Equity Release Costs Explained

Just as if you were normally taking our a mortgage or re-mortgaging your home, an equity release loan includes some charges that you’ll need to pay.

What Costs Are Associated With Equity Release?

When you apply for equity release, you will need to have your house valued. You’ll also need to pay arrangement and consultation fees, and you’ll require the services of a solicitor.

With Equity Release, you’ll need to pay for a house valuation as well as arrangement and consultation fees. You’ll also need a solicitor who will charge for their services.

Continue reading to get the full details of all costs associated with Equity Release.

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What Are the Equity Release Charges?

There are four main charges that you’ll likely need to pay when you opt for equity release. The first will be a valuation fee, when your lender sends an independent surveyor (independent surveys list) to your home to value the property and check for any issues that may affect the selling price in future.

Then, there’ll be the arrangement fee, charged by the lender for the execution of the equity release plan. This’ll vary, and could be a set figure between £500-£1000, or it might be a percentage of the final loan you’re given. You don’t need to pay this upfront, but if you decide not to, it’ll be added to your loan debt and it’ll accrue interest.

Using an Equity Release broker can help you get the best Equity Release deal as they have access to the whole market.

Your broker might also charge a consultation fee, which is likely to be around 1.9% of the loan but could again be a fixed fee. And then finally, you’ll have to instruct a solicitor to act on your behalf to sort out the legalities and make sure everything is taken care of from your end, so they will also charge you for their services.

With the exception of your solicitor fees, everything else will be detailed for you when you first apply with the lender. It should be clearly set out in the key terms so that you aren’t misled in any way. Your solicitor will bill you separately.

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Are There Any Costs for Equity Release Early Repayment?

There may come a time where you decide you need to end your equity release plan early. Usually it’s when you’ve decided you want to sell your home to downsize, but you can’t just transfer the plan to your new property as it doesn’t have the same value.

In order to do this, you’ll need to pay an early repayment charge. This will vary from lender to lender (full list of Equity Release lenders), so you’ll need to make sure you read your equity release agreement in full before you make any decision.

Some firms will have a set early cancellation fee, while others will calculate it on a regular basis depending on various factors related to their lending. Sometimes you’ll have a repayment fee which drops over time – it may start at 15% of the loan value and then every year drop by 1%, for example, until after 14 years you’d only have to pay a 1% fee to repay the remainder early.

Your financial adviser and solicitor will help you to understand the charges you’d be due to pay for your chosen lender, so you were fully clear.

Quick Equity Release FAQs

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How Can Money Savings Advice Help You With Releasing Equity?

Here at Money Savings Advice, we have partnered with some of the UK’s leading Equity Release brokers. They have already helped thousands of people get the best Equity Release deal and they can do the same for you.

Choosing an independent adviser means they won’t recommend a scheme unless they are sure it is in your best interests. Their advice is also regulated by the FCA, which gives you an additional layer of protection.

If you would like to speak to one of these brokers who can provide you with a ‘whole market quote’ then click on the below and answer the very simple questions.