Home improvement loan

If you’ve started an application already, it’s easy to pick up where you left off.

As a lender, we have a responsibility to act fairly and as part of this we have committed to follow the Standards of Lending Practice. This note sets out some of our key responsibilities and what we ask of you, to ensure that the relationship works well for both of us.

• We will lend responsibly and aim to provide a product that is affordable for you.
• We will provide you with information about our products and services and how they work, in a clear and understandable way, so that you can decide what’s best for you and your needs.
• We will endeavour to make sure our products and services offer, wherever possible, the flexibility to meet your needs.
• We will treat you fairly and reasonably at all times and make sure that you are provided with a high level of service.
• If you tell us about any inaccuracies, for example around the personal information we hold about you, we will act quickly to put it right.
• We will always aim to help you if we see, or you tell us, that you are having trouble financially. We will seek to understand your overall circumstances, try and identify options that you can afford and where appropriate, provide a reference to free debt advice.

What we ask of you

• We ask you to think carefully about whether you can afford to repay the money you want to borrow and to be open in your dealings with us.
• Take care of any cards, PINs, online log-in details and other security information to help prevent fraud and help us to protect your accounts.
• Tell us as soon as possible if your card has been lost or stolen, or if you know or suspect someone is misusing your confidential information e.g. your PIN or online log-in details.
• Carefully check your account statements to make sure they are accurate. If anything isn’t right, please get in touch with us.

Please let us know if

• Your contact details change, so we can keep our records up to date.
• Your circumstances change, particularly if what’s happened is likely to cause you difficulties in managing your account or financial problems.
• You think that you won’t be able to keep up with your repayments. The sooner you do this, the more likely it is we’ll be able to find a way to help you.

We would also encourage you to refer to the terms and conditions associated with your current account, credit card or personal loan.

It’s no secret that home improvements can (but not always) add value to your property. If you’re selling, surveys have shown that homebuyers typically like to see:

• A new kitchen and bathroom
• A parking space or a garage
• Fuel-efficient features, like double glazing, insulation and new boilers

Why not see if you’re eligible for a grant from the government⁴ to improve the energy efficiency of your home?

Extra space is always popular with buyers, so home extensions, loft conversions and conservatories are popular improvements to make. But don’t assume your outlay will automatically translate into an increase in the value of your home when you sell. And make sure you go for quality, because home improvements done badly can devalue your property.

If you’re not sure about what planning permissions you need, and what building regulations apply, check the government’s planning portal⁴. It breaks down improvements by each area and feature of your home.

Add insulation

Most of us know that insulating our loft can help to keep our energy costs down – as this is where most of household heat is lost. But it doesn’t stop there – insulating your pipes, tanks and floor could help you cut your bills even further.

Upgrade your boiler

An efficient boiler can make a big difference to the amount you spend on heating and hot water – according to Energy Saving Trust⁴, it could be hundreds. 

Buy double glazing

From reducing noise pollution to retaining heat, adding energy-efficient double glazing windows is a great way to save energy (and money on your bills).

Use technology

You can reduce your carbon footprint whilst lowering your utility bills with various tips from experts like EcoVision Energy⁴.