Mortgage lifecycle

The month-by-month breakdown of each instalment into interest and principal and the resulting outstanding balance over the loan tenor.

State of being behind in discharging obligations — an unpaid and overdue debt per the loan/financing contract by the scheduled due date.

HSBC/SC's term for moving an existing home loan from another lender (or out to one), priced with a flat or capped transfer fee.

A new bank paying off the borrower's existing mortgage at another bank to move the loan; processing fees are often waived and grace periods extended.

Written or verbal expression of consumer dissatisfaction with a product, service, policy or action of an LFI, subject to regulated complaint-management timelines.

The standing mandate letting the bank pull instalments from the borrower's account, including from an account at another bank; returned DDAs incur charges.

The release of loan funds — to the seller, developer (per construction schedule) or the other bank in a buyout — from which interest starts accruing.

Progress payments of an off-plan loan straight to the developer per the payment-and-construction schedule; interest is charged only on amounts paid.

Release of loan funds to the borrower or developer; interest-only periods are measured from first drawdown.

The date the regular EMI starts; interest accruing between the disbursal date and this date is collected with the first payment.

The fixed monthly payment of principal and interest that fully amortises the loan over its tenor, recomputed on variable-rate repricing.

Borrowing against the accumulated equity of an owned property to access liquidity without selling it; Arabic bank texts render it inconsistently.

A first-time mortgage origination (as opposed to a buyout or top-up), priced with the standard processing fee and shorter grace period.

A post-disbursement window (60–180 days, longer for buyouts and nationals) before the first EMI, during which interest accrues and inflates the EMI.

An initial payment holiday — e.g. 24 months on under-construction finance — during which profit accrues and is apportioned over the remaining term.

Postponement of one or more monthly instalments for a fee; interest keeps accruing and the loan takes longer to repay.

A construction-phase arrangement where monthly payments cover interest only until full disbursement or a set deadline, after which principal amortisation begins.

The contractual end date of the loan by which it must be fully repaid; also the reference point for maximum-age rules.

A lump-sum principal prepayment mid-tenor that reduces the balance (and EMI or tenor), subject to the partial-settlement fee above any free allowance.

The fixed order in which received payments are applied — insurance first, then principal, interest, late-payment interest, then other charges.

Moving or renegotiating a mortgage with another bank or financial institution; borrowers must face no impediment, with charges capped at actual breakage cost plus regulated fees.

Formal amendment of the repayment schedule (tenor or instalments) of an existing loan, for a fee; grouped with refinancing in bank warnings.

A fixed recurring payment instruction from the borrower's account with the lending bank itself (vs. DDA for third-party accounts).

Leasing the bank-financed property to a third party, permitted only with the bank's No Objection Certificate since the bank remains owner.

An increase of an existing mortgage (new money on the same security), with the processing fee applied to the incremental amount.