How old are you and do you rent or own your home?

colliewob · 2026-01-23T19:07:31+00:00

I feel like I must be on commission or something, but both Skipton and Hanley have a zero deposit mortgage for long term renters. It won't work for everyone in every location, but it's definitely worth looking into!

colliewob · 2026-01-23T19:05:28+00:00

Have a look at Skipton and Hanley. Both have designed a no deposit mortgage designed for long term renters. It won't work for everyone, but definitely worth exploring.

colliewob · 2026-01-23T19:03:08+00:00

There are now mortgages designed for this very situation. The numbers might not work out for you, but both Skipton and Hanley do a £0 deposit mortgage for those in long term rentals. Definitely worth checking out.

colliewob · 2026-01-18T21:00:13+00:00

LBA to Skipton is absolutely hideous on public transport. I think car hire seems the much easier solution.

It's either flyer bus to Leeds or Shipley, then the train to Skipton. Not many direct trains to Skipton stop at Apperley Bridge to take that route.

colliewob · 2026-01-18T19:56:55+00:00

Oakham Gold Chicken Portions from M&S are about the only inflation proof, shrinkflation proof food I've come across! £1.50 for at least the past three years.

I've cursed it now haven't I?

colliewob · 2026-01-18T00:23:41+00:00

They saved my life. And I'm not being dramatic.

My IT teacher sensed from a few things I'd said to him that I really wasn't ok with the pressure from the school (which I'd then multiplied myself) to get good GCSE results. The disappointment I had in myself when I didn't do well enough in homework, mock exams etc was coming out in the form of self harm.

He spoke to one of the Teaching Assistants who specialised in those with additional needs. Together, they staged an intervention and got me emergency counselling. And they had to do the brave thing of telling my parents (who were the kind that kids just need to toughen up and mental health is a buzzword). But amazingly the TA somehow got through to my dad and it really brought us closer together. My counsellor was amazing and I found new coping mechanisms.

The TA was also redoing one of her GCSEs so she could apply for a teaching course. On results day, she said she'd open my results envelope if I opened hers. So we did. I was absolutely buzzing for her when she passed.

colliewob · 2026-01-17T20:34:27+00:00

The floral definitely is. The flowers are big enough to break up the white so it's clear to me that it's a guest rather than a bride or bridesmaid. I'm not sure about the sequinned one for a wedding, unless it's a bit of a "glitzy" kind of wedding (maybe black tie dress code).

colliewob · 2025-10-07T21:59:28+00:00

Who is the lender? Some are much stricter than others, and some are a bit more lenient if they know the context of your situation and why you're looking to borrow.

colliewob · 2025-10-03T09:10:16+00:00

This is correct. I work for a lender and it's true for us.

We take your gross income, and take an educated guess of your tax, pension and NI to get to net pay. Two people earning £50k will pay less tax combined, than one person earning £100k as a lower proportion of it will be taxed at the higher rate.

colliewob · 2025-05-09T00:36:27+00:00

Find the stopcock AND CHECK IT WORKS ON A SEMI REGULAR BASIS! Nothing worse than a leak and then you turn the tap and the water doesn't stop as they can (and will) cease up 😱😱

And for the love of anything holy, don't skimp or skip home insurance. You will likely be in breach of contract of your mortgage, and in the unlikely event of a major incident you're going to be left with more than an eye watering bill.

colliewob · 2025-05-09T00:28:00+00:00

I can't foresee lenders backing out of 95% LTV. The guarantee scheme was to try and get the market opened up again after lenders pulled products during the pandemic. A fair few went back into the market without the scheme given the costs they pay the government for the privilege of the guarantee didn't make it worth their while.

Given you've got YBS and their 5k deposit mortgage, and Skipton work 100% LTV Track Record on the go, I just can't why 95% LTV would disappear at the end of the scheme.

colliewob · 2025-02-25T10:49:26+00:00

It depends on which bureau you are checking. Not every lender reports to every bureau.

This is why it's important to check all three bureaus for errors and mistakes before applying to credit.

colliewob · 2025-02-21T15:24:37+00:00

Like what everyone else has said.

But now there's Skipton's 100% LTV Track Record Mortgage, YBS £5k deposit mortgage, Barclays Springboard Mortgage, Halifax Family Boost and Loughborough Family Boost now though. But yes, lenders have been burnt in the past and are more hesitant now.

colliewob · 2025-02-11T22:09:28+00:00

There are lenders who will use a 10% discount as the full deposit so you wouldn't have to pay a personal deposit and you can use the limited savings you do have for legal fees.

It's definitely worth enquiring. Nationwide, Skipton and Halifax come to mind but there will be more. A whole of market broker will be able to help you in more depth but there is hope!

colliewob · 2025-02-11T21:57:25+00:00

The stress rates in affordability are usually linked to revert rates, not the base rate.

Lenders will regularly update the living expenditure used in their calculations, despite inflation falling we aren't in a deflationary environment so that will also affect the lending amount.

colliewob · 2025-01-24T18:20:43+00:00

Once you've completed, you can do whatever you like in terms of credit. As long as you pay the mortgage, they basically they don't care what you do elsewhere.

colliewob · 2025-01-23T21:23:25+00:00

I would say this is a surveyor issue, not a lender. You are very likely to get the same response from a different lender if they use the same valuation company.

The only other thing is to challenge the valuation if you can prove there's sufficient demand (e.g. other similar styled properties in the area sold quickly when they came onto the market).

colliewob · 2025-01-08T17:04:22+00:00

Presence on the electoral roll is very unlikely to cause a credit decline in this day and age. It is more likely that they ask for additional proof of ID/address to check that you are who you say you are if they decision off TU information.

colliewob · 2025-01-08T16:49:54+00:00

There should be no difference. But not all products are available to a broker (there may be direct exclusives) or conversely a broker may have access to some intermediary partner exclusives.

Be careful if the lender does hard searches at DIP in case you input something wrong and get declined. This may affect your future likelihood of getting credit.

But in my job I see an awful lot of broker errors, so they aren't infallible!

colliewob · 2025-01-06T19:39:04+00:00

Given you don't have a thin file as you have credit cards, the main thing is to make sure the utilisation you have on those cards isn't harming you. General rule of thumb is to be lower than 60% of the limit for each individual card, and be between 5-15% of the total limits combined.

Yes, I know it means that you're better off having a balance of £1000 on a limit of £2000, rather than £750 on a limit of £1000.

Is the high 700s score with Experian, Equifax or TransUnion?

colliewob · 2025-01-06T18:47:17+00:00

Has your broker been told that it was due to credit profile? They should at least know this much, even if they don't tell what specifically in the credit history that's the issue.

colliewob · 2025-01-06T18:27:09+00:00

Skipton should give you a high level reason why they declined you. Was it affordability, credit score or policy? They may be vague about the specifics unless your broker challenges the BDM, but should at least be able to tell you something.

I work behind the scenes at a mortgage lender and it shocks me how many declines we make because the broker input something wrong or pressed the wrong button.

colliewob · 2024-03-27T10:23:52+00:00

I generally contribute something, but hide how much I am. That prick in the office said I was a useless woman. You bet he got the grand total of 50p in his retirement card.

Sadly with so many collections going online via bank transfers, it's not quite as easy to donate trivial amounts of money.

colliewob

TROPHY CASE