A secured loan is a way for people to secure a mortgage using their own or someone else’s property as security. It’s what the lender uses as protection in the event that you can’t repay the debt.
If you can’t repay your debt or fall into severe financial difficulties, the lender can take possession of the asset you secured the mortgage with and sell it to recover their costs.
It’s not unheard of for a parent to use the family home as security for a mortgage taken out by their child. In this case it would be called a family guarantor mortgage.
Guarantors are generally parents or close family members who agree to assume responsibility for a mortgage should the borrower be unable to repay it. Borrowers use guarantors to enable them to buy a home with little or no deposit. A guarantor often uses their own home as security for the borrower’s mortgage.
If you fall behind on your mortgage repayments, eventually your mortgage lender will want you to clear them. If you don’t do this, the lender may start court action. This is known as a possession action and could lead to you losing your home.
If you have a property that is being used as security for a guarantor loan, the lender may try to take possession of that property. However, it’s not a reason to panic because a lot can be done in time before you actually lose your home.
But you must take action quickly.
Securing a loan against your home is taking out a “mortgage”.
Normally when we talk about mortgages, we’re referring to the “first charge” over a property. Tht’s typically a bank, and if you don’t pay the loan back, it means they’re first in line to recoup their losses through selling the house.
Sometimes people secure a second loan against their property. That’s a “second-charge mortgage”. This will typically be smaller and shorter.
Finally, sometimes parents may act as a guarantor on their child’s mortgage. This is known as a “family guarantor mortgage” and will typically mean using the family home as security in the event that the child doesn’t pay their mortgage.
In all three cases, a property is effectively being put on the line, because banks typically won’t lend more than about £25,000 without having that safety net. So securing a loan against property isn’t to be taken lightly, but it’s common in the UK. Always keep up with mortgage payments, and if you think you’re going to struggle to meet your commitments, communication with your lender is key.
| Response | 55+ | 45-54 | 35-44 | 25-34 | 16-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall cost | 46.81% | 41.52% | 48.31% | 51.55% | 33.98% |
| Initial rate | 38.5% | 33.33% | 40.25% | 36.02% | 24.27% |
| I would not choose a mortgage | 24.93% | 14.04% | 7.2% | 7.45% | 3.88% |
| Flexibility | 22.99% | 28.65% | 26.69% | 32.3% | 29.13% |
| Whether there's an application fee | 19.67% | 16.96% | 24.58% | 16.77% | 22.33% |
| Provider reputation | 15.51% | 14.62% | 16.53% | 27.33% | 22.33% |
| Customer service | 12.19% | 14.62% | 16.53% | 25.47% | 18.45% |
| Don't know | 11.63% | 18.13% | 17.37% | 11.18% | 20.39% |
| Other | 0.83% | 0.58% | 0.62% |
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