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Guides

Plain explanations of secured borrowing: what the products are, what they cost and how they compare with the alternatives.

British terraced cottage with a front flower garden
Start hereSecured loans explained: homeowner loans and second charge mortgagesWhat they are, how lenders assess an application and what taking on another debt against your home means in practice.Read the guide

All guides

English brick cottage with a garden and wooden fence
Start hereSecured loan eligibility: what do lenders check?Ownership, equity, income, affordability, credit history and the property, plus the documents to prepare and why an initial result can change.
Stone houses in an English village
Start hereHow much equity do you need for a secured loan?Combined loan to value, worked examples with assumed figures, valuations, fees and why equity alone does not secure approval.
Open laptop and a notebook on a rustic wooden table in soft natural light
Start hereHow to apply for a secured loan: steps and documents you’ll needEight stages from first enquiry to completion, the documents lenders may ask for and what to check before accepting an offer.
Stone cottage with a green front door, climbing roses and a garden shrub
Start hereCan you get a secured loan with bad credit?How lenders assess defaults, court judgments, income and equity, and what to check before applying.
Sunlit kitchen with a table and a window looking out to greenery
Start hereUsing a secured loan for home improvementsProject budgets, the money you actually receive, the full borrowing cost and other ways to fund the work.
Minimalist wall calendar showing a full month grid
Start hereHow long does it take to get a secured loan?Find out what affects secured loan timescales, from initial checks to valuation, the mortgage offer and funds arriving, plus ways to avoid delays.
Couple reviewing household bills at a kitchen table with a calculator and laptop
Start hereAre secured loans a good idea? Benefits and risks explainedWeigh the benefits and risks of a secured loan, including mortgage costs, repossession, debt consolidation and the alternatives worth comparing.
Calculator and ballpoint pen resting on printed financial figures
Start hereWhat does APRC mean?How the annual percentage rate of charge is calculated and what it leaves out.
Victorian brick terraced houses on a residential street in Oxford
CompareSecured vs unsecured loansThe differences in security, amounts, terms and risk.
Brick cottage in England with spring flowers in the front garden
CompareSecured loan vs remortgageWhen keeping your existing mortgage deal makes sense, and when it does not.
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SituationsSecured loans for the self-employed: how to prove your incomeFind out how lenders assess income when you work for yourself, including tax calculations, business accounts, dividends and evidence of changing earnings.
Couple working through paperwork together at a wooden kitchen table
SituationsJoint secured loans: do both homeowners need to agree?Find out when both homeowners must agree to a secured loan, how joint repayment responsibility works and what to check before signing.
Older couple reading documents together at their kitchen table
SituationsSecured loans for pensioners: borrowing in retirementCan you get a secured loan in retirement? Understand pension income checks, age limits, costs and how second charge loans differ from equity release.
Open notebook, calculator and pen on a desk
SituationsCan you have more than one secured loan?Find out whether you can have multiple secured loans, how third charges differ from refinancing, and what lenders consider before allowing more borrowing.
Packed cardboard boxes in a sunlit living room before a move
SituationsCan you sell your house with a secured loan on it?You can usually sell a house with a secured loan. Learn how repayment works, which charges to check and what happens if the sale leaves a shortfall.
Top view of a desk with a calculator, graph papers and a marker
CompareCan you remortgage if you already have a secured loan?Can you remortgage with a secured loan? Compare keeping it or repaying both debts, including lender consent, equity, fees and the effect of a longer term.
Calculator and pen resting on a printed bar chart
CompareFixed vs variable ratesWhat each rate type means for your monthly payment over the term.
People reviewing documents together during a meeting at a table
CompareBroker vs going directWhat a broker does, what it costs and when to use one.
Desk with an open notebook and green plants beside a large window
CostsSecured loan interest rates: what affects the rate you’re offered?Credit history, combined loan to value, income, term, fixed or variable rates, and why fees can outweigh a lower rate.
Open notebook and pen on a wooden table, with a mug in the background
CostsSecured loan fees: broker fees and lender charges explainedWhat a broker fee covers, the lender charges that may apply, when fees are paid, whether they are refundable and how they change APRC and the total cost.
Hands writing in a notebook while using a calculator at a desk
CostsCan you pay off a secured loan early? Repayment charges explainedCan you repay a secured loan early? Understand redemption statements, repayment charges, overpayment rules and how to compare settling now with waiting.
Corner of a home interior with a wooden table, chairs and sheer curtains
CostsSecured loans for debt consolidationLower monthly payments against higher total cost and a debt secured on your home.
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CostsGlossaryPlain definitions of the terms used in secured loan paperwork.

Guides are for general information and are not advice. Habitat Loans introduces customers to Loans Warehouse, a credit broker authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any other debt secured on it.