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NO deposit mortgages for first-time buyers are making a comeback.

Buyers can borrow the entire purchase price of the property without having to pay a down payment – but should you take one out? We take a look.

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We explain how no deposit mortgages work and who is eligible[/caption]

Usually buyers save around 5-10% of the property’s value and use it as a down payment for their mortgage.

But with a no deposit deal – also known as a 100% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage – a bank lends you the entire cost of your new home.

It can be a huge help to those unable to scrape together a deposit, but may experts have also criticised them after they were axed during the 2008 financial crisis.

Skipton launched a no-deposit mortgage back in 2023, making it the first of its kind in over 15 years.

Today there are 17 different no deposit mortgage options, with some requiring you to put a family member or friend down as a guarantor in case you are unable to make the payments.

Halifax offers a Family Boost deal that lets a family member pay 10% of the purchase price of your home into a 3-year fixed term savings account as security.

The family member will get their savings back, with interest, when the 3-year term ends, as long as repayments are up to date.

This mortgage will then be on a fixed interest rate for three years.

However, you will qualify for the deal if you want to buy a new build property or are using a scheme such as Help to Buy, shared equity, shared ownership, or the Right to Buy scheme.

Barclays runs a similar offer known as the Family Springboard Mortgage.

Skipton Building Society also offers a Track Record mortgage.

The Track Record Mortgage is available to tenants aged 21 and above and for first-time buyer purchases only. It does not require a guarantor

Skipton looks at your track record of paying rent to work out how much you may be able to borrow, and the interest is fixed for the first five years.

IS A NO DEPOSIT MORTGAGE RIGHT FOR YOU?

Nicholas Mendes, mortgage expert at John Charcol, told The Sun no deposit mortgages are “a genuine game changer” for first-time buyers.

He said: “In today’s market, saving tens of thousands while paying rising rent, bills, and everyday living costs just isn’t realistic for a lot of young people.”

Nicholas added that the schemes can be particularly useful for long-term renters, who “may have a strong income and good credit but no way of building a lump sum.”

A cocktail of wage stagnation and rising house prices has made it harder for buyers to get on the ladder, so it’s no surprise the scheme is tempting for many.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF A NO DEPOSIT MORTGAGE?

But you should be aware that no deposit mortgages come with a higher risk of falling into negative equity.

This is when your home is worth less than your outstanding mortgage; when this happens, it can be difficult to sell your home or remortgage.

Alice personal finance analyst at Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, said prospective buyers should be aware of this factor as “house prices may slow in the coming months.”

She predicts this may happen as the relief on stamp duty coming to an end on March 31.

Alice added: “Negative equity traps people into their mortgage, as they effectively have to pay to sell their own home, and it raises the risk of repossession if they cannot keep up with repayments.”

Another factor to consider is that interest rates on no deposit mortgages are higher than offers which require a down payment.

For example, Skipton’s Track Rate Mortgage has a rate of 5.44% for five years.

But even if you can pull together a 5% deposit on a home, you could fix at 4.96% for five years with Lloyds Bank.

Alice said the bigger a deposit a first-time buyer can put down the better.

“This not only secures better rates but also offers some protection if house prices flatline or fall,” she said.

But the expert said an alternative option is to “extend the mortgage term” to 30, 35, or 40 years.

“This is an effective way to lower repayments and ensure a desired home is affordable,” she said.

By doing this buyers can lessen the amount they pay each month, but they will have to pay more in interest charges.

If you want to extend your mortgage you will need to speak to your lender.

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LOVE Island alum Brett Staniland has sparked concern after he revealed that he is in hospital in Africa. 

The 31-year-old is currently in Ghana on a volunteer trip and has since shared photos of himself on a hospital bed online.

Instagram/@twinbrett

Love Island star Brett has revealed he has been in hospital in Africa[/caption]

Rex

The star appeared on Love Island in 2021[/caption]

The reality star turned fashion and sustainability campaigner took to his Instagram stories posting a pic of himself getting treated by a doctor as he meekly smiles to the camera. 

Giving an update to his followers, he captioned the post: “ Letting everyone know life has been beating me recently. But I’m well looked after, currently in Tamale northern Ghana.

“Spent a couple days resting but really looking forward to getting out into the communities soon.”

Since his time in the villa, Brett alongside his identical twin brother Scott has put his efforts into speaking out against fast fashion brands often taking to TikTok to share with his followers. 

Last year, the star has spoken out against fellow islander Molly Mae’s clothing brand Maebe criticising the quality of her products. 

In a rant on TikTok he said: “Molly-Mae has launched her own brand called Maebe.”

” After years of selling million of exploitative clothing.

“These are all very low quality materials and are synonymous with fast fashion. They are also very cheap to make. 

“It will be interesting to see if they’re (customers) satisfied with the products they’ve got and whether or not they’ll be returning customers.”

The model appeared on the 7th season of Love Island and entered the villa as a bombshell.

He coupled up with Priya Gopaldas on the show and the couple seemed promising until she admitted the hunk had given her the ‘ick’.

Doctor Priya revealed that they would be better off as friends and the pair were dumped just before the final. 

Just earlier this month Brett revealed that he had lost his father in heartbreaking post.

The star shared his dad had died following a battle with cancer.

Brett wrote to his legion of fans: “I’m sorry for those seeing this now and this is something I haven’t shared much of on here.

“Sadly we lost our dad Mike yesterday after a short battle with cancer, which he was diagnosed with stage 4 in September.”

Rex

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Brett is well known for his work in fashion[/caption]

Brett continued: “He fought as hard as he could for the last 6 months and it was unexpected to lose him so soon.

“He gave us an amazing life and loved out his dream of moving to Turkey and living a happy life there.

“We will be honouring his wish to be buried in the place he called home and we will lay him to rest here in Turkey tomorrow.”

Brett finished by writing: “He was loved by everyone and always did everything he could for other people.

“He leaves an irreplaceable hole in our lives but we will cherish our memories forever. Thank you to everyone who shared a friendship with him and loved him through it all. Love you always Dad.”

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Brett with his brother Scott Staniland, who is also a model[/caption]

ALDI is slashing prices on gorgeous bouquets, with some starting at just £1.89 – perfect for treating mum this Mother’s Day without breaking the bank.

From little posies to big, bold blooms, the bargain grocer has unveiled its Mother’s Day line-up.

The cheapest item on offer is the Pocket Money Posy, priced at just £1.89.

It is available in pink or yellow, it’s a sweet, budget-friendly choice.

For something a bit bigger, shoppers can grab the Spray Carnations for £3.99, available in three lovely colour options.

Or the Best Mum Bouquet for £4.99 – a bright mix of pink, orange, and purple chrysanthemums.

Lovely Mum Tulips at £4.99 are a classic choice, available in pink, white, and purple.

For those looking to splash out a little more, the Blushing Beauty Bouquet, at £12.99, makes a bolder statement with vibrant cerise blooms.

The Tropical Sunset Bouquet, also £12.99, adds a pop of colour with sunflowers and alliums.

The priciest in the collection, the Sweet Perfection Bouquet, comes in at £19.99 and features roses, chrysanthemums, and alstromeria. 

While the Peach Melba Bouquet at £14.99 combines white chrysanthemums and peach gerberas for a fresh, vibrant look.

Aldi’s Mother’s Day flowers will be in stores from March 27 and 28, but hurry – they won’t last long.

To compare, Tesco‘s Seasonal Posy Flowers Bouquet is being sold for £6.

Whilst, Sainsbury’s offers its version of a Spring Posy, also retailing for £6.

Elsewhere, Aldi has launched a Freixenet dupe for just £7, with its Costellore Italian Sparkling Rosé – a perfect budget-friendly fizz for Mother’s Day.

Looking for even more bargains? Aldi also dropped a homeware dupe last week – a ceramic aroma diffuser for £85 less than the real deal.

Over at ASDA, shoppers are rushing to snap up a stunning LEGO bouquet for just £3 – a massive drop from its usual price of £54.99.

Remember to compare prices

It is also important to remember to always shop around when buying something like this as you might find a cheaper alternative.

Websites like Trolley and Price Spy let you compare thousands of products across different retailers to find the best price.

Price Spy even lets you see how much an item has cost over time.

A quick scan on the Google Shopping/Product tab will also bring up how much retailers are selling a certain item for too.

How to save money when shopping at Aldi

Unlike other major grocers, Aldi does not have a rewards or point card system but that does not mean you cannot save on your shop.

Every week the store releases a list of special buys, which are unique bargain products you find online at Aldi and in store.

The store releases a fresh range of deals every Thursday and Sunday, so be sure to check regularly to see what’s new.

Meanwhile, the store also regularly sells fruit and vegetables at highly discounted prices, as part of its ‘super six’ deal.

It also does weekly saving offers on typically pricey items such as meat and fish.

Plus, it’s worth keeping an eye out for products with red stickers on them.

These are added to items that have been reduced due to them being close to their best before date or slightly damaged.

The best time to get these reduced products is towards the end of the day, when you can get discounts worth up to 75%.

A FORMER Lewis Hamilton Formula One mechanic has revealed a running joke in the pitlane about his tumultous relationship with Nicole Scherzinger.

Hamilton dated the former Pussycats Dolls singer between 2007 and 2015 in what was a highly publicised on-off relationship.

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Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger had an on-off relationship between 2007 and 2015[/caption]

Rex

Getty - Contributor

And Hamilton was clearly impacted by the shifting circumstances of his love life, with ex-McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley revealing there was a running joke about how it changed his performances on track.

Speaking on the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast, Priestley revealed: “When he first came into this sport, we used to joke amongst the team that Lewis’s performance was so intrinsically linked to the state of their relationship.

“As in, on a good day, he performed well. When their relationship was in the doldrums, and they were so off and on, it was a bit like an emotional roller coaster.

“When he was in these low points in the relationship, you could clearly track the performance in the car to the way their relationship status seemed to be.

“We joked that there seemed to be more lap time in keeping those two together than there ever could be with anything we could do with the car!”

Hamilton and Scherzinger announced their first split in 2010, three years after they started dating months after his McLaren debut in 2007.

They were then back together months later, which sparked a famous Hamilton win at the Turkish Grand Prix that season – his first F1 win in 245 days.

Hamilton said at the time Scherzinger was “lucky” for him before they decisively split up in 2015.

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Her eventual final showing in the F1 paddock came at the 2014 season finale in Abu Dhabi when he won his first driver’s championship with Mercedes.

Priestley continued: “But there was a serious point to that, in that it was about understanding and appreciating that Lewis’s emotional state clearly affected his performance…

“Lewis is a guy who’s quite emotional. He wears his heart on his sleeve so, without the ability to really control those emotions to the level that some other people might be able to do or might find easier to do, we were faced with an unbelievably talented racing driver whose performance was, in some way, affected by how his emotional state was, which varied greatly at different times over a race weekend or a season.”

Priestley explained how Hamilton’s mental state could lead to him coming across as petulant in press conferences with one-word answers before “disappearing” during the evening.

He added: “As engineers, our only goal was to try and improve things so that it could be better the next day or the next time out.

“To get the driver, who’s a key part of that debrief, in a state where he’s just throwing petulance [with] answers that are unhelpful to you because he’s so down, that’s not in any way productive and doesn’t help us get closer to a solution.

“But he’d often go away on a Saturday night, he’d disappear, and I wouldn’t see him on a Saturday evening. He would sometimes even cancel commitments to sponsors and partners.

“He would disappear and shut himself in a room, and he probably pondered over it for quite some time, digging himself into an even bigger and deeper hole, is how he’s described it to me in years gone by.

“He mulled it over in his mind and continued to tell himself that same story – that he wasn’t doing a good enough job. He would beat himself up emotionally.

“He would completely reiterate the negative thought processes that he’d been having that afternoon right through into the night until he went to sleep.”

However, Hamilton has always had an amazing ability to shake off negativity and bounce back.

One of his most famous phrases is “still we rise”, and Priestley believes that has been one of the biggest parts of his success.

He said: “But one thing he was quite good at was waking up the next day with a fresh perspective. He always said to me that this was a new day, a new set of opportunities.”

“This was a case of coming in to try and do it better. If you ever see a TV interview on a Sunday morning after a Saturday afternoon where he struggled in qualifying, even today, that’s generally what you get.

“You get a new Lewis Hamilton where he’s no longer down. He’s no longer struggling with emotions. He’s now got this fresh perspective where he sees nothing but opportunity in front of him.

“He may not have expectations that he might have had going into Saturday. His expectations might have had to be reset but, in doing so, he takes away some pressure.

“He relieves himself of that burden that was overwhelming him on a Saturday. And we go into Sunday with a Lewis that’s there, ready to take the opportunities, to push like crazy.

“How often do we see a way better Sunday than we see him have on a Saturday? That was the same quite often, even way back when he first came into the sport working with us at McLaren.”

Hamilton’s final year with McLaren would come in 2012 before he joined Mercedes.

He would go on to win six driver’s titles with the Silver Arrows before he joined Ferrari in 2025, ending the most successful partnership F1 has ever seen.

The now 40-year-old has had a hit-and-miss start to life with the Scuderia, finishing P10 at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix before winning his first Ferrari race in the Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix a week later.

Hamilton finished P6 in the feature race before disaster struck as Ferrari suffered a double disqualification, with the Briton’s car being found to have excessive wear on its skid block.

The next race will be at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Yuki Tsunoda has now been confirmed to have swapped with Liam Lawson to be Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull team-mate.

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