Why Choose an Unsecured Loan?


Why choose an unsecured loan? An unsecured loan can be used for almost anything - a relaxing holiday, a new car, a wedding, debt consolidation or home improvements. These are just some of the reasons why people choose an unsecured loan.

If you want to raise money for most purposes but do not want to offer your home as security then an unsecured loan could be the solution.

For an unsecured loan the amount and period you can borrow varies. Lenders offer loans even as small as Ł500 and can go up to Ł25,000. The repayment period can be anywhere between six months to ten years.

Unsecured loans are offered by banks, building societies and also by the larger supermarkets chains.

Whatever you need it for there are a few things to consider before applying for an unsecured loan.

With an unsecured loan, the lender has no claim on any particular asset. Unsecured lending is generally more risky than secured lending, which is reflected in the relative rates of interest.

An unsecured loan is actually a loan where the lender has no claim on a homeowner's property in case the person fails to repay. The lender is solely relying on the ability of the borrower to meet their loan borrowing repayments.

With an unsecured loan, you're not borrowing against the value of your house. You will usually be offered an interest rate based on your circumstances and the amount you want to borrow. This means that the 'typical' interest advertised might not be the rate you are offered - your rate will depend on your credit rating.

If the borrower defaults on an unsecured loan the lender cannot repossess the goods, but has to resort to other legal remedies to recover the capital, interest and costs.

You should usually borrow as little as possible, and draw up a budget plan to determine how much you need. An unsecured loan might not offer a particularly high amount, so if you're a homeowner and need to borrow more, you could look into secured loans.

Unsecured loans are invariably more expensive than secured loans because the lenders have no guarantee that you can repay the loan, and therefore charge you more in interest to cover the cost of insurance policies that they need to take out to protect them should you default on repayments.

In the event that a borrower does not pay up, the lender will invoke the terms of the legally-binding credit agreement and pursue the borrower through the legal system.

Lenders are obliged by law to tell you how much they charge for this type of finance and this is worked out as an annual percentage rate (APR). Ask whether the APR figure quoted is 'typical' or is what every applicant is charged.

Check whether there is an early repayment penalty.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:

About The Author
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.







Related News



FDIC pushes IndyMac model for troubled mortgages - OCRegister

Consumer Affairs

FDIC pushes IndyMac model for troubled mortgages
OCRegister, CA -5 hours ago
Under the FDIC’s program, distressed borrowers can arrange loan modifications with a maximum 31 percent housing-to-income ratio through the use of interest ...
FDIC Bank Takeovers Hurting Home Sales, Builders ReportNational Association of Home Builders (press release)
CORRECT: Modified mortgages often re-defaultMarketWatch
Loan Modifications For Banks Could Mask Future LossesCNNMoney.com
Burnet Bulletin - Bristol Press
all 977 news articles

Fed loans to financial markets total $559.5 bln latest week - MarketWatch

Fed loans to financial markets total $559.5 bln latest week
MarketWatch -7 hours ago
But loans to commercial banks, and primary dealers were not as large. AIG borrowing rose to $87.4 billion in the latest week from $83.6 billion in the prior ...
Banks, investment firms reduce Fed loansThe Associated Press
Lending market in slight expansionCNNMoney.com
UPDATE 1-US banks borrow less from Fed in latest weekReuters
all 145 news articles

Boscov’s could benefit from federal funds - Bizjournals.com

The Express Times - LehighValleyLive.com

Boscov’s could benefit from federal funds
Bizjournals.com, NC -8 hours ago
Plans call for the regional department store to get $35 million in federal loans, secured with help from Pennsylvania. Boscov’s, which is based in Reading, ...
Pa. gov promises bankruptcy exit help for Boscov'sThe Associated Press
Pa. gov promises bankruptcy exit help for Boscov'sCentre Daily Times
Boscov's BailoutCBS 21
Evening Bulletin - The Patriot-News - PennLive.com
all 89 news articles

IMF, Nordics pledge $4.6 billion loans to Iceland - The Associated Press

RTE.ie

IMF, Nordics pledge $4.6 billion loans to Iceland
The Associated Press -17 hours ago
HELSINKI, Finland (AP) — Four Nordic countries and the International Monetary Fund on Thursday pledged a combined $4.6 billion (euro3.64 billion) in loans...
Iceland welcomes loans from IMF, Nordics and Poland (Roundup)Monsters and Critics.com
IMF, Nordic Neighbors Agree Billion-Euro Loans for IcelandDeutsche Welle
FACTBOX-Turkey's follow-up IMF optionsForbes
Shropshire Star - guardian.co.uk
all 850 news articles


FDIC May Exclude Shortest-Term Loans From Debt Insurance Plan - Bloomberg

CNBC

FDIC May Exclude Shortest-Term Loans From Debt Insurance Plan
Bloomberg -35 minutes ago
21 (Bloomberg) -- US bank regulators may exclude the shortest-term loans from a $1.4 trillion debt-insurance program, helping the Federal Reserve avoid ...
FDIC's Sheila Bair: More 'ammunition' coming to strengthen banksBizjournals.com
UPDATE 2-FDIC head optimistic on TARP funds to modify loansHemscott
all 41 news articles

UPDATE 1-Top Portuguese banks seek state-backed loans - Reuters

UPDATE 1-Top Portuguese banks seek state-backed loans
Reuters -9 hours ago
LISBON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Portugal's three biggest banks, including state-run CGD, said on Thursday they applied for state loan guarantees as part of the ...

Kerry, Snowe, Schumer Push Sec. Paulson to Purchase Small Business ... - MarketWatch

Boston Globe (registration)

Kerry, Snowe, Schumer Push Sec. Paulson to Purchase Small Business ...
MarketWatch -13 hours ago
Purchasing pooled government loans would jumpstart SBA lending and free up liquidity for the hundreds of thousands of American small businesses that need ...
BRIEF-US lawmaker urges Treasury to buy, modify distressed loans...Forbes
Asset relief program chief targets consumer loan marketBoston Globe (registration)
Seeking CertaintyBangor Daily News
Bloomberg - Dallas Morning News
all 315 news articles

Justice Department probing Golden West Financial - Forbes

Justice Department probing Golden West Financial
Forbes, NY -8 hours ago
Their bank thrived for decades by specializing in option-ARMs, or what they called Pick-a-Pay loans. These loans have been criticized for driving up the ...
Report: Regulators probing WachoviaBusinessWeek
Report: Feds probe Golden WestBizjournals.com
US probing Golden West lending, sale: prosecutorReuters
CNNMoney.com - Bloomberg
all 88 news articles

US Agrees to Buy Student Loans to Ease Borrowing - New York Times

US Agrees to Buy Student Loans to Ease Borrowing
New York Times, United States -3 hours ago
By THE NEW YORK TIMES The Education Department announced Thursday that it would buy up to $6.5 billion of federally guaranteed student loans made in the ...
Plan will keep loans flowing to studentsBoston Globe
Spellings promotes access to student loansUnited Press International
all 5 news articles

December 22 Is Deadline to Apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster ... - MarketWatch

Wall Street Journal Blogs

December 22 Is Deadline to Apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster ...
MarketWatch -Nov 19, 2008
The deadline to file applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) is December 22, 2008. Small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives that ...
Allegan, Barry country residents hit by flood eligible for loansMLive.com
Small business loans dwindleThe Tennessean
Loans available for September storm damageColumbia Missourian
NJBIZ - Finance and Commerce
all 271 news articles