How a Debt Consolidation Remortgage Works
When you remortgage to consolidate debts, you take out a new mortgage that's large enough to repay both your existing mortgage and your outstanding debts. The lender pays off your old mortgage and your debts simultaneously at completion, leaving you with a single monthly payment — your new, larger mortgage.
For example, if you owe £180,000 on your mortgage and have £20,000 in credit card balances and personal loans, you'd apply for a new mortgage of £200,000. At completion, the solicitor uses the funds to clear your old mortgage (£180,000) and pay off the debts (£20,000). You then repay the full £200,000 over your mortgage term.
Why People Consolidate Debts Into Their Mortgage
The main appeal is lower monthly payments. Mortgage interest rates are typically much lower than credit card or loan rates. If you're paying 20% or more on credit cards and 7% to 10% on personal loans, rolling those debts into a mortgage at 4% to 5% can dramatically reduce what you pay each month.
Consolidation also simplifies your finances. Instead of juggling multiple payments to different creditors on different dates, you have one payment to one lender. This makes budgeting easier and reduces the risk of missing a payment and damaging your credit score.
Who Is It Suitable For?
A debt consolidation remortgage may be suitable if you have significant unsecured debts with high interest rates, you have enough equity in your home to cover the debts while staying within acceptable LTV limits, and you can afford the new mortgage payments comfortably.
It's particularly helpful for people who are struggling with high monthly debt payments that are eating into their household budget. By reducing the monthly outgoings, it can provide breathing room and help you regain control of your finances. However, it's not a magic solution — the debts aren't disappearing, they're being moved.
Important Warnings
The critical thing to understand is that while your monthly payments go down, you could pay significantly more in total because you're spreading the debt over a much longer period. A £10,000 credit card balance that you'd repay in three years becomes a debt you're paying off over 20 to 30 years, accruing interest the entire time.
You're also converting unsecured debt into secured debt. If you can't keep up with the payments on a credit card, the worst that happens is a default on your credit file. If you can't keep up with your mortgage, you could lose your home. This is a serious consideration that shouldn't be taken lightly.
Important: Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. There will be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual rate available will depend on your circumstances. Think carefully before securing other debts against your home.