Bluebell Mortgages
  • First Time Buyer

    Bluebell Mortgages are expert mortgage brokers and have a detailed knowledge of mortgage lenders’ and first time buyer mortgages.

    Moving Home

    We can inform you of all the likely fees associated with a house move, identify your current position and calculate your likely required loan amount.

    Remortgaging

    If you already have a mortgage and your current deal is due to expire in the next 6 months, we can help find you the most effective deal for you.

    Buy To Let

    We have a vast experience of the Buy To Let market and are able to offer our clients detailed advice on the correct method of funding potential purchases.

    Shared Ownership

    An effective way for first time buyers to get on the property ladder, it can considerably reduce the amount needed for a deposit.

    Specialist Finance

    Bluebell Mortgages have specialist advisors who can assist you with your first or next commercial or self-build development.

    Older Borrower

    The days of retiring at 65 are disappearing fast, people are living longer and borrowers are getting older.

    Insurance

    This can range from Life Assurance to protect your mortgage or family, Critical Illness cover, Income Protection and General Insurance.

  • FAQ's

    We’ve collated our most frequently asked questions below, but if there’s a question on your mind that we haven’t covered, please get in touch.

    Success Stories

    We’re passionate about helping people get to where they want to be on the property ladder. Our customers share their stories of how we helped them.

    Knowledge Base

    Here we can share with you our many years of industry experience & knowledge so that you can feel confident and prepared for your mortgage journey.

    News

    We regularly post about all things in the Mortgage world and other industry information. We also post about what's going on at Bluebell Mortgages.

Bluebell Blog & News

Reduce Your Outgoings by Checking the Basics

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Times are hard right now, and if you’re struggling to balance your income against the outgoings, then one action that you can see if you can save money by checking to see if you’re paying too much for utilities each month.

Council Tax – You might be able to get money off your council tax – either Council Tax Reduction or a discount. If you’re on a low income or claim benefits, you might be able to get Council Tax Reduction. Each local council runs its own scheme, so what you can get depends on where you live.1

You might be able to get a council tax discount for your property – for example, if:

no one lives there
you live alone
you live alone apart from a live-in care worker
people you live with are full-time students or apprentices
someone you live with has a severe mental disability
you need a bigger property because someone has a disability
You can find out about getting a council tax discount on GOV.UK.

Gas & Electricity – The energy market has had a turbulent time over the last two years, however recently the wholesale cost of energy has fallen2, and there may be opportunities to either find a cheaper tariff from your existing supplier, or look around for more attractive deals from competitors. It’s worth doing the homework and shopping around just to see if you could be on a different plan that better fits your energy usage needs.

If you are finding it difficult to pay your energy bills, be sure to mention this to your supplier and they may be able to assist you with a manageable payment plan – it’s important not to keep the head below the sand here and be upfront with your supplier if you foresee any financial issues on the horizon.

You can also get extra help from your gas and electricity supplier by signing up to the Priority Services Register3. You can sign up if you’re either:

of State Pension age
disabled or have a long-term health condition
considered ‘vulnerable’ by your energy network
You can check who your electricity network operator is on the Power Cut 105 website.

Water Bills – Use the Consumer Council for Water calculator to check if having a water meter installed could save you money. If you’re on a low income you might be able to get a cheaper rate from your water company. This is called a social tariff. Find out more about social tariffs on the Consumer Council for Water website.

Sources

Gov.UK (2023) How Council Tax works. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/council-tax/who-has-to-pay (Accessed 18 Oct 2023)
Ofgem (2023) Switch supplier or energy tariff. Available at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/switching-energy-tariff-or-supplier (Accessed 18 Oct 2023)
Ofgem (2023) Get help from your supplier – Priority Services Register. Available at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/getting-extra-help-priority-services-register (Accessed 18 Oct 2023)
All the information in this article is correct as of the publish date 26th October 2023. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. The information provided in this article, including text, graphics and images does not, and is not intended to, substitute advice; instead, all information, content and materials available in this article are for general informational purposes only. Information in this article may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information

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How can we help?  Call us on 01473 213312