Scottish trust deeds offer a way out from serious debt, and the chance to rebuild your financial life once the trust deed term has ended. They’re a debt solution that’s only available to residents of Scotland, and generally last for four years although there are certain factors that can affect this length of time.
One of these factors is whether or not you own your own home. Many homeowners have concerns that their home might have to be sold when they enter a trust deed, but this is not automatically the case as the outcome largely depends on the level of equity available in the property.
If your home is mortgaged, the equity figure will be the property’s value minus the amount needed to repay the mortgage. Sometimes there is little benefit for the trust deed administrator to use property as part of a settlement if the equity is minimal.
On the other hand, should you decide to sell your home, you may be able to end the trust deed earlier than four years, if your creditors are repaid in full (plus interest), and all the trust deed costs have been covered.
A trust deed may last longer than the standard term of four years in certain circumstances:
It’s important to take care when approaching trust deed providers to ensure they are reputable – in particular, be wary of excessive trust deed fees that might result in a needlessly extended term.
At the end of your trust deed any debts remaining are written off, and your details are removed from the Scottish trust deed register within three months. You’ll also receive a certificate of completion from your Trustee to confirm that you’ve met your obligations.
As far as your credit file is concerned, it should be amended to show that the trust deed has been successfully completed. It will be difficult to obtain credit or other borrowing for several years after the trust deed.
So approximately how long after a trust deed could you get a mortgage? This largely depends on the lender, but it’s likely that you’ll pay a higher interest rate than a ‘standard’ mortgage if you’re successful with an application.
Scotland Debt Solutions has extensive experience of negotiating trust deeds on behalf of our clients, and can provide reliable and comprehensive trust deed information. The length of a trust deed is an important aspect of the arrangement, as it determines when you can start to rebuild your financial life. Call one of our expert insolvency practitioners to arrange a confidential consultation free-of-charge.
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Sequestration is the Scottish version of bankruptcy and may be suitable for you if you do not have the money to pay back your debts
A Trust Deed involves making a monthly contribution to your debts for up to four years. After this time any remaining debt will be wiped out.
A Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) lets you pay off your debt through a series of manageable instalments over a reasonable length of time.
Whether you are a sole trader or a limited company director, we can help you work through your current financial problems including money owed to HMRC