Finally - my current SOA! Hit me with it!

sortingmyself

I was in a similar position with a Northern Rock together mortage until I came off the fixed rate and moved to the standard variable one. To the best of my knowledge overpayments on both parts are possible in whatever way you choose. Northern Rock will apportion payments equally between the two when you send them overpayments. One way around this is to call Northern Rock every month or two and get them to move the money around to the unsecured loan part if this is the part you want to overpay. This is what I did and fortunately I have managed to pay off the loan part and shortly will be able to re-mortgage with. I would just suggest ringing Northern Rock asap.

A

niccatw

Hi HTGDF - I have just been playing on the snowball calculator to see if I can get that loan down! If Northern Rock won't allow me to shift money about to get that loan down, the RBS loan is exactly where I intend to throw my money!

Sortingmyself - thank you! I am on SVR now so hopefully I can juggle some money about and get rid of that loan! I'd find it much less stressful to have paid that off and move to a fixed rate! Well done on getting your unsecured loan with them paid off!

zcrat41

Hi Nicca,

Just wanted to add that I sympathise with the numerous friends getting married/having babies/moving house/parents 60th/grandparents 80th/grandparents golden wedding/being a godmother........

That's what I can remember for last year! This year I've budgeted for a weddings etc - even if I do a cheapie pressie I still find I have to spend something on getting there or a new wrap (nothing to do with leaving the last one behind after making the most of free champagne!!)

Just thought it might be worth acknowledging these things in your SoA so they don't bite you on the bum when someone else gets pregnant. And if you dno't spend it you can always throw the money at something else!

niccatw

Thanks zcrat

That's a good idea. it occurred to me I should maybe have an emergency fund (after having to call out the electrician today). Maybe I do also need to up that pressie budget for all those things that blindside me

niccatw

Oh the smallest things excite me - just came off the phone to Northern Rock - they will ammend my overpayment so it all goes toward the unsecured part of the loan. I've to receive confirmation within 5 working days. Excellent, I can really make inroads into that RBS loan in the meantime!

chivers1977

Ooh, really pleased that they will do that. Do you have to call each month or will they automatically apply it to the unsecured part?

niccatw

Hi Chivers - they said they can do that from March payment and I should receive confirmation within 5 days. So I guess the confirmation letter will tell me. I think I'll need to keep an eye on it though, as I'm pretty sure I've asked them to do this before (as soon as I came off the fixed rate and the interests rates came down - I just asked them to keep my payment the same.) and it didn't happen.

I've found their general mortgage enquiry number on Say No to 0870 too, so didn't have to hold for ages or pay a fortune - the number's 0191 279 1900, if you want to try them.

bondidreamer

With regard to your professional subscriptions, do you fill in a tax return? You may be able to get tax relief on this?

You also can go back a few years,

I would contact any accountant friends you have to see if they will do you a favour, or maybe contact HMRC.

niccatw

Thank you bondidreamer - not I've never claimed tax back on them. I'll look into that.

Most of my friends are in health and education, not sure I know any accountants (if I did, hopefully they would have shouted at me a long time ago and I wouldn't owe quite as much as I do )

Oneday77

You had me working tgings out there. Council tax include water rates and you might get the tube to work...How's the weather in 'Vegas
I would check you CT by the way, if your lodger is a student thenm you qualify for 25% reduction. If you already have that and your mortgage is for 85k you might be in too high a band. Have a look at MSE Martin's guide, if you think it will go up don't say anything
As for your overpayments does the Unsecured Loan from NR have a seperate account number? If so make the DD the minimum for both the mortgage and loan, then setup a SO to pay the over paymet, that will give you more control when it gets paid, how much and how often
Don't use the OD, it seems easy now but will it be paid back in 12 months? Personally I would ask to have it reduced to £100 and keep it for emergencies. I hated seeing my avaliable balance drop by the OD on payday
On the SL are they both the earn over £15,000 pay 9% of your wage variety or is the Strath one the older pay when you earn over £2400 a month version. I would get it defered and use that money towards the other debts.