Simply put, they are a loan only available to property owners (or mortgage holders), where the lender can forcibly sell your house to get its money back if you can't repay. The 'secured' bit means the lender gets 'security' not you, as if there are problems, it can repossess your home.
When we normally talk about personal loans from a bank or building society, these are unsecured, which means there's no automatic link to your home (so non-homeowners can borrow this way too).
Sadly it is becoming more common that for those in financial difficulty even unsecured lenders can get what's called a 'charging order' on your home. This effectively means they have a call on the money from the sale of your house.
This doesn?t automatically mean it can push repossession though, there?s another court stage they?d need to go for and the courts are much more reticient to grant it on charging orders. Yet even with this, it's much more difficult for lenders to take your home if its unsecured.
Why would anyone want a secured loan?
- Easier to obtain. Unsecured loans are almost always cheaper for those with decent credit scores, but secured loans provide lenders with, well? security, so they're more willing to lend to poor credit scorers.
- Big borrowing is possible. The maximum unsecured loan is ?25,000 yet secured loans can be ?75,000.
- Borrowing over a longer period. Secured lenders prefer loans to last longer to help offset hefty set-up costs, usually from five to 20 years. Unsecured lending is usually one to seven years. Borrowing for longer does reduce the monthly repayments, but substantially increases the total interest repaid.
- Credit Card Balance Transfers. Credit cards are ?unsecured' and, used correctly, the cheapest borrowing possible, especially when shifting debt to new Balance Transfer offers. Also read Cheap Credit Card Loans.
- Unsecured Loans: Cheaper and less risky for those who can get them. Full details: Cheap Personal Loans.
- Check Credit Reference Files: Those rejected from unsecured lending without an obviously poor credit history should check their information held by the credit reference agencies Equifax, Experian and CallCredit isn't erroneous. Full details: Your Credit Rating.
- Use savings: The interest paid on savings is usually far less than interest charged on borrowing, so paying off debts with savings makes sense. Traditional logic does say always have an ?emergency cash fund'. I disagree. After paying off debts, don't cut the credit cards up, lock them away strictly in case of a substantial emergency. If no emergency happens you're quids in, and can then start a cash emergency fund. If it does, use the cards and you're no worse off than when you started, and you've saved substantial interest costs in the meantime. Full details: Pay Off Your Debts With Savings.
Checklist before considering a secured loan
Credit Card Shuffle: It's possible to cut the interest rate on existing debts even without getting new products. Many credit cards allow existing customers to move other debts to them at special rates. Correctly shifting balances and prioritising repaying expensive debts first creates substantial savings. Full details: Credit Card Shuffle.
Budget & Reduce Outgoings: Massive MoneySaving is possible on everyday spending by moving to better products. See the Money Makeover and The Money Diet for ideas. Budget effectively to allow quicker and easier debt repayments with the Budget Planner.
Remortgage: Mortgages are simply a special type of secured loan with cheaper rates. Borrowing the money on your existing mortgage, or remortgaging to a new cheaper deal is a valid option, but isn't always correct. Mortgage debts are paid off over a long time, and 5% over 20 years is more expensive than 10% over five years. Plus you may be forced to increase your life assurance and other associated costs if mortgage debts increase. Those without flexible mortgages (which allow quick repayments) may sometimes be better off with a secured loan. Full details: Find the Best Mortgage, Remortgage Guide.
Debt Counselling: For those consistently struggling with debts and meeting repayments, free personal help is invaluable. Do it as quickly as possible, the longer you leave it the worse it gets. Avoid commercial debt management companies.
Getting a secured loan cheaply and safely
- How much to borrow?
Get a handle on your existing debts first; list them on a piece of paper. Once you know the secured loan rate, draw a line across the page where this fits in. The secured loan should only be considered to pay off the more expensive debts above the line.
Don't feel all debts should be consolidated into one. This is a common secured loan sales pitch, yet in isolation it serves no real purpose. Remember, if you're repaying a higher rate or for longer, they make more cash.
- You're converting a fixed rate into variable rate debt
While most unsecured loan interest is fixed for the life of the loan, secured loan rates are usually variable and can shift both with UK base rates and for the lenders' own reasons ? check the terms.
If you're considering converting fixed rate debt such as a standard personal loan into variable rate debt, always ask ?could I afford the repayments if rates increased??. If not, don't do it. Don't throw surety away. Some secured loans offer rate fixes, but usually only for a limited period; and do always check there are no penalties for paying off your existing debts early, something common with unsecured loans.
Finally, don't borrow more than you need. Disgustingly some lenders tout, ?why not borrow a little more for a holiday? You deserve it.? Don't do it. Never treat secured loans lightly, take as little lending as possible.
And most importantly if you think you won't be able to make the repayments, don't even start down this route, it isn't worth it - see the free debt cousellors instead.
- How long to borrow for?
Budget to work out the maximum realistic amount you can commit to repaying, use the Budget Planner to help. Don't underestimate or it'll take longer to repay, costing more interest; and don't overestimate or you may overstretch yourself, risking your home. Careful planning is crucial.
*****
Tips:
What is a secured loan?
A secured loan is a loan in which the borrower pledges an asset (e.g. a car or property) as collateral for the loan.?
What is an unsecured loan?
Unsecured loans are monetary loans that are not secured against the borrower's assets. These often take the form of credit card debt, personal loans, bank overdrafts, credit facilities or corporate bonds.?
What is a balloon payment?
A balloon payment is a large, lump-sum payment made at the end of a long-term loan. It is commonly used in car finance loans as a way of reducing monthly repayment figures. Be aware that once you reach the end of your loan period, that balloon amount becomes payable.?
What is APR?
APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate and is an important factor in determining the overall cost of a loan. You can use APR to compare different personal loan offers. When you arrange a loan with a finance company, their offer can include extra fees associated with the loan. The APR figure takes all of that into account, giving you an easy percentage interest rate to allow you to compare and shop around.
APR Guide:
6.7% ? 19.9% - Not missed any payments on credit or your mortgage in the last 6 months
20% ? 58% - Not missed any mortgage payments in the last 3 months and no defaults on credit/loans
56.7% ? 91.9% ? Had one missed mortgage payment and no defaults on credit/loans in the last 3 months
109.5% ? 153.6% - Have defaults or CCJs and missed mortgage payments
What is the Effective Annual Rate?
The effective annual rate is the actual interest rate that you pay on a loan if the loan is affected by compounding. This loan calculator compounds interest on a monthly basis. For information on interest rates and APR, see our article What Is APR? How Does APR Differ From Standard Interest Rate?
What is the Formula For This Loan Calculator?
This loan calculator uses the following formula to calculate loan figures:
Monthly payment = [rate + rate / ( (1+rate) ^ months -1) ] x principal loan amount
UK?s cheapest secured loans
What is a secured loan?
By taking out a secured loan, you are borrowing money that is secured against your assets, usually your property. So it?s wise to consider very carefully before going down this route, as you could lose your home if you cannot keep up the repayments. Always make sure that the cheapest secured loan you find in the UK does not become a very expensive one.
Why choose a secured loan?
Secured loans are a tricky market, where many lenders are only willing to work through brokers. To ensure you have a good chance of finding the cheapest secured loan available to you in the UK, uSwitch works with a broker to widen the secured loan possibilities available to you. This broker has been carefully selected to ensure you receive the highest level of service.
Comparing all the secured loans to the find the cheapest
The UK secured loans market is full of pitfalls for the novice or the unwary, as it?s full of lenders who run the whole gamut from highly reputable merchant banks to those who are little more than loan sharks. But don?t worry, because this is where uSwitch.com can help. Once you?ve identified your cheapest secured loan by using our secured loans calculator we will then refer you to a broker that we have vetted.
Is the cheapest secured loan the right one for you?
Before searching for the cheapest secured loans in the UK, you need to be honest about your loan requirements. For instance:
- Will you take a secured loan from a lender you have not heard of?
- How much can you afford to borrow and pay back?
- What happens if you want to pay back your loan early?
Once you?ve understood and assessed your circumstances against these pointers and you are prepared for some questions about your assets, you?re ready to go on to next stage.
Apply now for your cheapest secured loan
It?s easy. Just go to our secured loans comparison service and when you find your cheapest loan in our results, click on ?Apply? to start your loan application.
Source: http://www.koplak.co.uk/2013/08/secured-loan-calculator.html
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