It’s been almost two years since new mortgage affordability rules were brought in but most people are still none the wiser, according to a survey by What Mortgage and Equifax
New mortgage affordability rules were introduced almost two years ago, which place an even greater onus on lenders to asses an applicant’s ability to repay. However, it seems that many people are still unaware of how these rules might impact their mortgage application.
A new survey conducted by What Mortgage and the information provider Equifax shows that only a third of people (33%) are aware of the new rules and understand how they will impact on a mortgage application.
Four out of 10 people (39%) are oblivious, while 27% are aware of the new rules but not sure how they will impact on their application for a mortgage.
When it comes to first-time buyers, they are even more in the dark. Almost half (48%) of first-time buyers did not know about the new rules, which were introduced as part of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) in April 2014. Although this means that 52% are aware of the rules, only one in five first-time buyers (21%) understand how this will affect their mortgage application.
Those planning to move house were the most aware with 54% understanding the new rules, 26% were aware of the rules but not sure how they will impact on them, while 20% had no knowledge of the MMR.
Just over a third (36%) of those planning to remortgage did not know about the new rules, 28% were fully aware and 37% know about MMR but not how it affects them.
Six out of ten first-time buyers believe the new affordability rules will slow down the mortgage application process, 6% think it will speed it up and 34% don’t know.
Over half (53%) think the new rules will help to prevent people from overstretching themselves in the long term, 23% said it would not make a difference and 24% don’t know.
Credit reports
Of those who are currently in the process of applying for a mortgage, 27% said they were completely unaware of the use of credit report information in the mortgage application process.
There are certain factors that will have an impact on your ability to get a mortgage but many people are unaware of this.
This is highlighted by the survey finding only 22% of respondents were concerned about missing payments on credit agreements, just 15% worry they have too many credit agreements such as credit cards, while 12% feel they have too few credit agreements. The survey found that 22% of respondents were not concerned about any of these types of issues. But these are all important factors when applying for a mortgage or any other type of credit as lenders use this to help them with their lending decisions.
Almost six out of 10 (58%) first-time buyers applied for a copy of their credit report before applying for their mortgage. This is sensible and necessary in order to find out if there are any blemishes or mistakes on your credit report as that could affect your application. One in 10 (9%) of first-time buyers said they had not checked their credit report and 33% indicated they had not applied yet.
Lisa Hardstaff, credit information expert at Equifax, says: “The reality is that mortgage lenders will take a good look at a person’s financial situation, this includes looking at information on a person credit report. If a person has missed or made a late payment on a credit or service agreement, prospective lenders could see this and take it into account during the application process.
“Lenders will typically look at a person’s income and expenditure over a three to six month period, so any changes in spending habits should be made well in advance of applying for a mortgage. To ensure a person is mortgage ready, they should check their credit information at least six months before making a new application so that any updates that might need to be made can be actioned in plenty of time.”
Deposits
Raising a deposit remains a major challenge for first-time buyers. Although the best rates are only available for those with a large deposit relative to the amount they are borrowing, there are some competitive deals for those with lower deposits – the widest in nearly eight years.
Nearly four out of 10 first-time buyers (38%) have saved a deposit of between 5% and 10% of the value of their home. Almost one in five (18%) have saved less than 5% and another (18%) have managed to put aside 10-15%. Unfortunately, 13% have not managed to save anything.
Six out of 10 first-time buyers are not getting any help with the deposit but 5% were lucky enough to have been given a lump sum and 1% said their parents had agreed to be a guarantor.
The majority of savers (22%) spent one to two years saving, while 17% have been saving for two to three years. But many people are having to save for longer periods of time to get a deposit together – 10% have been saving for three to four years, 5% for four to five years and 12% for over five years.
Social media
Across all age groups 44% of respondents said that if their mortgage lender wanted to check their social media account as part of their mortgage application they would agree to it, with 56% saying no. But the figures are reversed for first-time buyers with 56% saying yes and 44% saying no.
Hardstaff concluded: “If a person is considering applying for a mortgage, the lender will need to perform affordability checks. These checks are designed to make sure the applicant can afford the repayments both now and in the future. Affordability assessments should also take into consideration potential interest rate increases as well as significant life events that may affect future repayments. Expect to be asked questions about spending habits, childcare costs and future financial plans.
“Once a person knows they are ready to take the first step on the property ladder, it is important to have a complete picture of the mortgage application process, taking into account all financial obligations, so there are no nasty surprises.”
Survey of 1,335 of Equifax customers and What Mortgage, Expert Agent Property News subscribers was conducted in February 2016.
he Equifax Credit Report is accessible for 30 days free by logging onto www.equifax.co.uk/Products/credit/credit-report. If customers do not cancel before the end of the 30 Day Free Trial, the service will continue at £9.95 per month, giving them unlimited online access to their credit information and weekly alerts on any changes to their credit file. It also includes an online dispute facility to help them correct any errors on their credit file..
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