http://www.cashquestions.com/forum CashQuestions is the first independent UK personal finance web site to bring investors, financial advisers and investment product providers together. Members of the public can ask a question on the site and have it answered by an expert free of charge. en Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:20:13 GMT vBulletin 1 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.cashquestions.com/forum http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12290&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:16:07 GMT I am looking to buy my first home and have a good job and managed to save enough to have a deposit which should work out close to 15% of the property prices I am looking at. My only problem is that 4 years ago, when I was a student, I got a default registered on my credit rating for an overdraft... I am looking to buy my first home and have a good job and managed to save enough to have a deposit which should work out close to 15% of the property prices I am looking at.
My only problem is that 4 years ago, when I was a student, I got a default registered on my credit rating for an overdraft facility I forgot all about. Will this cause me problems now? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12290 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12289&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:13:21 GMT Myself and my wife own a large portfolio of properties and we are what you would call 'asset rich'. Our son wants to buy a house and we would like to help him out with a deposit but just don’t have access to any large amount of capital. We thought we could sell him one of our properties for less than market value but this still doesn’t help him out with the deposit needed to get a mortgage. Is there anything else we can do? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12289 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12288&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:10:25 GMT I want to go travelling and have agreed to let my house out to my best friend whilst I am away. I have been told by my mortgage broker that I will now have to pay off my existing mortgage and get a Buy To Let Mortgage but this is going to cost me loads in fees and a much more expensive interest... I want to go travelling and have agreed to let my house out to my best friend whilst I am away. I have been told by my mortgage broker that I will now have to pay off my existing mortgage and get a Buy To Let Mortgage but this is going to cost me loads in fees and a much more expensive interest rate. Is this right?? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12288 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12287&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:09:29 GMT My wife is 71 and I am 73, both retired and we have a large deposit but have been told by our bank that we cannot have a mortgage due to our age. Will no-one lend to us because we are retired? My wife is 71 and I am 73, both retired and we have a large deposit but have been told by our bank that we cannot have a mortgage due to our age. Will no-one lend to us because we are retired? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12287 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12286&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:07:55 GMT What does a mortgage broker do for me that I cant do myself? If I do my own mortgage I wont pay any fees? What does a mortgage broker do for me that I cant do myself? If I do my own mortgage I wont pay any fees? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12286 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12285&goto=newpost Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:05:06 GMT Santander claims reports that it is planning to hire an extra 6,000 staff in the UK as part of its expansion plans are "incorrect".

The 6,000 new jobs reported by the Financial Times are not "new positions" but rather part of its normal recruitment requirements to replace people who have left, retired or need maternity and sickness cover, according to the bank.

"Santander is currently recruiting up to 600 staff to new roles to meet business growth and to continue improving its service. These roles are in addition to its normal recruitment plans," Santander said.

"Recent press reports suggesting we are recruiting people above this number are inaccurate. Like any other company, the bank recruits many people each year as normal course of business to meet the requirements of staff turnover."

Citywire ]]> Banking Editor http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12285 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12284&goto=newpost Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:29:39 GMT Is now a good time to try to get a fixed rate or tracker mortgage deal? I came to the end of a fixed rate in January and dropped onto my lenders Standard Variable Rate. I am in a good position with a low mortgage compared to the value of my home, no other debts and a good credit history. Is now a good time to try to get a fixed rate or tracker mortgage deal? I came to the end of a fixed rate in January and dropped onto my lenders Standard Variable Rate. I am in a good position with a low mortgage compared to the value of my home, no other debts and a good credit history. ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12284 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12283&goto=newpost Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:28:48 GMT I own my own house outright and have not had a mortgage for many years. I have seen a little property which is in pretty poor condition and think if I buy it and do some essential repairs I can turn it around in 6 months, sell it and make a tidy profit. However when speaking to my bank about... I own my own house outright and have not had a mortgage for many years. I have seen a little property which is in pretty poor condition and think if I buy it and do some essential repairs I can turn it around in 6 months, sell it and make a tidy profit. However when speaking to my bank about borrowing money for this they have told me this is development finance and I am looking at paying pretty large fees and they will charge me a penalty when I go to pay the mortgage off. Is this right? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12283 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12282&goto=newpost Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:28:04 GMT I want to buy a holiday home in Cornwall but my bank has told me I cannot have two residential mortgages. Is there any other way I can go about buying the house? I want to buy a holiday home in Cornwall but my bank has told me I cannot have two residential mortgages. Is there any other way I can go about buying the house? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12282 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12281&goto=newpost Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:27:05 GMT I am self employed and have been told that it will be impossible for me to get a mortgage because there is no such thing as 'self certification' anymore. Is this true? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12281 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12280&goto=newpost Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:54:11 GMT Dear CashQuestions, My wife is originally from the Philippines and we travelled there in 2008 for a visit and stayed at a well known Manila hotel. A double room cost us around 890 pounds for 11 nights bed and breakfast. Everything was excellent and we had a great time and made some nice friends... Dear CashQuestions,

My wife is originally from the Philippines and we travelled there in 2008 for a visit and stayed at a well known Manila hotel. A double room cost us around 890 pounds for 11 nights bed and breakfast. Everything was excellent and we had a great time and made some nice friends including hotel staff. One of the staff in Guest Relations said she would be willing to offer us a deal should we ever return in the future. We have been friends and kept in touch by email ever since.

We are now planning to re-visit my wife's family and intend staying again at this Manila centrally based hotel.

We booked our flights awhile ago which is the most expensive part(1400 pounds plus!!! for two return flights Manchester to Manila via Amsterdam with KLM)

Anyway, our friend in the hotel has sent us an email offering discounted family & friends rates for our stay; so the double room for 11 nights with breakfast could now be 3500pesos per night which I have worked out at roughly 50pounds 50 pence sterling per night totalling 555pounds approximately which is about 340 pounds cheaper than our last visit which we paid for via internet hotel site; so we are really pleased.

My question is presuming that we have to pay by credit card in advance directly via my friend who is in the hotel and based in Philippines(obviously) to take advantage of her kind reduced rate for family/friends and presuming she has to take payment in Philippine pesos is there any particular credit card I should use? Can I push in a friendly manner for payment to be taken in pounds sterling?? I just don't know what to do. I will obviously be emailing our friend soon but just wondered if you had any opinions/views??

Also, with regard to the flights, the Amsterdam to Manila leg is a very long flight(I think about 16 hours). Last time I asked for an aisle seat for my disability(arthritic hips/spine etc) but I also asked if possible for an upgrade or consideration for seating with extra leg room due to my overall mobility and health situation(arthritis and heart). On the way out there were many free rows and seats but I received no pre departure response and on the flight just after we took off, a stewardess just moved down the aisle and offered people to move to the empty rows/seats etc. Within a few seconds/minutes the fastest and mostly young adults made their move and enjoyed the extra space etc, some stretched out across several seats and able to sleep!!

On the way back I made the same request by email but no reply until we got home to UK saying they had overlooked the email and had no time to do anything!!!

Have you any tips in general about trying to get extra leg room and/or upgrades on a complimentary basis due to ill health conditions? And if so can you advise me about how to approach KLM airlines with such requests etc for our flight on 21st January 2011(including when you think I should contact them).

Hope this is relevany for this forum and understandable.

Thanks

Phil Ritson ]]> Ask an expert Cuchillo http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12280 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12279&goto=newpost Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:26:27 GMT in Wendover. Glad to see someone expanding after all the branch closures! in Wendover.

Glad to see someone expanding after all the branch closures! ]]> Savings Annie Shaw http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12279 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12278&goto=newpost Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:21:55 GMT I am a first time buyer and looking to purchase my first home. My parents are willing to help me out if they can and we have heard about guarantor style mortgages, what are they? I am a first time buyer and looking to purchase my first home. My parents are willing to help me out if they can and we have heard about guarantor style mortgages, what are they? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12278 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12277&goto=newpost Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:20:37 GMT My wife and I sold our home 3 years ago, pre the house price crash thankfully, and have had the capital in the bank ever since then. We have not been able to find a house we like in all this time, but a friend mentioned to us about buying a plot, then we could build our dream home exactly as we... My wife and I sold our home 3 years ago, pre the house price crash thankfully, and have had the capital in the bank ever since then. We have not been able to find a house we like in all this time, but a friend mentioned to us about buying a plot, then we could build our dream home exactly as we wanted! We would not have enough funds to buy the plot and do all the build works so my question is, can you get a self build mortgage? And, if so, what is different about it than a normal mortgage? ]]> Mortgages Worldwide Financial Planning http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12277 http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12276&goto=newpost Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:15:27 GMT Hello there, I was thinking of claiming for a mis-sold PPI, I had a loan and a credit card about 5-6 years ago and although its all paid off now, I'm sure I had PPI on it that I wasn't made aware of.

My question is....how reliable are the many companies out there who will do the legwork for me for a percentage of any fees repaid?

Many thanks

Anthony ]]> Ask an expert dinobaby http://www.cashquestions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12276