Equity Release

There are three main types of scheme available:

Interest Only Mortgage

This is a loan secured against your home upon which you only need to make monthly interest repayments.  Upon death, or at the end of an agreed timescale, the property is sold and the original amount borrowed is repaid to the lender.

Lifetime Mortgage

This is the most popular form of equity release mortgage and is similar to an interest only mortgage, however, you do not have to make any repayments.  A loan is secured against your home and the interest charged is ‘rolled-up’, thereby increasing the outstanding amount due.  You retain full ownership of the property at all times*.  Upon death (of the last applicant if a joint scheme is set up between a husband and wife), or upon moving into long-term care, the property is sold and the outstanding sum due is repaid to the lender.  Any residue value remaining in the property passes back into the applicants estate.

Home Reversion Scheme

You sell part or all of your property to a lender in return for a sum of money.  However, you retain the right to reside in the property for the remainder of your lifetime*. Upon death, the same rules apply as above.

General

Most schemes are covered by the Equity Release Council, which ensures amongst other things that you can never owe more than the value of your property.

Warnings – Equity Release is not suitable for everyone.  Although Equity Release is a valuable way in which retired people can access some of the wealth they have locked up in bricks and mortar, the level of debt usually rises over time. Therefore, it can have a serious impact on your children’s inheritance and also on your ability to qualify for certain state benefits.  You will lose the right to reside in the property if you enter a Care Home.  A family meeting with a qualified adviser is always recommended before taking out an equity release plan.

EQUITY RELEASED FROM YOUR HOME WILL BE SECURED AGAINST IT.

*Assumes the scheme chosen adheres to the Equity Release Council code of practice.

Our minimum standard Broker Fee for equity release advice is £495. We will usually also receive a procuration fee from the lender when the mortgage completes.  However, depending on the complexity of the enquiry, this broker fee may be subject to change, so we will discuss your payment options with you and confirm the actual amount payable before we begin to provide our services.  Generally, existing DGS customers are not charged a Broker Fee.

To understand the features and risks of an Equity Release mortgage, please ask for a personalised illustration.

DGS has offices in London, Hertfordshire and the Midlands. We have a dedicated team of Independent Financial Advisers (IFA) and Chartered Financial Planners who can ensure you are receiving the right financial advice and the highest standard of service.

We also hold ‘Chartered Financial Planner’ status.  To find out more about what that means for you, click here.