 14 days to cancel, 30 to repay. Nationwide, Zable and Ocean compared on interest, the 15-day count and your credit file.
Why does my loan settlement figure include 58 days interest?
Settlement figures run above the balance because lenders may add up to 58 days' interest. Five lenders' own wording side by side, and the clause priced.
Subject to status loan meaning: the lender checks you first
Subject to status means no approval yet: a UK lender checks your age, income, credit file and affordability before deciding to lend and at what rate.
Bailiff firms will need ECB accreditation — announced, not yet in force
The government has announced mandatory Enforcement Conduct Board accreditation for private bailiffs in England and Wales. It is an announcement, not yet a rule, and the ECB remains a voluntary body.
Later life lending grew on the year; lifetime mortgages did not
New loans to older borrowers rose 13.4% year on year in the second quarter, on UK Finance's figures. The lifetime mortgage line inside that total moved the other way.
Motor finance redress is partly suspended while the challenge is heard
The regulator says firms need not calculate or pay compensation for now. What that changes for a complaint already lodged, and what it does not.
Soft-search eligibility checks are useful — and widely misunderstood
An eligibility check will not damage your credit file. It also does not commit a lender to anything, and the percentage it shows you is not a promise.
Representative APR still misleads more than it informs
The advertised rate must be available to just over half of successful applicants. Almost everyone reads it as the rate they will be offered.