Your questions... Our answers

Why use a broker?

A real estate loan broker is an expert who acts as an intermediary between the borrower and the lender.intermediary between you and the bank. Thanks to the agreements we have reached with various banking partners, we can help you obtain your loan under the best possible conditions and at the best possible rate, by supporting you throughout your project.

The broker is an expert in his field. Our profession is practised in a legal framework where we each have compulsory qualifications and training that give us unique technical expertise.

A broker is an individual or a group of agents. who have proven their skills through the quality of their work over the years and their successes. As a reminder, it is the broker who signs the partnerships and agreements with the banks and insurance companies.

Agents are independent professionals and self-employed people with their own businesses, partnering with a broker in order to benefit from a wide range of agreements and partnerships. The quality of a brokerage company is measured by its ability to select the right agents on the basis of their experience and expertise. This means the sum total of the qualities of the agents, who make up the richness of the team of the broker.

Alsace Conseil Courtage is a broker which is surrounded by a twenty or so agents which we invite you to discover on the Our team .

If you don't know who to choose, a broker is the first port of call. The representative you know or who has been recommended to you will be able to respond to all your requests.directly or in collaboration with the surrounding team.

Alsace Conseil Courtage stands out for team spirit and cohesion among its representatives. The testimonials left on the networks speak for themselves. Come and find out more !

Using a broker means call on an expert in a particular field that is not yours. The broker will accompanies in your project from start to finish. It will represent you and negotiate on your behalf with our banking partners, allowing you to compare the best solutions available to you.

A broker will enable you to save time and money and save a lot of energy. The broker is a facilitator, your ally in finalising your property financing in a sure and advantageous way. He will take care of all the formalities on your behalf, in your best interestswill manage the arrangement of your financing and optimise it for you. propose an optimal final project. The broker will be able to compare and negotiate offers from banks, where several meetings would be necessary for you. He will take care of the follow-up, reminders and the rapid completion of your project on the best possible terms. The quality of our support is the key to a well thought-out project!

It is the number of partnerships with banks and insurance companies, which makes the a wealth of solutions what the broker can do for you. When choosing your broker, remember to check the number of partners that it can offer you.  

Our customers speak best of us, their comments on networks and the internet highlight our qualities and their satisfaction.

As well as making you save money by looking for the best deals and helping you save timeOur added value lies in a number of factors that are very important to us. We attach great importance to support, responsiveness and a relationship of trust with our customers and partners. But above all, our strength is the expertise we have thanks to the many years of experience of our agents within the structure.

At Alsace Conseil Courtage, we take all requests seriously, even the most complex ones. It's our customers who speak best about us. read their opinions!

Low we know our banking partners allows us to target as best you can those to apply to for funding. It depends on your profileof your project and your needs that we determine the financing strategy to be implemented and therefore the banks to apply.

When will I be billed for my application fees?
Brokerage fees are included in your loan and are set out transparently in the finance search mandate you sign with your broker. These fees can only be charged if the finance has been found, your loan offer has been accepted by a bank and the first funds have been released. This regulation is governed by the "MURCEF" law:

Article L 321-2 of law no. 2001-1168 of 11 December 2001:
"No payment of any kind whatsoever may be required of an individual before he or she has obtained one or more loans of money..

Who pays this bill?
It depends on each broker.
At Alsace Conseil Courtage, the invoice is sent directly to you, with a copy to your bank advisor. We ask you to give him your agreement so that he can proceed with the payment on your behalf.
In some cases, the invoice is sent directly to the notary responsible for the sale, who will take care of payment.
Your representative will be happy to answer any questions you may have about your bill.

How much are the application fees?
Each agent freely set the amount of the handling fee, up to a maximum of maximum amount determined by the broker (Alsace Conseil Courtage).
This scale must be displayed on the broker's premises. You can also download from our website.

Home loans are our speciality!

We have high-performance tools at our disposal, but it is above all our experience and our knowledge of the market and our partners which enables us to offer you quality solutions.

What's more, a broker carries a certain amount of weight in the negotiation of rates and conditionsThis is due to the volume of business it brings to its banking partners.

At what stage in my project should I contact a broker?

There's no bad time to call on a broker, but the sooner the better. Contacting a broker in the early stages of your project will help you avoid a number of pitfalls: miscalculating your budget, being refused a loan, not being able to present your application to the banks you have already approached.

Because the calculating your borrowing capacity is the basis of your project when you want to become a homeowner in the longer or shorter term, we calculate the maximum you can borrow according to your expectations.

  • How will you calculate my budget and debt?

    There are a number of criteria to take into account when calculating your budget: the debt ratio must be set in relation to your lifestyle and that of your family, as well as how much you have left to live on.

  • What is the debt ratio?

    This is the ratio between your expenses and your income. It is generally accepted that your total loan charges should not exceed one third of your income: this is the famous 33% debt ratio. The debt ratio is very important in our calculations. A debt ratio of 33% may be exceeded in certain cases, or conversely, may have to be lower. We are at your side to help you optimise your situation and find the best financing solution together. We're talking about your financial capacity.

  • What are "lifestyle habits"?

    Although this may seem intrusive, the aim is not to pass judgement on your lifestyle, but simply to check that your finances are being properly managed and to ensure that you do not have any bank accounts other than those provided, with the utmost respect for professional secrecy and your privacy.

  • What is the "reste à vivre"?

    This is the amount of money available after all your loans have been paid off. We will also take into account the composition of your family in our budget calculations.

A person wishing to borrow from a bank must have the financial capacity to repay the loan and keep your commitments. If you have another outstanding loan, the monthly payment for that loan will be considered as a fixed charge and will be inclusion in analysing your application. After analysing your financial capacity, the bank will decide whether or not to grant the loan. Note that it is also possible to consolidate your credit to reduce your monthly payments. What's more, a payment in several instalments is considered as consumer credit and therefore as a loan.

After taking into account theall criteriaWe'll let you know how much you can borrow: chis amount is the result of a comprehensive analysisIt is based on your situation, your data, your expectations and the banking rules explained above.

Then, once you've set your budget, it's up to you! You'll need to find the right property for you.

A property loan will be set up as soon as a property sale comes up. We sometimes meet customers who want to obtain a loan offer before buying or committing to buying a property. Unfortunately, this is unlikely.This is because a loan offer can only be issued once a commitment to purchase has been made: the institution that is going to finance you wants to know what property you are going to buy so that it can take out a suitable guarantee, and a preliminary sales agreement or commitment to purchase is then required by the lending institution.

However, we will be able to take your project forward with a certificate of feasibility. which will reassure your seller about the outcome of the sale.

What types of projects do you finance?

We can help you with all your financing and insurancewhether you are individuals or professionals.

Since thepurchase of a principal residence is one of the key moments in your life, we'll be with you from the very start. budget calculation (envelope calculation), until the amount specified in your loan offer is released. This is part of our follow-upWe'll be there for you every step of the way.

Here are the detailed stages of your financing:

  1. At the first meeting, we will carry out a budget calculation and a feasibility study, as well as a detailed analysis of your needs.a signed mandate which does not commit you in any way, but allows us to represent you in dealings with banking partners
  2. For our part, we carry out an active search for financing and insurance to put together your application.
  3. We present the customised solutions that we have negotiated for you and validate one of them.
  4. We will accompany you to the bank appointment to check and validate your loan details one last time.
  5. Once your loan offer has been issued, you will sign the deed of purchase at the notary's office.

If you are already a homeowner, a broker's analysis can often help you to reassure youEvery situation is unique. And in your case, it's often difficult to match buying and selling. There are intermediate solutions. All purchase options can be consideredEven if you want to sell your property and move house. See smaller, bigger, or somewhere else? Our expertise will undoubtedly provide you with THE good solution for buying and selling at the same time securely.  

In recent years, rates home loans have fallen significantly. As we constantly remind our customers, the level of these rates is historically low! Perhaps there is a economy We start by calculating the potential savings associated with a buy-back, and whether these savings are worthwhile for our customers, we look for the best buy-back solution.

While a buy-back may offer a good potential gain, renegotiation is never out of the question. By involving your broker, we undertake to study the possibilities of buying back and renegotiating. We will be able to find a new bank offering better terms with savings at the end of the dayor successfully renegotiate the loan with your bank, with no change of bank. In practical terms, leave it to us: an adviser who receives a broker's application for one of his customers knows very well what he can get at another establishment and will no doubt be more likely to make an effort not to lose you!

There is no such thing as an absolute truth, and every study is worthwhile. In fact, it may be worth renegotiating your rate when the market rate is lower than your loan rate, the interest rate is not the only factor in renegotiationwhich must also include the cost and guarantees of insurance, as well as the costs incurred by this type of operation.
Don't hesitate to contact us!

There are a number of cases in which it may be necessary to buy back a balance, the most common is separation, divorce. If you are separating and wish to keep your property, we can help you finance the balance. A balance is a financial compensation to be paid to the second co-owner of the property. It can be added to the purchase of any current loan.

The main advantage is that after consolidation, you only have one loan, one term and one monthly payment. less than the total of your previous monthly payments. And all this without changing bank in the vast majority of cases.

You have taken out consumer and/or property loans and you find yourself in a complicated financial situationor you simply wish to reduce your monthly payments for a new project ? We can help you consolidate these loans to reduce repayments and return to a more comfortable financial situation. Depending on the situation of our customers, particularly when several loans have been taken out (consumer loan, car loan, works loan, etc.), we can study the advisability of combining all these loans into a single monthly payment and evaluate together the advantages and disadvantages of such an operation.

Are you paying too much tax? Do you want to make the most of your savings and/or income? Are you wondering how to prepare for your retirement or your children's education? There are several options open to you. Alsace Conseil Courtage will guide you in managing your assets.

If you need to take out loan insurance as part of your financing package, or review your existing insurance, we can also take care of this for you. Please note that this is not home insurance. Loan insurance is undoubtedly the key to good financing Alsace Conseil Courtage can help you make the right choice: you need to compare the different offers available, the conditions and quality of cover offered, and the rates. Alsace Conseil Courtage has the keys you need!

This is a fixed-rate or variable-rate loan for which a variation in the monthly payment is planned from the outset. Example: a monthly payment is set for 15 years, until retirement. For the remaining 5 years, it is planned from the outset that the monthly payment will decrease, thus anticipating a probable drop in income.

Everyone's profile is different, so it's your situation and your plans that may qualify you for assistance. A zero-rate loan or an employer loan for example, can be included in your financing proposal.

My project's off the ground - let's get down to business!

The mandate is the official document enabling the broker to represent you in your dealings with the bank. This is a document in which each party makes reciprocal commitments that will enable the project to succeed. The aim is to protect you and your authorised representative.

Here's the information you'll find:

  1. Preamble the rules governing this mandate and the exercise of intermediary activities in banking and payment services
  2. Purpose of the mandate (characteristics of the operation to be financed and proposed financing plan)
  3. Bonds from principal (you)
  4. Bonds from representative (your broker)
  5. Remuneration of the agent
  6. Duration of the mandate
  7. Information to the principal
  8. Protection of personal data
  9. Claimslitigation and jurisdiction
  10. Assessing your knowledge with regard to credit
  11. A list ofappendices (partner banks, statement of financial situation, general information on credit contracts, loan insurance, documents to be provided by the customer, credit glossary)

List of documents to provide depends on your project. It generally consists of personal details, proof of expenses and income, bank documents (account statements, current loans, etc.) and information about your project.

Our intervention is regulated and extremely closely supervised. It requires all the documents we request and obeys a few golden rules: don't hide anything from us, be completely transparent about your situation, and provide us with the documents requested to support your declarations. Have no fear: we are bound by banking secrecy and cannot under any circumstances reveal their content without your consent.

All the information requested must be communicated to us, and will remain totally confidential, in accordance with banking secrecy and the law. general data protection regulations.

A financing project requires exchange, trust and encounters ! So you'll need to schedule at least one physical interview at our offices in Strasbourg or at your home. We can also organise a videoconference and contact you by email or telephone to discuss your project, its implementation and the presentation of solutions. There is no predefined number of appointmentsThe aim is to keep you regularly informed of the progress of your case.

A well-executed project requires a number of steps... from your broker! The only action you need to take on your side is to complete your purchase, if applicable, and to gather the documents required for your file and provide them to us. In addition, we will accompany you to the bank meeting to confirm the terms and conditions negotiated and included in your project. We'll take care of everything for you from start to finish.

The role of the broker is to negotiate the conditions obtained and to put the partner institutions in competition with each other. An establishment that you apply to directlywithout going through our intermediary will undoubtedly close the doorspreferring to submit a proposal directly to you without the benefit of our expertise and negotiation. Unfortunately, turning to an establishment yourself offers few answers.

Yes, we'll be there for you at this key stage of your project to help you and to check the application of the conditions obtained.

As a general rule, we receive proposals and conditions from the management of the establishments we approach. Then, once you have approved one of our proposals, we will select an agency where we can go to set up your financing, depending on where you live or work.

These are the quid pro quos. Without entering into the illegal framework of tied selling, our intervention is based on a win-win relationship. An establishment will undoubtedly be inclined to make great efforts on its offer when the customer agrees to subscribe to one or other service in return. Everything between as part of a negotiation and must be examined on a case-by-case basis.

A mandate to seek financing is a document by which you authorise your broker to seek a loan on your behalf. It defines the applicable rules, describes your project and indicates the fees that will be payable if you accept one of its proposals. The real commitment with your broker is when you sign the loan offer that you have received through them.

The financing mandate defines the withdrawal rules. In theory, this is done by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt and is taken into account after a few days.

But all we need is a simple e-mail from you or a letter sent by post.insofar as the mandate is not binding on you.

There are two distinct cases:

  • You do not wish to approve the proposed financing because you have received a better offer elsewhere. You should be aware that you have a cooling-off period of 10 days during which you can reread your offer and see what it commits you to. At the end of this period, you can return the offer (but not before!). No money can be claimed until the signed offer has been returned. (Not by the bank, the broker or the seller)
  • You wish to cancel the sale even though you have obtained the loan offer, for whatever reason. This is not impossible, but it does involve costs. If you are not committed to the bank until the offer is returned and signed, you are nonetheless committed to the seller, who can claim 10% of the sale price. This is known as the penalty clause. Other costs may be added (estate agency, notary, etc.).

Either the bank (with your agreement), or the customer (if the bank releases the sum corresponding to our invoice directly into its bank account), once the loan sum has been released.

First and foremost, we have a duty to advise. With complete transparency, we will be there to guide you towards the best solutionand warn you of any risks that may arise. Our support is based not only on respect for legal valuesbut also human values. Finding financing on the best terms is easy, but not under any conditions. Together, we will analyse your situation and expectations in detail, so that you can a proposal in your interest. We'll guide you, we'll advise you, but whatever happens, you decide.

Le Annual Percentage Rate allows you to compare two finance offers. To do this, you first need to make sure that the sum borrowed is identical in all the offers you wish to compare.

Administration fees, guarantee fees, brokerage commissions and insurance are all part of the costs taken into account for this calculation. Added to the interest amounts, the sum is used to define the TEG. The lowest TEG, using the same criteria, corresponds to the cheapest financing offer.

We have an obligation to do everything in our power toprovide a solution tailored to your needs. This doesn't mean that every project will find a solution, but that we have to do everything we can to make it happen. Let's take a look at your request, and why your project hasn't found a solution. We'll be able to guide you - and you've got everything to gain!

Of course not. To maximise your chances of obtaining good terms, let us submit your application to your bank. An adviser who receives a broker's application for one of his clients knows very well what he can get at another bank, and will therefore be more likely to make an effort not to lose you! By working with us, you gain access to preferential rates negotiated by the broker.

Having a safety mattress is always well received by banks, and some require a minimum deposit, i.e. that you use part of your savings to pay for part of your project. This is not necessarily an obligation and it also depends on your situation and your project. It's by studying your file and your expectations together that we will be able to answer this question.

The lack of input is a negative point for certain establishments, but not necessarily prohibitive. A comprehensive and in-depth study of your situation will undoubtedly enable us to find an appropriate solution. Our work also consists of finding you financing by putting forward the strengths of your application to the bank to counter any weaknesses.

We are talking about the guarantee that the bank will require to cover repayment of the loan granted. In the case of a mortgage, it is the bank bearing the risk of unpaid monthly instalments and covers itself by having a right over the property financed. A guarantor is generally a professional organisation which, after examining your file, will be able to cover this risk on behalf of the bank.

Each solution is unique, and takes into account your expectations and habits. As a result, we can look for the shortest possible term while maximising the amount of the loan instalmentsThis means that it may not be possible to take out another loan immediately, if necessary (car loan, consumer loan, other project).

Increasing the term of your loan can be a way of reducing your repayments.Where possible, to reduce a monthly expense or prepare for a new project (rental, car, etc.).

All the proposed solutions will take account of your expectations, as well as your situation. It's up to us to define all these elements together.

At what rate can I borrow?

Your borrowing profile corresponds to all your personal data (family, patrimonial, medical...) and professional (salary, profession, etc.). All this data, past, present and future, can have an impact on the terms of the offer you can get.

Together we must analyse the assets your situation to promote it. Personal and professional stability, good account management or an expected career move, for example. On the other hand, the risk of non-renewal of a fixed-term contract, a drop in income following job loss or retirement are just a few examples of anticipation that we need to discuss with you. So we optimize your request and will support you through the entire process.

Your financing application will be analysed as follows in a personalised way. There are therefore as many people as different files. When applying for finance, the bank takes into account a wide range of personal and professional data for each profile. Using a broker, you maximise your chances of accessing the best conditions.

It's a choice that needs to be analysed and for which we will advise you in your best interests. A variable-rate loan can be very attractive in some cases, but it can also be dangerous. We'll be able to help you make your application more secure.

Different banking institutions may have a "target" customer base. Some establishments reserve their offers for certain professions (medical, civil servants, etc.). One of the aspects of our job is to who to send your request to.

There are two main situations:

  • With a fixed rate, everything is set in stone from the outset. There's nothing to worry about.
  • The variable rate, which is likely to vary according to criteria or indices defined in your loan offer.

Whatever happens, your broker must be able to inform you of the variations to expect and their impact on the monthly payment and total cost.

My loan insurance

Loan insurance allows you to repay all or part of the capital borrowed. in the event of the insured's death, disability or cessation of work. It is compulsory to have one when taking out a property loan... But you don't have to pay too much for it ! Nor to have bad guarantees! That's why Alsace Conseil Courtage is here to help and advise you. What's more, you should know that under the Hammon Actall contracts taken out after 26 July 2014 allows policyholders to cancel and replace their contracts at any time within the first 12 months following signature.

Thanks to the Lagarde Act passed in 2010Under the new law, you are no longer obliged to take out loan insurance with the organisation that granted you the credit. You have the right to take out insurance with the company of your choice. This is known as delegated loan insurance.

Delegated insurance, taking out a guarantee with a company other than the bank. It often saves you money on the overall cost of insurance, because the way delegated insurance is calculated means that you can make substantial savings for the same level of cover: you'd be wrong not to.

What's more, an Alsace Conseil Courtage advisorguides you step by step and guides you to the best deal on the market. Don't hesitate to a free, no-obligation request to be recontacted.

The cost of loan insurance will depend on a number of criteria Personal factors (whether or not you smoke, your state of health, your age, etc.) as well as financial factors (the amount of the mortgage, the level of cover, the term of the loan, etc.). Rates also vary depending on the bank, the insurance provider and the type of policy taken out.

Yes, loan insurance must be retained until the end of the mortgage term, it's a guarantee that you won't have to worry about a refund in the event of a health problem or death.

As part of degressive insurance, contributions are calculated on the basis of the outstanding capital (CRD) of your mortgage. They are therefore higher at the start of the loan, but lower the monthly repayments each month for the duration of the loan.

The "waiting period" is the period of time before the start of compensation payments after a claim by your insurer. It's important to be familiar with your insurer's policy to avoid unpleasant surprises if you ever need a refund.

You are obliged to declare your health situation to your insurer and fill in the insurers' health questionnaires as honestly as possible. This declaration may give rise to additional examinations and the payment of additional premiums or certain exclusions from cover.

A surcharge is an additional contribution This is requested of policyholders if they present a greater medical, professional or sporting risk than the average risk accepted by the basic insurance contract. This is not a sanction, but aan additional guarantee to protect the insured.

When an individual takes out a home loan with insurance, he or she must complete the following documents as honestly as possible a health questionnaire. The bank and insurer can take action against the borrower if they fail to mention any problems. It is medical risks that are most often affected by excess premiums. We talk about "aggravated health risk".namely :

  • Chronic diseases
  • Long-term conditions (ALD)
  • Specific pathologies
  • Certain medical or surgical histories

Risky sports such as climbing, parachuting or certain combat sports, but also the exercise of occupations considered dangerous such as the military, firefighters or lorry drivers also lead to additional premiums.

An additional premium may relate to one, several or all of the cover provided in the contract. For example, an additional premium may apply to permanent and total disability cover, IPT, and death cover, but not to job loss cover. They are calculated as a percentage added to the base rate. The cost varies from one insurer to another.

L'exclusion of warranty is a clause providing for the non-coverage of one or more events. It allows the insurer not to cover certain claims:

  • Claims prohibited by regulations (e.g. fines)
  • Losses that cannot be compensated due to their seriousness
  • Claims that it chooses not to indemnify because they are too frequent or because of abnormal behaviour

Cases ofexclusion are expressly included in the general terms and conditions of the insurance contracts.

Our sponsorship offer

Nothing could be simpler! Tell him about us. You can give them the e-mail address, telephone number or business card of the agent you have already met. We always ask our customers how they heard about us. If we go all the way with the person you are sponsoring, we'll send you a sponsorship cheque for up to 300 euros.

Has the person you sponsored completed a financing project with one of our agents? Perfect! Your sponsorship is validated.

We will send you the sponsorship cheque once the file of the person you have sponsored has been finalised.

NoYou do not need to declare sponsorship cheques. as long as you receive no more than 4 per year.  Beyond that, they must be declared.

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Credit glossary

  • Amortisation (of capital) Amortisation: For a loan, amortisation is the capital repaid at each repayment date. By extension, we speak of an amortisation period (after a grace period, for example) when the loan capital actually begins to be repaid.
  • Constant amortisation On a constant amortisation loan, the same amount of capital is repaid at each instalment. The amount of the instalments (capital + interest) therefore decreases over time. If, on the other hand, the repayment amount is fixed, you have a loan with constant repayments.
  • Negative amortisation No capital is repaid. On the contrary, the difference between the amount of interest and the amount of the instalment is added to the outstanding capital.
  • Fine amortisation A loan where the capital is repaid only on the final instalment.
  • Loan insurance (or credit insurance) The purpose of this insurance, for which the lender is the beneficiary, is to guarantee the lender in the event of the borrower's death or disability. Banks almost always require "death" and "total disability" cover for home loans. Temporary partial invalidity" cover is strongly recommended if the loan is for the purchase of the borrower's main residence. Unemployment cover" is optional and covers repayment of all instalments (for the best contracts), or partial and progressive repayment in view of the degressive nature of ASSEDIC.
  • Rate cap Capping of interest rate increases on variable rate loans. This cap may be expressed as an absolute value (e.g. 4.50%), or as a relative value (e.g. initial rate + 2%). The terms of this cap (index, level, duration and conditions) are defined in the contract and may also include a floor rate limiting the downward variation in the rate. The combination of a floor rate and a cap rate creates a rate tunnel.
  • Capital Amount of credit granted by the lender. The capital can be paid in one or more instalments.
  • Outstanding capital Amount of capital remaining to be repaid by the borrower on a given date. It is used as the basis for calculating the interest on the next repayment. In a variable-rate contract, the lender is obliged to inform the borrower once a year of the amount of capital still to be repaid.
  • Financial expenses These include loan repayments, compulsorily linked insurance premiums, rents and pensions paid.
  • Bridging loan This type of loan is generally granted at maturity, pending the receipt of a certain amount of money, in particular when a property is sold. The bank may or may not require interest to be paid during the term of the loan.
  • Partial deferment (of amortisation) Period during which the borrower does not repay any capital. They only pay interest on the loan. Insurance premiums are generally collected during the grace period.
  • Total deferral (of amortisation) Period during which the borrower repays neither capital nor interest. This interest is added to the outstanding capital. Only the insurance contributions are generally collected during the period of total deferment.
  • Amortisation period Period during which the loan is repaid in capital. This period may be different from the duration of the loan if it includes a grace period.
  • Deadline Repayment date: This is the name given to the financial transaction involving periodic repayment of the loan. It is characterised by its date and frequency.
  • Home loan guarantee This guarantee protects the bank in the event of default on repayment of the monthly mortgage instalments, and ensures that the outstanding capital is repaid. The most common types of guarantee are: guarantee, mortgage, lender's lien (PPD) and pledge.
  • Interim interest Interim interest is the term used in contrast to interest on a regular instalment when, in the case of a gradual release of funds, this interest is generated during the release period on funds that have already been released. Interim interest is also calculated when the duration of the first instalment does not correspond exactly to the duration stipulated in the repayment schedule.
  • I.R.A. (early repayment indemnities) Compensation paid to the bank when the borrower repays the loan before the date specified in the amortisation schedule. This corresponds to 6 months' interest due, with a ceiling of 3% of the outstanding capital for home loans and 1% for consumer loans.
  • Principal The principal is the part of the capital that is repaid at maturity. It is a little-used synonym for amortisation.
  • Early repayment Possibility for the customer to repay part or all of a loan before the end of the contract. The bank may charge early repayment fees (I.R.A.) for this option.
  • Total revenues This includes income from salaried or similar employment, pensions received, social benefits or income, rental income and financial income.
  • Depreciation schedule Table showing the amount owed by the borrower on each instalment of the loan, broken down as follows: capital, interest, insurance premium (where compulsory) and capital outstanding after each instalment.
  • Capped rate Rate subject to a capping mechanism (see rate cap)
  • Actuarial rate This is an actuarial rate technique used to transform the annual rate into a periodic rate.
  • Annual percentage rate of charge (APR) Annual percentage rate of charge (APR): Annual percentage rate of charge that includes interest and all the costs associated with granting a loan, such as application fees, guarantees and insurance. It is used to measure the total cost of credit. It must never exceed the usury rate in force on the date the loan offer is issued. The TEG, unlike the TAEG, is expressed as a proportional annual rate and applies mainly to business loans.
  • Debt ratio Rate expressing the ratio of financial charges to total income.
  • Proportional rate Rate technique consisting of dividing the annual rate by the number of maturities in the year to obtain the periodic rate.
  • Periodic rate Rate used on the outstanding capital to calculate the interest on an instalment. The periodic rate depends on the frequency of the loan (monthly, annual, etc.).
  • Interest rate (annual) Percentage used to calculate the bank's annual remuneration on a sum of money lent to the borrower.
  • Nominal rate or lending rate (annual) This is the (annual) rate of the loan when it is calculated at the proportional rate.
  • Adjustable rate (or variable rate) Interest rate: Rate that can rise or fall over the term of the loan according to the terms and conditions set out in the loan contract. Changes in the rate depend on changes in one or more indices and can be monthly, quarterly, annual or multi-year. A variable-rate loan may include a fixed-rate period and variation limits