55+ Equity Release Reviews 22

We initially selected Jan from the Equity Release Council membership list. We liked the individual nature of the company and preferred that to the ‘big boys’ in the business. Jan visited us and we discussed in detail the types of equity release, our requirements for future funding and our immediate needs. Once Jan had the picture she went off to investigate the best ‘deal’ for us. Within a couple of days she contacted us with two offers of a lifetime mortgage at an interest rate LOWER than our existing mortgage rate. Jan again visited a few days later to go through the details of the offers and we agreed to proceed with one of those offers. Three days later a surveyor arrived to value the house and agreed with our valuation. Two weeks later the documentation was with our solicitor and six weeks from Jan’s first visit to us the money was in our bank!
Jan followed the whole process meticulously and we received frequent updates on progress. We would have no hesitation in recommending Jan Johnson and 55+ Equity Release to anyone considering equity release.

I first met Jan Johnson, founder of 55+ Equity Release, over 10 years ago when the concept of Equity Release and Lifetime Mortgages were all very new and Jan was something of a pioneer operating in this field.

In the event, she arranged a very welcome Lifetime Mortgage which provided a lump sum sufficient to resolve my immediate financial issues, together with an ongoing draw-down facility to be used as needed.

She also expertly negotiated with the lender to close the gap between the local Estate Agents' views of my property value and that of the lender's valuer.

In principle, the available amount of equity release increases as one gets older and also in line with any increased property value.

I did speak to the lender about this a while back but got the impression that a new application would be a long-winded process with an onerous up-front revaluation fee and no guarantee that this would result in further lending.

Also, the lender would only deal through an Independent Financial Adviser rather than directly with their existing customers.

So I eventually sought out Jan who now seems to have established herself as a 'leading light' in the Equity Release community.

Reviewing my situation and particularly the early-termination penalties of the existing agreement, she advised sticking with the existing lender and was quickly able to determine that, while the up-front revaluation fee still applied, the lender would certainly provide further funds on the projected property valuation.

I was particularly impressed by Jan's 'project management' of the situation, which concluded the whole deal within a month of my first approach.

The funds available also exceeded my expectations and will certainly meet my needs for at least another 10 years.

And the cost of this service? ─ not a bean as the lender paid a well-deserved commission for the introduction of their existing client.

I was delighted with Jan's thoroughly professional service and would certainly recommend 55+ Equity Release to anybody requiring this type of financial support.