Kit Sproson

Senior Money Writer – Mortgages Expert

As one of MSE's Money writers, Kit's main topics include mortgages, Council Tax, wills, funeral plans and scams. He previously covered credit scoring, students and buy now, pay later. Before joining MSE in 2019, Kit worked as a digital journalist for ITV News as well as a court reporter.

Kit has been nominated for the Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award at the Headline Money Awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

In his spare time, Kit enjoys reading, football, travelling and volunteering at Shelter from the Storm.

Latest from Kit Sproson

Buying a property can be stressful, and isn't made easier by an estate agent saying you MUST use its recommended solicitor or mortgage broker. This dodgy practice is known as 'conditional selling' – it's against the law, can cost you more and even risk sales falling through, yet it's widespread. We show you what to look out for and how to avoid it.

9 April 2025

Under the Right to Buy scheme, some council and housing association tenants have the opportunity to buy their property at a discounted price. This guide explains how the Right to Buy scheme works, who can take part and what size discount you can get.

9 April 2025

Millions of people own a leasehold property, but this type of home ownership can be complex. Leasehold tenure has received much negative attention over the years, so the Government is introducing changes that'll make it cheaper to extend a lease – plus ground rent on new leases is now banned. This guide explains what leasehold is, how it's set to change, and what to do if something goes wrong.

8 April 2025

If you're married or in a civil partnership and under 90 years old, you may be entitled to a £1,260 tax break called the Marriage Tax Allowance – something around two million qualifying couples miss out on. It's easy to apply and take advantage of this tax break. This guide walks you through who's eligible and how to claim.

7 April 2025

Scams are rife and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the UK who hasn't been targeted. And they're becoming more sophisticated all the time, continuing to deprive people of often life-changing amounts of money. This guide explains what to look out for, how to protect yourself and what to do if you're a victim of a scam – including details of new rules which mean many can get their money back.

7 April 2025

Currently, interest rates on many five and 10-year fixes are not far off those of shorter deals – in some cases they're actually better. But should you be fixing your mortgage for this long? This guide takes you through what you need to consider.

3 April 2025

Green mortgages: how they work and who offers them

More than half of mortgage lenders offer what are known as 'green mortgages'. The idea is if you're moving into an energy-efficient home or making your property greener, your mortgage lender will reward you with a better interest rate or cashback. But we've found that green mortgages, while competitive, aren't normally the cheapest mortgages on the market.

3 April 2025

Homeowners can rack up a bill of £1,000s or even £10,000s trying to extend their lease. Thankfully the Government is in the process of making extending both easier and cheaper – but reform keeps getting hit by delays. This guide talks through why leases need extending, when it becomes necessary, and how to do it. Plus, check out our What is a leasehold? guide for more on how a leasehold works.

1 April 2025

Buying a new-build home throws up a unique set of challenges – get it wrong and you risk considerable extra stress and expense. This guide explains what you need to know before, during and after the new-build buying process, with 15+ tips to help make it as smooth as possible.

1 April 2025

Someone writing 'kitchen' on a cardboard box.

It's just before you move home. You're frantically packing boxes, sorting final bills and booking removal vans. But what else do you need to know and do? Our moving home checklist is here to help, offering everything from moving day tips to ways to save on your new household bills. We've split our checklist into three parts: Part 1: Before moving day Part 2: On moving day Part 3: After moving day

27 March 2025

Council Tax bills will rise for millions of households from 1 April, with most local authorities in England preparing increases of 5% – adding around £109 to a typical band D bill. In Scotland, most councils are planning rises of at least 8%, while in Wales bills will go up by between 4.5% and 9.5%.

18 March 2025

Mortgage overpayments are commonplace right now as homeowners look to offset the impact of today's expensive interest rates. Overpaying your mortgage should be a serious consideration if you have the cash. Many can save £10,000s. Yet rates on many savings accounts are decent, so those on older, cheaper mortgages may actually do better in savings. This guide helps you decide what's best for you.

4 March 2025

I'm a mortgage prisoner – what can I do?

Mortgage prisoners are homeowners who typically took out a mortgage before 2008, when lending rules were more relaxed. They're now trapped on pricey mortgage deals unable to switch to cheaper ones, mainly because they don't pass current strict affordability tests. With some paying interest rates as high as 9%, the picture is bleak. This guide has things to try if you can't easily switch mortgage.

28 February 2025

Scale model of a house balancing precariously on a wooden block tower

Mortgage prisoners stuck paying extortionate interest rates have described their fears after it emerged their loans were being transferred to yet another inactive lender – this time with just days' notice.

25 February 2025

Row of brick semis with cars parked on the driveways

Interest rates on fixed mortgage deals have fallen below 4% for the first time since November 2024 – but will rates come down further? We've spoken to four mortgage brokers to see what they think – and whether you should fix.

18 February 2025

Since 2020 MSE Kit has discovered a hobby that's helped him keep fit, learn things, make new friends and spend more time outdoors. And considering all these benefits, this hobby costs him relatively little.

27 January 2025