Borrowing questions, answered

The guides are written and checked by an editorial team that has no lending business. We describe general principles and send you to official sources for rules that depend on your location.

List your essential outgoings and everyday spending, subtract the total from your income and keep a margin. What is left, reduced by that margin, is the most a repayment should ask of you.

It is a charge some lenders add for setting up the loan. It may be paid at the start or added to the balance, so it can raise the total cost even if the stated rate is low.

Only in the ways the agreement and the law allow. Read the sections on changes carefully, and ask for anything unclear to be explained in writing.

Gather your documents and write to the lender's complaints team. If the answer does not satisfy you, many countries have an ombudsman or regulator that reviews such complaints without charging the consumer.