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Transfer to Interest Only

You can now switch to Interest Only payments for 6 months. If you feel you would benefit from a reduction in your monthly payments in the short term, this could be the right option for you. You can however only take the option once.

If you can keep your mortgage to its original payment term you should continue to do so.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible to transfer your mortgage to an Interest Only basis for up to 6 months you must:

  • Be a UK residential mortgage customer
  • Not have any arrears (this means you’ve missed mortgage payments and have payments) overdue on your mortgage
  • Not be looking to take out additional borrowing during the 6 month Interest Only period
What happens if I am not eligible?

We’re committed to helping our customers and if the Mortgage Charter options aren’t right for you, there may be different options depending on your situation. Please call us on 0345 702 3083, with lines open 9am - 6pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 9am - 5pm on Friday.

What is Interest Only?

Switching to Interest Only payments means you're only paying the interest on your mortgage every month, not any of the original capital you borrowed.

How will this affect my payments?

Interest Only payments don’t work towards paying off your outstanding mortgage balance. This means that once the 6 months ends, you’ll have to make up any capital balance repayments that were not made during the Interest Only period. We will increase your monthly mortgage repayments, which means you’ll end up paying more interest by the end of your full term than you would have under your original plan. Please note that this option will not affect your credit file.

What happens after 6 months?

Should you decide to go ahead with temporarily switching to Interest Only payments, after 6 months you'll automatically switch back to paying your mortgage's capital and interest charges. We will recalculate your monthly payment based on the outstanding balance and remaining term at the time. Your monthly payment will be higher than it was before the arrangement. This ensures that the mortgage balance is paid off by the end of the original term and we'll advise you of this at the time.

Transfer to Interest Only online

To change to Interest Only you will need to complete the Mortgage Charter form. We will write to you and provide an illustration so that you can review the impacts to your mortgage payments and make an informed decision. You will then need to notify us should you wish to continue with this Mortgage Charter option.

We won’t provide advice on individual suitability needs or carry out any affordability assessments as this is non-advised. Please be advised you will not be protected under the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules of assessing suitability and you will not be eligible to claim for compensation under the mortgage advice element of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. You may wish to seek independent mortgage advice prior to submitting a request for the Mortgage Charter support measures.

Request transfer

Are you already struggling to meet your mortgage payments?

Visit our Mortgage payment difficulties page to find out how we can help.

Mortgage Charter FAQs

What has changed?

Newcastle Building Society already offers a wide range of options to anyone struggling with their mortgage payments. On top of this, the Society has now agreed to additional measures to support customers as part of the Mortgage Charter. Details of the commitment can be seen on the Government’s website.

Who can benefit from the Mortgage Charter?

Support under the Charter is available for customers with residential mortgages and to borrowers who are up to date with their payments. However, there is support available for all mortgage customers of the Society outside of the new measures announced in the Charter. 

To qualify for the measures of support within the Mortgage Charter you must be up to date with your mortgage payments, have a UK residential mortgage and have more than 12 months remaining on your mortgage term.

Who is excluded from the Mortgage Charter?

Customer currently in arrears (this means you’ve missed mortgage payments and have payments overdue), Buy-to-let, bridging loans, second charge loans, Gibraltar & Jersey accounts, customers with less than 12 months remaining on term and equity release are excluded from the Charter. Customers in arrears or in financial difficulty, please speak to our specialist team with Mortgage Support. Please call us on 0345 702 3083, with lines open 9am - 6pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 9am - 5pm on Friday. Alternatively if you are already in financial difficulty please refer to our mortgage payment difficulties page.

What options are available under the Mortgage Charter?

Temporary Interest Only, term extension and/or arranging a new deal 6 months* before your current deal ends.

*We implemented our Mortgage Charter changes on 1 August 2023. From this point, we began contacting customers 6 months before the maturity of their mortgage deal. Prior to this, customers were contacted 3 months before maturity.

What is temporary Interest Only?

As part of the Mortgage Charter commitments, temporary Interest Only means that you'll only pay the monthly interest for 6 months and there won’t be a reduction in your mortgage balance during the agreed period. After the period ends we will increase your monthly mortgage repayments. This means you’ll end up paying more interest by the end of your full term than you would have under your original mortgage.

What happens after the 6 months Interest Only ends?

Following 5 months of temporary Interest Only, we will send a letter confirming that the mortgage account(s) will revert to repayment. This letter will also have the new monthly repayment. You can only take this option once whilst the Mortgage Charter options are available.

Can I revert back during the 6 month period?

Yes, however, customers can only take the options once. For example, if temporary Interest Only is cancelled after 3 months, a customer can’t come back and request another 3 months for either option.

What other help is available?

We’re committed to helping our customers and if the Mortgage Charter options aren’t right for you, there may be different options depending on your situation. Please call us on 0345 702 3083, with lines open 9am - 6pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 9am - 5pm on Friday. 

Alternatively if you are already in financial difficulty please refer to our mortgage payment difficulties page.

Helping Hand, our partnership with Citizens Advice Gateshead can also help you access confidential and expert support if you are facing financial difficulties.

If I miss a payment, will my home be repossessed?

The Society never wants to repossess someone’s home, and repossession is only done as either a last resort or when it is in the financial interests of the borrower. For this reason, the Society has an extensive range of measures that we use for customers facing difficulties.

In addition, from 26 June 2023, you will not be forced to leave your home without your consent unless in exceptional circumstances, in less than 12 months from your first missed payment.

What are exceptional circumstances?

Exceptional circumstances may include:

  • When the property is vacant, the customer is deceased or the customer voluntarily seeks to proceed with prepossession.
  • Where there is detriment to the borrower in remaining in the property.
  • Vulnerabilities such as domestic or financial abuse, threat to life, or severe health. Severe health is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
What if my home is already in the process of being repossessed?

Repossession will always be a last resort when all other tailored support options have been exhausted.

We are able to issue a formal demand, to make you aware of the money you owe and inform you that the case will go to repossession proceedings. It is important that you get in touch with us to discuss your options. We will seek to resolve the case through alternative means, including informing you about voluntary means and rehousing options.

We can proceed with repossession, including for empty properties or where you want the repossession to go ahead if it has been 12 months since your first missed payment. We can begin court action, including obtaining a repossession order from the courts. However, from 26 June 2023, will not seek to enforce this, in less than a year from your first missed payment.

Do you want to talk to us about Mortgage Charter?

0345 602 0819

We’re available Monday to Friday from 8am – 6pm

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