Everything about The One Account totally explained
The One account Ltd is single-brand subsidiary financial services company offering
offset and
flexible mortgages in the UK. The company pioneered the
offset mortgage in the UK and; was conceived as a joint venture between Virgin Direct (Virgin's financial services company) and
The Royal Bank of Scotland in 1997.
Initially, the company was known as the 'Virgin One account' and promoted to Virgin Direct's 200,000 strong UK customer base. The launch was very successful and was extended to the entire British public in May 1998.
From January 2003, the company relaunched as 'The One account' when
The Royal Bank of Scotland achieved a majority shareholding and in effect became a
RBS mortgage brand along with
Natwest and
First Active.
Distribution
One account products are sold directly by phone, internet and post. They are also distributed through
intermediaries -
mortgage brokers and
Independent Financial Advisers.
Current Account Mortgages
The type of offset products offered by The One account are called
Current Account Mortgages (CAM). As the name suggests, customers consolidate the balances of their mortgage, traditional current accounts, personal loans and, if desired, their saving accounts into one account.
A low, mortgage-style interest rate is charged on the net balance of the account on a daily basis. Since customers pay their salary into the account this money has the effect of reducing the average balance and, therefore the interest paid when compared with a traditional
mortgage.
The One account vaunts the flexibility afforded by current account mortgages - customers may over or underpay for periods without prior agreement. The offset mortgage provides many the opportunity to save tens of thousands of pounds in interest charges and pay off their mortgage years early.
In 1999, research from
NOP Financial validated by
David Goldreich of
London Business School proved that eight out of every ten people in the UK with borrowings of more than £50,000 would be better off with a One account.
The One account's first industry accolades
In June 2002, The Virgin One account scooped both Best Mortgage provider and Best Current Account provider at the Guardian/Observer Consumer Finance awards.
In the following year, The One account was awarded ‘Best Mortgage Provider’ for the 3rd year running at The Guardian/Observer Consumer Finance Awards, ‘Best Current Account and Offset Mortgage Provider’ at the
Moneyfacts Awards, ‘Best Current Account Mortgage’ at the Your Mortgage Awards and ‘Lifestyle Lender of the Year’ at the Mortgage Strategy Awards.
More recent awards include 'Best Current Account Mortgage' from Mortgage Magazine in 2005 and 2006, 'Best Current Account Mortgage' from Your Mortgage Magazine in 2005, and in 2006 The One account was voted the 'Best Current Account and Offset Mortgage Provider' by
Moneyfacts.
Further Information
Get more info on 'The One Account'.
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