When it comes to current account mortgages UK consumers have quite a bit of choice. There are several providers of current account mortgages and there are also plenty of offset mortgage and flexible mortgage deals. When choosing current account mortgages UK consumers would be sensible to seek professional advice from an offset mortgage broker, but in the meantime, here's a guide to some of the benefits of current account mortgages for UK families.
With current account mortgages UK consumers combine their current account and mortgage into one account. In fact, some current account mortgages UK providers have named their product 'One Account' for that very reason. That name is also in use in other parts of the world, in places as far flung as Australia and Africa. Borrowers can also choose to include their savings and to use the current account mortgage to consolidate any outstanding credit card debt and loans. So, what's the point of doing this?
By combining their finances into a single account, with current account mortgages UK mortgage holders can save thousands of pounds in interest*. This is usually much more than they would have earned on their savings, as most UK savings accounts pay a negligible rate of interest.
And here's where it gets interesting. Many couples have a joint account or hold their mortgage jointly, so why not a joint current account mortgage? With joint current account mortgages UK couples can pay both their salaries into the account and reduce the interest paid on the current account mortgage even further. Current account mortgage lenders usually fix the mortgage payments at intervals, but the more borrowers have in the account, the less the interest component of that payment will be, so borrowers overpay on their current account mortgage every single month.
By having current account mortgages UK borrowers who are saving for a major family event can make those savings work by putting those in the account as well. They'll still be able to draw on the account, with a cheque book and debit card, so they can access their money whenever they like. And if a major unforeseen expense comes up they can withdraw money up to their borrowing limit. This is best used as a safety net, though, since the long term goal is to pay off the mortgage.
With current account mortgages UK families can also adapt to changing circumstances.
For example, they can take advantage of the flexibility within the current account mortgage to overpay whenever possible. That means that if they have a child, for example, they will then be able to underpay for a few months if money is tight, depending on the lender’s terms and conditions. However underpayments and payment holidays could increase the mortgage term and/or the total amount payable
One of the greatest benefits is that with current account mortgages UK families are likely to repay their mortgage early. Research shows that they will save several thousand pounds' worth of interest and shave anywhere from two to eight years off the term of their current account mortgage*. With all these features of current account mortgages UK families are sure to benefit, so it's no wonder so many are signing up.