Springhill medical group: treat childhood obesity

http://springhillgroupsite.bravesites.com/entries/general/springhill-medical-treat-childhood-obesity

You may find fat kids cutie ones but they may be starting to suffer from obesity.  Obesity is a serious medical condition that often leads to serious diseases.  Childhood obesity often carried out until adulthood, more health complications may occur.  And obesity plays a significant role in causing certain so called ‘adult ailments’ in our children such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Childhood obesity is usually caused by eating too much and not getting enough exercise.  While there are some genetic and hormonal causes of childhood obesity, studies show the primary cause of children being overweight is due to lifestyle issues such as eating more calories than is needed to support their growing bodies, daily activities and metabolism.

All experts agreed that obesity is a health risk that may result to the following health problems for children.
Hypertension
Type 2 Diabetes
Orthopedic
Sleep
Depression
Asthma
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Height and BMI
Heredity
Signs of stress of weight on lower limbs and joints
Absence of logical thinking

How to treat obesity in children:

If your child has a weight problem you should a consult a doctor or nutritionist.  A healthy eating plan is strongly suggested. This is also to make sure that no serious health problems have developed.  Some parents delay this action in the hopes that the problem will just go away but this delay can cause more complications and illness and I will get worse.

Not only obesity can cause many health problems but it can also cause variety of emotional problems.  Their being obese can lower their self-esteem.  So do not make them feel bad more about themselves, they had enough from school instead just need to help them by developing healthy eating and exercise habits, and lots and lots of moral support.

You should be aware avoiding making their weight as an issue, if you will encourage him to focus on his weight tendency is that their self-esteem will suffer more rather it is best to show them how maintaining a healthy weight will lead to extra energy and fewer health problems.

Express your unconditional love. Remember to make them fell loved no matter what.  Overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.

This is probably the most important and maybe the best solution.  Be a good role model. Parents are responsible for putting healthy foods in the kitchen at home, as well as leaving unhealthy foods on the grocery store shelves.  You cannot really blame the kids because you maybe is the problem.  Practice what you preach!  After all you are the one responsible of what food to put in the table.
Do not set food as rewards and put realistic goals.  It is also better if you will spend time together exercising, in this way he will be more excited to do it because he is with you.  Make them feel that you are together with this.

Springhill Group, H5N1 Deadly to Birds and to Humans

http://springhillgroupsite.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/springhill-medical-highly-pathogenic-h5n1/

Influenza A virus or more known to us as H5N1 is an avian (bird) flu, an influenza A subtype that has caused outbreaks in domestic poultry in parts of Asia and the Middle East.  This is deadly to them and is considered “highly pathogenic” meaning highly disease causing.  Although the virus does not usually infect people but infectious that these viruses occurred in humans.  Most of these cases have resulted from people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces.

 There are three types of viruses, A, B, and C, that can cause flu to human.  The type A is characterized not only to human but to other mammals and birds too.  The virus transmitted by air.  The type A virus is composed of two obligatory protein components. One is called hemagglutinin and is lettered H, and the other—neuraminidase (N).  And there are 13 variants of hemagglutinin and 9 of neuraminidase, which then can characterized what type of virus it is.  Making H5N1 is just out of the many possible variants of the virus structure.

Many parts of the world has been infected by the virus such as Asia, parts of Europe, the Near East Africa, birds as well as half of the humans infected did not survive.  The outbreaks infected poultry and wild birds, and humans who have direct contact with the infected animal.  In most cases, healthy children and young adult and have resulted from direct contact with H5N1-infected poultry or contaminated surfaces were infected.

The H5N1 virus does not infect humans easily and in general it remains very rare disease in people.  If the person is infected it is not that easy to spread it to another human.  However, there has been some human-to-human spread of the virus although it is limited.

But scientists are anxious that H5N1 virus one day could infect humans then spread easily from person-to-person because viruses such as influenza have the ability to change.

Although at the moment that the virus do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no protection against them and if the virus will change and could begin to spread from human-to-human there will likely result a very high deaths.

To know whether infected by the virus, people may show as follows:

Symptoms:

Fever and cough

Acute respiratory distress

Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea

Muscle aches

Conjunctivitis

Breathing problems (severe cases)

Pneumonia (severe cases)

Complications:

Pneumonia

Respiratory failure

Shock

Altered mental state

Seizures

Failure of multiple organs (e.g. kidney failure)

Death

 If someone with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms.  Studies showed of the levels of cytokines in humans infected by the H5N1 flu virus.  Of main concern is an elevated level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a protein that is associated with tissue destruction at sites of infection and increased production of other cytokines.  A flu virus-induced increase in the level of cytokines is also associated with flu symptoms including fever, chills, vomiting and headache.  Tissue damage associated with pathogenic flu virus infection can ultimately result in death.

Springhill Group - Highly Pathogenic H5N1 deadly to birds

http://blogg.by/springhillgroup/springhill-medical-highly-pathogenic-h5n1

Influenza A virus or more known to us as H5N1 is an avian (bird) flu, an influenza A subtype that has caused outbreaks in domestic poultry in parts of Asia and the Middle East.  This is deadly to them and is considered “highly pathogenic” meaning highly disease causing.  Although the virus does not usually infect people but infectious that these viruses occurred in humans.  Most of these cases have resulted from people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces.

 There are three types of viruses, A, B, and C, that can cause flu to human.  The type A is characterized not only to human but to other mammals and birds too.  The virus transmitted by air.  The type A virus is composed of two obligatory protein components. One is called hemagglutinin and is lettered H, and the other—neuraminidase (N).  And there are 13 variants of hemagglutinin and 9 of neuraminidase, which then can characterized what type of virus it is.  Making H5N1 is just out of the many possible variants of the virus structure.

Many parts of the world has been infected by the virus such as Asia, parts of Europe, the Near East Africa, birds as well as half of the humans infected did not survive.  The outbreaks infected poultry and wild birds, and humans who have direct contact with the infected animal.  In most cases, healthy children and young adult and have resulted from direct contact with H5N1-infected poultry or contaminated surfaces were infected.

The H5N1 virus does not infect humans easily and in general it remains very rare disease in people.  If the person is infected it is not that easy to spread it to another human.  However, there has been some human-to-human spread of the virus although it is limited.

But scientists are anxious that H5N1 virus one day could infect humans then spread easily from person-to-person because viruses such as influenza have the ability to change.

Although at the moment that the virus do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no protection against them and if the virus will change and could begin to spread from human-to-human there will likely result a very high deaths.

To know whether infected by the virus, people may show as follows:

Symptoms:

Fever and cough

Acute respiratory distress

Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea

Muscle aches

Conjunctivitis

Breathing problems (severe cases)

Pneumonia (severe cases)

Complications:

Pneumonia

Respiratory failure

Shock

Altered mental state

Seizures

Failure of multiple organs (e.g. kidney failure)

Death

 If someone with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms.  Studies showed of the levels of cytokines in humans infected by the H5N1 flu virus.  Of main concern is an elevated level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a protein that is associated with tissue destruction at sites of infection and increased production of other cytokines.  A flu virus-induced increase in the level of cytokines is also associated with flu symptoms including fever, chills, vomiting and headache.  Tissue damage associated with pathogenic flu virus infection can ultimately result in death.

Springhill Group - Highly Pathogenic H5N1 deadly to birds

http://blogg.by/springhillgroup/springhill-medical-highly-pathogenic-h5n1

Influenza A virus or more known to us as H5N1 is an avian (bird) flu, an influenza A subtype that has caused outbreaks in domestic poultry in parts of Asia and the Middle East.  This is deadly to them and is considered “highly pathogenic” meaning highly disease causing.  Although the virus does not usually infect people but infectious that these viruses occurred in humans.  Most of these cases have resulted from people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces.

 There are three types of viruses, A, B, and C, that can cause flu to human.  The type A is characterized not only to human but to other mammals and birds too.  The virus transmitted by air.  The type A virus is composed of two obligatory protein components. One is called hemagglutinin and is lettered H, and the other—neuraminidase (N).  And there are 13 variants of hemagglutinin and 9 of neuraminidase, which then can characterized what type of virus it is.  Making H5N1 is just out of the many possible variants of the virus structure.

Many parts of the world has been infected by the virus such as Asia, parts of Europe, the Near East Africa, birds as well as half of the humans infected did not survive.  The outbreaks infected poultry and wild birds, and humans who have direct contact with the infected animal.  In most cases, healthy children and young adult and have resulted from direct contact with H5N1-infected poultry or contaminated surfaces were infected.

The H5N1 virus does not infect humans easily and in general it remains very rare disease in people.  If the person is infected it is not that easy to spread it to another human.  However, there has been some human-to-human spread of the virus although it is limited.

But scientists are anxious that H5N1 virus one day could infect humans then spread easily from person-to-person because viruses such as influenza have the ability to change.

Although at the moment that the virus do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no protection against them and if the virus will change and could begin to spread from human-to-human there will likely result a very high deaths.

To know whether infected by the virus, people may show as follows:

Symptoms:

Fever and cough

Acute respiratory distress

Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea

Muscle aches

Conjunctivitis

Breathing problems (severe cases)

Pneumonia (severe cases)

Complications:

Pneumonia

Respiratory failure

Shock

Altered mental state

Seizures

Failure of multiple organs (e.g. kidney failure)

Death

 If someone with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms.  Studies showed of the levels of cytokines in humans infected by the H5N1 flu virus.  Of main concern is an elevated level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a protein that is associated with tissue destruction at sites of infection and increased production of other cytokines.  A flu virus-induced increase in the level of cytokines is also associated with flu symptoms including fever, chills, vomiting and headache.  Tissue damage associated with pathogenic flu virus infection can ultimately result in death.

Springhill medical: Highly Pathogenic H5N1

http://springhillgroupsite.bravesites.com/entries/general/springhill-medical-highly-pathogenic-h5n1

Influenza A virus or more known to us as H5N1 is an avian (bird) flu, an influenza A subtype that has caused outbreaks in domestic poultry in parts of Asia and the Middle East.  This is deadly to them and is considered “highly pathogenic” meaning highly disease causing.  Although the virus does not usually infect people but infectious that these viruses occurred in humans.  Most of these cases have resulted from people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces.

 

There are three types of viruses, A, B, and C, that can cause flu to human.  The type A is characterized not only to human but to other mammals and birds too.  The virus transmitted by air.  The type A virus is composed of two obligatory protein components. One is called hemagglutinin and is lettered H, and the other—neuraminidase (N).  And there are 13 variants of hemagglutinin and 9 of neuraminidase, which then can characterized what type of virus it is.  Making H5N1 is just out of the many possible variants of the virus structure.

Many parts of the world has been infected by the virus such as Asia, parts of Europe, the Near East Africa, birds as well as half of the humans infected did not survive.  The outbreaks infected poultry and wild birds, and humans who have direct contact with the infected animal.  In most cases, healthy children and young adult and have resulted from direct contact with H5N1-infected poultry or contaminated surfaces were infected.

The H5N1 virus does not infect humans easily and in general it remains very rare disease in people.  If the person is infected it is not that easy to spread it to another human.  However, there has been some human-to-human spread of the virus although it is limited.

Springhill medical: Highly Pathogenic H5N1

http://springhillmedgroup.com/

Influenza A virus or more known to us as H5N1 is an avian (bird) flu, an influenza A subtype that has caused outbreaks in domestic poultry in parts of Asia and the Middle East.  This is deadly to them and is considered “highly pathogenic” meaning highly disease causing.  Although the virus does not usually infect people but infectious that these viruses occurred in humans.  Most of these cases have resulted from people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces.

 

There are three types of viruses, A, B, and C, that can cause flu to human.  The type A is characterized not only to human but to other mammals and birds too.  The virus transmitted by air.  The type A virus is composed of two obligatory protein components. One is called hemagglutinin and is lettered H, and the other—neuraminidase (N).  And there are 13 variants of hemagglutinin and 9 of neuraminidase, which then can characterized what type of virus it is.  Making H5N1 is just out of the many possible variants of the virus structure.

Many parts of the world has been infected by the virus such as Asia, parts of Europe, the Near East Africa, birds as well as half of the humans infected did not survive.  The outbreaks infected poultry and wild birds, and humans who have direct contact with the infected animal.  In most cases, healthy children and young adult and have resulted from direct contact with H5N1-infected poultry or contaminated surfaces were infected.

The H5N1 virus does not infect humans easily and in general it remains very rare disease in people.  If the person is infected it is not that easy to spread it to another human.  However, there has been some human-to-human spread of the virus although it is limited.

But scientists are anxious that H5N1 virus one day could infect humans then spread easily from person-to-person because viruses such as influenza have the ability to change.

Although at the moment that the virus do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no protection against them and if the virus will change and could begin to spread from human-to-human there will likely result a very high deaths.

To know whether infected by the virus, people may show as follows:

Symptoms:

Fever and cough

Acute respiratory distress

Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea

Muscle aches

Conjunctivitis

Breathing problems (severe cases)

Pneumonia (severe cases)

Complications:

Pneumonia

Respiratory failure

Shock

Altered mental state

Seizures

Failure of multiple organs (e.g. kidney failure)

Death

 If someone with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms.  Studies showed of the levels of cytokines in humans infected by the H5N1 flu virus.  Of main concern is an elevated level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a protein that is associated with tissue destruction at sites of infection and increased production of other cytokines.  A flu virus-induced increase in the level of cytokines is also associated with flu symptoms including fever, chills, vomiting and headache.  Tissue damage associated with pathogenic flu virus infection can ultimately result in death.

Springhill Group Korea - Real Estate Scam Used Fak

http://www.pusha.se/springhill-group-korea-real-estate-scam-used-fak South Korean Police said yesterday they have Busted ares fifteen-Member Group that faked the Adoption of Children to pull off ares Real-Estate Scam.

Springhill Group - Biologists warn about Asian frog's extinction

http://www.ehow.com/boards/springhill-group-biologists-warn-about-asian-frogs-extinction-8180010/

The scale of the destruction – caused by habitat loss, disease, pollution and other factors – is hard to quantify, but scientists fear the result will be disastrous. Amphibians have been suffering a wave of devastation all around the world, in part because of the spread of the fungal diseaseBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis, known as BD or chytrid fungus, which has wiped out whole populations within the space of a few years.

But while conservation and monitoring efforts have so far focused on the Americas and Europe, little work has yet been done in the world’s most populous continent, with the result that many amphibian species there are as yet uncatalogued and unstudied. For instance, according to one researcher, there are probably at least three to four times as many amphibian species in India alone as are currently catalogued. ”These creatures are disappearing before we even know they exist. We know this is happening – this has already been shown in cases such as Sri Lanka,” said Bruce Waldman, associate professor at Seoul National University in Korea. ”These are living jewels – but we don’t know even how many we have, and we are not saving them.” He said rapid economic development in Asia was taking a toll on amphibians, with an increase in the level of nitrogen pollution in the water, from fertiliser use, and habitats being rapidly destroyed. He called for an urgent approach to the problem in Asia and across the world: ”We need to very quickly address the global crisis in amphibians.

Frogs and other amphibians are among the most threatened creatures in the world today – globally, at least a third, probably 40%, of amphibian species are in urgent danger of extinction, making a total of more than 2,000 species of amphibian so far documented to be officially ”threatened”, ”endangered” or ”vulnerable”, classifications used by scientists to describe the level of threat. ”This is higher than any other terrestrial animal,” said Jaime García-Moreno, executive director of the Amphibian Survival Alliance. The plight of frogs and other amphibians is of particular concern to scientists because many think the devastation afflicting them could be a foretaste of that in waiting for other creatures. Their physiognomy makes amphibians particularly sensitive to small changes in their environment, including temperature changes such as global warming, and to water and air pollution. This sensitivity, some scientists believe, could be behind the sudden and unexpected extinction of certain species even from well-protected areas. Waldman pointed to the golden toad of Costa Rica which ”disappeared from a pristine habitat”.

García-Moreno said that the loss of frog species could have knock-on effects not just on biodiversity and the food chain, but on human development. He pointed to research that has identified naturally occurring chemicals, such as skin secretions from frogs, that can be turned into medicine to treat human beings. ”Amphibians play a very important role in ecosystems – they are a conveyor of energy and nutrients from very small animals to larger animals,” he said. ”They are natural pest controllers too. Some have chemicals in their skins that can be useful to medical treatments, such as cancer and perhaps Aids. We must try to conserve these creatures.” Scientists could also learn more about the deadly chytrid disease from studying Asia, noted Mi-Sook Min, research professor at Seoul National University. Some indicators suggest the disease could even have come from the continent, as most cases to date have been found in other continents which may indicate a long history in Asia whereby amphibians have evolved to live with the disease. However, there are also indications in other research that the disease could have been existing in Latin America since the 1880s. Waldman emphasised: ”We just don’t know – in fact the Asian crisis [over the disease] may be even worse [than in other, better documented areas] but we just don’t have enough information. We are overwhelmed by our ignorance.”

Springhill Group - Biologists warn, Asian frog's extinction

http://www.flixya.com/blog/5106305/Springhill-Group-Biologists-warn-about-Asian-frogs-extinction

García-Moreno said that the loss of frog species could have knock-on effects not just on biodiversity and the food chain, but on human development. He pointed to research that has identified naturally occurring chemicals, such as skin secretions from frogs, that can be turned into medicine to treat human beings. ”Amphibians play a very important role in ecosystems – they are a conveyor of energy and nutrients from very small animals to larger animals,” he said. ”They are natural pest controllers too. Some have chemicals in their skins that can be useful to medical treatments, such as cancer and perhaps Aids. We must try to conserve these creatures.” Scientists could also learn more about the deadly chytrid disease from studying Asia, noted Mi-Sook Min, research professor at Seoul National University. Some indicators suggest the disease could even have come from the continent, as most cases to date have been found in other continents which may indicate a long history in Asia whereby amphibians have evolved to live with the disease. However, there are also indications in other research that the disease could have been existing in Latin America since the 1880s. Waldman emphasised: ”We just don’t know – in fact the Asian crisis [over the disease] may be even worse [than in other, better documented areas] but we just don’t have enough information. We are overwhelmed by our ignorance.”

Map – spread of chytrid disease in Central America

Global trade, including the pet trade but also commerce more generally, has helped the fungus to spread widely. In some afflicted areas, frog populations plummeted by 95% in less than a decade. The fungus appears to disrupt fluid and electrolyte balance in frogs, depleting their sodium and potassium levels and causing cardiac arrest and death, according to research from the University of California, Berkeley, and the San Francisco State University.

Springhill health and medical group, Health Services

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xuwi25_springhill-group-health-services_news

Springhill Group has been providing solutions that improve health and quality of life for those in need. Springhill  is focused on patients and dedicated to delivering quality patient care and service.  We provide patients with the care they need and the comfort and independence they deserve.

 

Clinical Service Delivery: Responding to the unique needs of  patients and their families by offering skilled nursing care, and home safety evaluations.

  

Patient-Centered Care: Springhill’s patient-centered care is customized to meet the requirements of each patient and allows them to remain in the comfort of their homes.

  

Quality Improvement: Routine review of policies, processes and procedures enables Springhill Group’s to continuously improve its standard of care delivery.

  

Healthcare Technology: Investment in healthcare technology allows Springhill to further improve services and to greatly enhance communication as well as invest more in the quality of patient care through increased efficiency.

Springhill health group: Health Services

http://www.ehow.com/boards/springhill-health-and-medical-group-health-services-6356910/

Springhill Group has been providing solutions that improve health and quality of life for those in need. Springhill  is focused on patients and dedicated to delivering quality patient care and service.  We provide patients with the care they need and the comfort and independence they deserve.

  

Clinical Service Delivery: Responding to the unique needs of  patients and their families by offering skilled nursing care, and home safety evaluations.

  

Patient-Centered Care: Springhill’s patient-centered care is customized to meet the requirements of each patient and allows them to remain in the comfort of their homes.

  

Quality Improvement: Routine review of policies, processes and procedures enables Springhill Group’s to continuously improve its standard of care delivery.

  

Healthcare Technology: Investment in healthcare technology allows Springhill to further improve services and to greatly enhance communication as well as invest more in the quality of patient care through increased efficiency.

Springhill health group - Health Services

http://springhillgroupkorea.bravesites.com/entries/business/springhill-group-health-services

Springhill Group has been providing solutions that improve health and quality of life for those in need. Springhill  is focused on patients and dedicated to delivering quality patient care and service.  We provide patients with the care they need and the comfort and independence they deserve.

  

Clinical Service Delivery: Responding to the unique needs of  patients and their families by offering skilled nursing care, and home safety evaluations.

  

Patient-Centered Care: Springhill’s patient-centered care is customized to meet the requirements of each patient and allows them to remain in the comfort of their homes.

  

Quality Improvement: Routine review of policies, processes and procedures enables Springhill Group’s to continuously improve its standard of care delivery.

  

Healthcare Technology: Investment in healthcare technology allows Springhill to further improve services and to greatly enhance communication as well as invest more in the quality of patient care through increased efficiency.

Springhill Group Seoul Korea | angelfire.com - Livejournal - Springhill Group

http://springhillgroup.livejournal.com/28499.html

Springhill Group Seoul Korea | angelfire.com

Spring Hill Group Home

News Center – Springhill Group Home Loans

Springhill Group Home is a housing finance company with the principal goal of achieving a social requirement of motivating home ownership by offering long-term finance to households. Springhill Group Home has turned the idea of housing finance in Springhill into a world-class business venture with outstanding reputation for dependability, honesty and outstanding services.

Springhill Group Home has a wide network of contacts from different loan companies within United States and Asia catering to towns & cities spread across the country providing housing loans and property advisory services.

For inquiries, email us at info@springhillgrouphome.com

Springhill korea anti-fraud: Warning to borrowers over interest-only mortgages

http://madelynsimrit.inube.com/blog/1827742/springhill-korea-anti-fraud-warning-to-borrowers-over-interest-only-mortgages/

Borrowers with interest-only mortgages have been urged to seek advice after a leading banker raised concerns over the number of people struggling to repay their loans.

New Barclays chief executive Anthony Jenkins predicted this week that interest-only mortgages may be the next big mis-selling scandal. He identified the loans as a likely source of future complaints and said the bank, which has a large chunk of interest-only loans on its books, had already seen thousands of borrowers with problems repaying their capital.

Industry experts have been expressing fears for some time over the number of people with interest-only mortgages but with no viable means of repaying their capital at the end of the term.

Interest-only loans work by letting the borrower pay the interest first and clear the actual capital at the end of the term. They sold in massive numbers during the housing market boom, when homeowners and lenders were confident that house prices would continue soaring and enable capital to be repaid with sale proceeds.

But some eight in ten people with interest-only mortgages maturing over the next decade have no adequate repayment strategy in place, according to the Financial Services Authority (FSA), which described the scenario as a “ticking time-bomb”.

The problem for borrowers has been exacerbated by a marked tightening of lending criteria. Where they used to offer interest-only loans to those with just 10 per cent deposits, most lenders now demand equity or a deposit of at least 50 per cent.

They have also clamped down on the repayment plans they will accept. The Lloyds Banking Group brands, for example, will no longer accept cash savings (including Isas) as a way of repaying the capital on an interest-only mortgage.

The crackdown came in anticipation of a regulatory ban on interest-only mortgages. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has now moved away from that option, but it still plans restrictions on the way interest-only deals are repaid.

“Lenders have changed the goal posts massively over the last two years and many borrowers are going to be stuck on a variable rate because they need to retain the interest-only payments,” said Alison Mitchell, mortgage expert at Edinburgh IFA Robson Macintosh. ”Lenders are choosing who they wish to lend to and interest-only is just another way of sifting out the unwanted.” That helps explain why lenders are being increasingly pro-active in checking if borrowers are on course to repay their mortgage.

Springhill korea anti-fraud - Warning to borrowers over interest-only mortgages

http://www.flixya.com/blog/4828126/Springhill-korea-anti-fraud-Warning-to-borrowers-over-interest-only-mortgages

Borrowers with interest-only mortgages have been urged to seek advice after a leading banker raised concerns over the number of people struggling to repay their loans.

New Barclays chief executive Anthony Jenkins predicted this week that interest-only mortgages may be the next big mis-selling scandal. He identified the loans as a likely source of future complaints and said the bank, which has a large chunk of interest-only loans on its books, had already seen thousands of borrowers with problems repaying their capital.

Industry experts have been expressing fears for some time over the number of people with interest-only mortgages but with no viable means of repaying their capital at the end of the term.

Interest-only loans work by letting the borrower pay the interest first and clear the actual capital at the end of the term. They sold in massive numbers during the housing market boom, when homeowners and lenders were confident that house prices would continue soaring and enable capital to be repaid with sale proceeds.

But some eight in ten people with interest-only mortgages maturing over the next decade have no adequate repayment strategy in place, according to the Financial Services Authority (FSA), which described the scenario as a “ticking time-bomb”.

The problem for borrowers has been exacerbated by a marked tightening of lending criteria. Where they used to offer interest-only loans to those with just 10 per cent deposits, most lenders now demand equity or a deposit of at least 50 per cent.

They have also clamped down on the repayment plans they will accept. The Lloyds Banking Group brands, for example, will no longer accept cash savings (including Isas) as a way of repaying the capital on an interest-only mortgage.

The crackdown came in anticipation of a regulatory ban on interest-only mortgages. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has now moved away from that option, but it still plans restrictions on the way interest-only deals are repaid.

“Lenders have changed the goal posts massively over the last two years and many borrowers are going to be stuck on a variable rate because they need to retain the interest-only payments,” said Alison Mitchell, mortgage expert at Edinburgh IFA Robson Macintosh. ”Lenders are choosing who they wish to lend to and interest-only is just another way of sifting out the unwanted.” That helps explain why lenders are being increasingly pro-active in checking if borrowers are on course to repay their mortgage.

Robin Purdie, director of MOV8 Financial in Edinburgh, said: “Many lenders with interest-only mortgages on their books are now writing to borrowers and asking them for an up-to-date picture of their repayment strategy, and whether it is on target or not.”

“They are doing so sooner than they historically might have done, or when a borrower is attempting to renew their product.”

If you do want to remortgage while staying on an interest-only loan, the lender will want evidence of a solid repayment strategy.

Many, as mentioned already, will lend only to those with 50 or, in some cases, 75 per cent equity in their home.

As Mitchell, pointed out, the change in criteria means a lot of borrowers face being stuck on their bank’s variable rate for the long-term because they don’t have sufficient equity to 
secure another interest-only mortgage. In other words, they will become mortgage prisoners. Worryingly for that group, lenders are raising the cost of their standard variable rate (SVR) mortgages even while the Bank of England base rate remains at 0.5 per cent.

“The individuals coming off their current products and hoping to grab one of the many great low fixed rates on offer are in for a shock, unless they bite the bullet and switch to repayment.”

That switch to a capital repayment plan is the best option for many people, according to Purdie. But it may be unrealistic for those in or near retirement, he warned.

“It could be a problem for any older borrowers as their repayment period will be dramatically reduced now that lenders are reluctant to lend into retirement,” said Purdie. “This shortened repayment term could deem this to be an unaffordable option for many.”

There are other options, however. One is to work out if there’s another repayment vehicle you can use that will be acceptable to a lender. For instance, most lenders are still happy with savings and investment vehicles, so if you’ve got plenty of time left on your loan you could put together a savings plan that has capital
repayment as the eventual goal.

Another possibility while mortgage rates are low is to overpay your loan, provided your terms allow it. This may improve your chances of securing either another interest-only mortgage or a decent fixed rate capital repayment deal.

Younger borrowers could also take advantage of some lenders increasing the maximum age on their products – generally up to age 75 – by extending their term. “This potentially allows for a 40-year term and so reduces the monthly payments applicable,” said Mitchell. “By taking the loan over a longer period and reducing the capital, the mortgage can still be affordable.”

There are fewer options open to older borrowers, however, with the slow housing market and lower house prices effectively ruling out downsizing as a solution.

There are ways out, though. A growing number of over-55s are looking to lifetime mortgage where interest payments are made, according to Mitchell.

“This means that the level of debt remains the same and doesn’t eat away all the equity in the property,” she explained. “There is no requirement to prove income and it can be set up with competitively priced rates. Its gives the borrower peace of mind knowing the debt will be cleared from the property.”

But with lenders not in the mood for compromise, the reality is that many borrowers will become mortgage prisoners. If you’ve got no capital repayment vehicle set up you may have little choice but to take whatever you’re offered.

It’s vital to explore the options open to you before settling for that, however, which is why Mitchell urges borrowers to get help from a
financial adviser.

“By doing this you can ensure all your options are fully considered and that the best route is taken, whether that be remaining with your current lender or finding a way to switch to a repayment mortgage.”