Guide: Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage

Lifetime mortgages vary in their types, and you can choose whichever one suits your needs. A Roll-up Lifetime mortgage refers, as the name suggests, to the kind of equity release loan where your interest rate ‘rolls up’ or compounds until repaid (which is when the last homeowner dies or moves into care).

In this kind of mortgage, you apply for a one-time lump sum payment as opposed to other kinds of lifetime mortgages which allow both an initial lump sum and further drawdown facilities.

Source – @walking_abby

Key features of Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage

• You will get a one-time lump sum amount.
• You can make voluntary repayments of no more than 10% of the loan amount each year. This amount comes in your annual repayment allowance and is renewed each year.
• The minimum amount of loan you can apply for shouldn’t be less than £20,000, while the maximum goes up to £1m.

Eligibility Criteria for Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage

You are eligible to apply for a Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage if you can satisfy these criteria.

• Your property is worth at least £70,000.
• You are at least 55 years old.
• Your property is in the United Kingdom (UK).
• The maximum property value (without a referral) is not more than £2,000,000.

Advantages of Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage

• You can opt for a lump-sum amount against the equity of your home, borrowing the most you can upfront
• The loan will only have to be repaid at the end of term when you die or you move into a permanent care facility.
• You do not need to make regular payments.
• You can make voluntary payments if you wish to manage the inheritance you leave behind
• Plans are portable. If you want to move in the future, you can take your plan with you
• Available for freehold and leasehold properties
• Interest rates are competitive and fixed for life
• You continue to own your home

Disadvantages of Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage

Following is the list of some of the disadvantages of a Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage.

• The inheritance value is reduced for your beneficiaries if you don’t make any repayments
• The overall loan value increases because of the roll-up interest rate.
• If you plan to repay early, you will have to pay Early Repayment Charges (ERC).
• Your means-tested benefits will be affected if you opt for a lifetime mortgage and it is unlikely you’ll be able to still receive them

Conclusion

To conclude, you could choose to opt for a Roll-up Lifetime Mortgage if you are not concerned about passing your residential property down to your beneficiaries as an inheritance. This could also be a good option for you if you are looking to secure a relatively large one-off lump sum.

For further information, consult a financial advisor to see if Roll-Up Lifetime Mortgage really suits your needs and aligns with your financial stability.