Many of us have racked up credit card debts in the spending boom, and are now feeling the pinch. Faced with high credit card repayments and ever increasing costs of petrol, electricity and food bills, many individuals are struggling to make ends meet, and are using their credit cards as a way of securing short term borrowing. There has been a total rise of £717million in credit cards spending in the year to June 2008, indicating a massive rise in use of high interest, short term debt.

With the housing market falling in value by 10% so far this year, a forced sale in this market can mean losing considerable amount of money, especially if a move to rental property is being considered. This may make the option of securing a remortgage deal particularly attractive to many individuals who have substantial equity tied up within their property.

However, taking out a remortgage deal it is not an option to stumble into blindly: taking expert mortgage advice is critical to ensure that a remortgage deal is affordable and will leave a borrower's day to day finances in a more affordable state.

To get the best rates on a remortgage deal it is imperative for all prospective borrowers to research the market thoroughly and get a wide range of remortgage quotes.

An independent mortgage advisor can put forward all deals that match a prospective borrower's remortgage deal requirements, and will gather and compare a remortgage quote from the most suitable providers for their client to consider.

But in an environment where credit is more difficult to get, is it still possible to secure a good remortgage deal?

The answer is yes.

remortgage deals are still out there for the taking, and although the market has changed with higher interest rates being charged on fixed term remortgage deal , individuals who can demonstrate that they hold at least 25% equity in their current home are deemed 'lower-risk' borrowers: gaining a mortgage or re-mortgage should not be too difficult.

The remortgage deal market is showing signs of competition again, with providers starting to chase low risk business

What is more, there is some good news for individuals seeking a good remortgage deal : Nationwide and Abbey recently made significant cuts to their mortgage rates, and other lenders including the Halifax, Cheltenham and Gloucester have swiftly followed.

Suitably qualified independent advisors with an expert knowledge of the market will be able to provide impartial mortgage advice as well as gathering a remortgage quote from each of the providers that have a remortgage deal that meet their client's requirements.

Consumers then face a difficult decision about whether to choose a fixed or variable interest rate on their remortgage deal.

Faced with a real prospect that Bank of England lending rates may fall in the near future, there is the risk that in some cases fixed rates on a remortgage deal could become more expensive than a variable interest rate remortgage deal in the future.

There has never been a greater need for consumers to secure good independent remortgage advice when seeking a remortgage deal, to help them select the best possible mortgage quote for their circumstances. Affordability is an important consideration; any property used to secure a loan may be under threat if borrower's fail to keep up repayments.