Mortgage Charter FAQs

Q. Do I have to miss a payment before being given help?

A. No, you don’t have to have missed a payment to receive help. The sooner we know about any difficulties you may be facing, the sooner we can help. Please don’t cancel any Direct Debits before speaking to our Mortgage Support team as these may result in missed payments, which will be shown on your credit file and will impact your credit rating.

Simply contacting us to find out what options are available will not impact your credit rating, but missing payments will.

Q. I’ve fallen behind with my mortgage payments and would like to switch my mortgage to interest only to clear other debts (i.e. credit cards). Can I do this?

A. Although the Mortgage Charter only applies if you’re up to date with your payments, there may still be help available to you. We can refer you free of charge to PayPlan, who can provide advice and support for your unsecured debt.

Q. My fixed rate deal is coming to an end and I’m worried about higher payments. What can I do?

A. If you’re coming to the end of your fixed-rate deal, you can switch to a new deal with us up to four months before your current deal ends. The deal you select will take effect at the end of your current mortgage deal, until this time you can change your mind and switch to another deal if you feel it’s suitable for you.

If you’re unsure about what’s suitable for you and you’d prefer to speak to someone about this, we can arrange an appointment for you to speak to one of our mortgage advisers.

Q. The Mortgage Charter says I can switch to a new deal up to six months before. Why are you only letting me switch up to four months before?

A. Under the Mortgage Charter, customers can lock in a deal up to six months before. In line with these requirements, you can switch to a new deal with us four months before your current deal ends.

The deal you select will take effect at the end of your current mortgage deal, until this time you can change your mind and switch to another deal if you feel it’s suitable for you.

Q. I have a Buy to Let mortgage, what support is available for me?

A. The support available under the Mortgage Charter is only available to residential owner-occupied mortgage customers, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help you.

We have a range of tools that we can use to help you depending on your individual circumstances and a member of our specialist Mortgage Support team will be able to help.

Q. Do I need to make my broker aware of any changes to my mortgage based on the additional support provided?

A. Yes, we’d suggest you let your broker know of any additional measures you’re taking to help you with your mortgage payments. The changes may have an impact on any other policies you have (such as life insurance or critical illness cover), but your broker will be able to advise you.