Jargon buster for mortgage loans - I

Continuning further from our previous article on Mortgage features - various kinds of mortgage features-2, Here is a list of terms that are frequently used in the mortgage and loans business.

Advice
A recommendation about the most suitable mortgage for you made by an adviser who is regulated by the FSA.

Annual statement
A statement from your mortgage lender, sent every year, showing among other things what you've paid and what you still owe.

Approval in principle
A certificate which some lenders will give you that shows the amount they will probably be prepared to lend you. This is not a guarantee, but can be helpful when signing up with estate agents.

APR
Annual Percentage Rate. This shows the overall cost of a loan, taking into account the term, interest rate and other costs.

Authorised firm
A firm that has permission from the FSA to carry out regulated activities.

Buy-to-let mortgage
A loan you take out to buy a property which you intend to rent to tenants.

Capital
The amount you borrow to help buy your home.

Capped mortgage
A mortgage that has a maximum limit on the interest rate you'll have to pay during a special deal period.

Cashback mortgage
A mortgage that comes with a cash sum (often a percentage of the amount you're borrowing).

Compare products (mortgage tables)
Use our impartial tables to compare mortgages from a wide range of lenders.

Collared mortgage
A mortgage with a minimum interest rate you'll pay during a deal period.

Deposit
The amount of money that you're putting into buying a home (not including the mortgage money you're borrowing).

Discounted mortgage
This has a discounted variable rate of interest for a set period, after which the rate will increase.

Early repayment charge
A charge you may have to pay if you break off a mortgage deal - by paying it back early and/or moving to another lender.

Fixed rate
An interest rate that is fixed (ie it doesn't move up or down) for a set period of time.

FSA
The Financial Services Authority - the UK's financial services regulator.

Income multiples
The factor by which your earnings are multiplied to find out how much you can borrow.

Interest
The charge made by lenders when you borrow their money.

Interest rate
The figure that determines how much interest you pay. Usually linked to the Bank of England's rates and can move up or down.

Interest-only mortgage
A mortgage where you only pay the interest charges of the loan each month. This means you are not reducing the loan amount (or capital) itself, and this will need to be repaid in some other way.

Continue to Part II of Jargon Buster