John Ellmore
John Ellmore is a director of NerdWallet UK and is a company spokesperson for consumer finance issues. John is committed to providing clear, accurate and transparent financial information.
Articles by John Ellmore:
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The World’s Most Dangerous Drives
From poor weather conditions to inexperience behind the wheel, accidents on the road can occur for a number of different reasons. With millions of drivers and billions of vehicles across the world, where are the most dangerous places to drive?
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Tips for Successfully Applying for a Loan
There are many common reasons why your personal loan application might have been rejected, and most are easily rectified. Before applying for a loan, make sure your application is as strong as it can, using the tips in this guide for help.
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Coronavirus Eviction Extension Explained: A Guide for Tenants and Landlords
This guide explains the housing rights for tenants and landlords during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you cannot afford to make rent or mortgage payments because your financial circumstances have changed, find out the temporary housing support the government has put in place for tenants and landlords.
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What Is The Cost Of Owning A Car In The UK?
Are you one of the 65% of Brits who don’t know how much they’re paying to run their car? Our exclusive survey has revealed that it costs an average of £3406.80 a year to run a car in the UK – or £5744.40 for those with car finance. Use our car costs calculator to calculate your car costs.
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Getting a Car on Finance: 10 Things to Be Aware of
Before applying for car finance there are a number of things you need to know in order to make an informed decision. It’s worth knowing when you can cancel, whether you are obliged to buy the car at the end of the contract, and last but not least, how much you’ll pay each month.
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The Different Types of Car Finance Explained
Navigating the confusion of car finance packages can be trickier than getting from point A to B when you’re behind the wheel of a car. It’s in the car dealer’s interest that this is the case. In this article we’ll cut through the fog of confusion.
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What Can I do If I Want to Sell a Car with Outstanding Finance?
You might want to sell a car which you acquired on finance for many reasons. When you have outstanding finance on your contract, you might be a bit confused as to what your options are, and when you can sell your car. Let’s clear things up.
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How to Plan Your Perfect UK Staycation
In the current climate your next holiday might end up being a staycation. Our guide will help you get the most out of your UK staycation.
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Britons Struggling with Feelings of Guilt During Lockdown
A new survey commissioned by NerdWallet into Brits’ attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that 20% of us have significant and regular feelings of guilt around our daily behaviours and how we spend our time. Plus, more than quarter of people felt guilty about not saving more.
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How to Defer Insurance Payments if the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Affected Your Finances
The FCA have released guidance for insurers to help those whose capacity for payments has been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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How Does the Six-Month Coronavirus MOT Extension Work?
The expiry date for MOTs has been extended by six months as part of the Government’s COVID-19 prevention plans.
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How to Maintain Your Vehicle During Lockdown
Disuse can cause lasting damage to your vehicle. Lockdown might mean you won’t be hitting the road anytime soon—but that doesn’t mean you need to neglect your vehicle’s health.
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Homeowner Loans Explained
Homeowner loans are a form of secured loan. Available only to homeowners with equity in their property, these loans are secured against the value of the borrower’s home.
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Mortgage Eligibility Guide
Lenders carry out thorough checks when you apply for a mortgage, to help them work out how likely you are to be able to meet repayments. Here’s everything they look at when deciding if they are willing to lend to you, and how much they will let you borrow.
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Can I Get a Loan in Retirement?
From weddings to big promotions, there are many milestones in our lives, and retirement is one of them. But, like in your working life, in retirement there comes times when you need access to funds for a big life event, such as helping your child buy their first home.
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What are the Pros and Cons of Help to Buy Schemes?
The Help to Buy equity loan scheme has helped over 200,000 homebuyers buy a house. It means buyers with a smaller deposit can improve their chances of securing a mortgage and getting on the property ladder. However, this way of buying a home has its drawbacks too.
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Driving in Europe after Brexit
British drivers visiting Europe should bear in mind the new government changes that will come into effect post-Brexit. Read on to find out how driving in Europe will change.
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What do I Need to Drive in Europe?
British drivers are not uncommon on European roads – particularly in the summer months. However, each country has sets of rules that may differ from those you're familiar with back home, so what do you need to do before you start driving in Europe?
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When Could be the Best Time to Remortgage my Property?
Remortgaging when interest rates are low can be a way for homeowners to save money, especially if their mortgage was taken out many years ago when interest rates were high. However, there are other factors to consider before you commit.
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The Cost to be in Love
From anniversary gifts and getting engaged to going to the ultimate honeymoon destination, being in a relationship doesn’t always come cheap. But can you really put a price on love?
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Should I Pay off My Student Loan Early?
‘Should I pay off my student loan early?’ This is a question that has passed the lips of pretty much every graduate. Most of us are not sure of the pros and cons of paying back our loans early. It all hinges on when you studied and how much you earn.
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How Long Does a Mortgage Offer Typically Last?
With the lengthy nature of the home buying process, it’s good to know how long your mortgage offer will last so that you can make plans to complete the purchase of your home even if there are unexpected delays or knots in your chain.
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Tips for Selling and Buying a Home at the Same Time
Selling your home to move into a new home at the same time can be a challenge. There are a lot of factors to consider: should you sell your home first? Are you willing to live in rented accommodation while contracts are exchanged? We share our top tips for selling and buying a home at the same time.
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Car and Home Insurance Renewal Loyalty Ban: Will the Changes Affect Me?
Millions of car and home insurance customers could be protected from annual price hikes, as a new report from the FCA proposes to stop insurers from charging loyal customers more than new customers. New rules could be introduced by late 2021.
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What Checks are Completed When you Take out Car Finance?
Having all the necessary documents and information available for finance companies to check is an important part of ensuring your car finance application is accepted. Typical car finance checks include credit checks and affordability assessments.
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Loan, Overdraft or Credit Card — Which is Right for Me?
Consumers have various options when looking to borrow money, from loans to overdrafts to credit cards. Each form of borrowing is suited to different purposes, so read on to discover which might suit your needs and financial circumstances.
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Hire Purchase or Personal Contract Purchase – What’s the Difference?
Hire purchase and personal contract purchase are the two most popular ways of buying a car on finance in the UK. There are a few distinct differences between these types of car financing which, when thoroughly understood, can help car buyers choose between them.
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How to Get a Guarantor Loan
A guarantor loan can help you access finance if you have poor or no credit history. Much like an unsecured personal loan, you will borrow a sum and then pay back fixed monthly repayments. Guarantor loans require a friend or relative to guarantee to repay the loan if you cannot.
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Mortgage Declined: What Should My Next Move be?
Having your mortgage application declined shouldn’t spell the end of your dream to own your own home. There are many reasons why your application could have been turned down. In this guide we’ll explain why a lender might have declined your application and what you can do to boost your application.
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Negative Equity in Car Finance – Everything you Need to Know
If you’re in negative equity on your car finance it means you owe more in repayments to your provider than the current value of the car you’re driving. Negative equity occurs quite often with new cars that depreciate quickly.
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How to Get a Mortgage as a First-Time Buyer
As a first-time buyer, understanding the different types of mortgages and the jargon that comes with them can be tricky. This guide presents all the essential information you need to take your first step on the property ladder.
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Could Car Finance Impact my Mortgage Application?
his article outlines the impact car finance can have on a mortgage application. Learn the factors that providers weigh up when assessing a mortgage application, and find out how to boost your chances of being approved.
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Moving House Checklist: 10 Things you Need to Think About
Moving home is a complex process, involving solicitors, buyers, sellers, estate agents and that’s just scratching the surface. There’s a big list of admin tasks you’ll need to be on top of before you can pick up the keys and move into your new home. Find out more in our moving house checklist.
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Mortgages for Older Borrowers: How to Get a Mortgage in Later Life
You don’t need to give up on your dreams of securing a mortgage because you’re close to retirement age or you’ve already retired. Some banks lend up to the age of 85, and many specialist providers create tailored mortgage products for older borrowers.
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Car Finance for Young Drivers
Now that you’ve successfully passed your driving test, you’ll want a car you can call your own with the freedom that it brings. If you cannot afford a car upfront, finance could help you to rent and eventually own a car outright.
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What is Guarantor Car Finance?
More than 90% of the new cars purchased by UK motorists are taken out on finance. For those with poor or no credit history this might not appear to be an achievable prospect. However, with guarantor car finance, if you’re a young driver or have bad credit you could secure a car of your own.
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How to Start Saving for Your Emergency Fund
Putting money aside in an emergency fund can help you pay for inevitable, yet unforeseen costs, such as a broken boiler, a damaged car or months of unemployment. Get started with our guide to setting up an emergency fund.
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When Can You Cancel Car Finance?
Voluntary termination gives you the right to cancel your car finance contract early. There are different rules for each type of car finance, including personal contract purchase, hire purchase and personal leasing.
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What Can I Do If I Cannot Afford My Car Finance?
You have more options than you might realise if you’re struggling to pay car finance. What these are depends on your circumstances and the type of car finance agreement you entered into. You may be able to sell your car, refinance your repayment terms or request a payment holiday.
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What is a Joint Mortgage?
Joint mortgages are often taken out with a partner, but can also be taken out with friends and family. A parent may take out a joint mortgage with their child to support them with mortgage payments and boost their application’s chance of success.
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What is a Secured Loan? And is it the Right Option for Me?
A secured loan is a type of personal loan, where the lender secures the value of the loan against an asset owned by the borrower. A secured loan could be an option if you need to borrow a large amount or have been turned down for other finance. Read on to find out if a secured loan is right for you.
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How Much Money Can I Borrow for a Mortgage?
As a first-time buyer thinking of applying for a mortgage to buy a property, you’ll need to know approximately how much you’ll be able to borrow before searching for appropriate properties, and getting on the property ladder.
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How to Get a Personal Loan
You could use the credit from a personal loan to fund a big purchase like a holiday or new car, or to consolidate debt to improve your financial position.
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Buy-to-let Mortgages Explained
When buying a property for the purpose of renting it out as an investment to make extra income, you’ll need a buy-to-let mortgage. There are some crucial differences between residential mortgages and buy-to-let mortgages which you’ll need to know if you plan to become a landlord
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The Cost of the Average UK Wedding—And How to Fund Yours
Weddings are joyous, once-in-a-lifetime occasions—but they’re also massive financial commitments. Just how much do they really cost, and what plans can you make to pay for yours?
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Single Person Mortgages: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re a single person spending significant sums on rental costs every month, you might ask yourself ‘can I get a single person mortgage?’. In this article we’ll outline everything you need to know, about applying for, and being accepted for a single person mortgage.
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Buying a New-Build Home: What do You Need to Consider?
New houses and flats are popping up nationwide, with many snapped up before building has even been completed. What do you need to consider when buying one?
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How SMEs Can Adapt for Social Distancing in the Office
It’s been a while now since the Government implemented lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19, but the implications for the workplace are set to change for the long term—even when we return to the office.
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What Happens if I Can’t Make My Loan Repayment?
Missing a loan repayment can have serious consequences for your credit score and may lead to legal action being taken against you. Today we examine what happens if you’re struggling to make your loan repayments—and how to avoid that situation in the first place.
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How to Rebuild Your Credit History
Do you have some financial skeletons in your closet? All is not lost! We’ve got some top tips to help you rebuild your personal credit history and get back on track.
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