Mortgage Strategy
20 April 2009

  • "Botched Budget" may slow buyer interest, says NAEA

    24 Apr 2009

    The National Association of Estate Agents says chancellor Alistair Darling’s “botched Budget” has failed to capitalise on a boost in buyer interest.

  • 60 seconds with.....Julian Wells

    20 Apr 2009

    What are you doing at the moment?I’m involved with two companies - the Marketing Innovation Forum and Adviser Matrix.

  • A more accessible route to debt relief

    20 Apr 2009

    April 6 saw Debt Relief Orders go live. In brief, DROs are available to non-home owners with no other assets, debts of less than £15,000 and disposable income of less than £50 per month.

  • A&L expands range of fees-free products

    20 Apr 2009

    Alliance & Leicester is extending its range of fees-free mortgages with the launch of three and four-year fixed rate remortgage and home buyer deals available up to 75% LTV.

  • Abbey can't cope with enquiries from brokers

    20 Apr 2009

    I would like to respond to the star letter from Chartwell Funding managing director Robert Winfield in the last issue of Mortgage Strategy.

  • Abbey denies brokers' claims that it is declining more applications

    20 Apr 2009

    Abbey for Intermediaries has launched a staunch defence against claims levelled by brokers that an increasing number of applications are being denied without grounds.

  • Abbey has always acted in brokers' best interests and will conmtinue to do so

    20 Apr 2009

    In recent months, as a way of ensuring that we continue to meet the service needs of intermediaries and maintain a steady flow of applications, we have undertaken an intensive review of our pipeline business. This has resulted in us accelerating applications to the 'accept' or 'decline' stage.

  • Actuarial scandal shows the FSA picks on brokers

    20 Apr 2009

    I was pleased to read the article in the April 6 issue of Mortgage Strategy by Kevin Paterson, sales and marketing director at Assurant Intermediary, concerning the silent scandal of actuarial blunders.

  • Alliance & Leicester launch broker exclusives

    21 Apr 2009

    Alliance & Leicester Intermediary Sales is launching a range of two-year fixed rates for remortgagers and homebuyers, available up to 75% LTV.

  • Alliance & Leicester launches trackers

    23 Apr 2009

    Alliance & Leicester is launching a two-year tracker at base rate plus 2.45%, currently 2.95%, with a £499 fee and 75% LTV.

  • An opportunity to protect your clients

    20 Apr 2009

    It's early days but it's pleasing to hear that the Bank of England says mortgage approvals rose by nearly 20% in February, the highest monthly rise since May last year.

  • Assurant Intermediary joins PMS

    20 Apr 2009

    Assurant Intermediary has joined PMS's general insurance panel.

  • Bank of China teams up with mortgageforce

    23 Apr 2009

    Bank of China is teaming up with national brokerage mortgageforce to exclusively launch its whole of market broking service.

  • Bank of England reports £28.6bn rise in March loans

    22 Apr 2009

    The amount of money being loaned out by financial firms during March rose by £28.6bn, data from the Bank of England reveals.

  • Battle of the bank accounts

    20 Apr 2009

    The battle of the bank accounts is hotting up. Since the start of the month both Abbey and HSBC have upped their game when it comes to securing your clients' bedrock for the sale of other financial services products.

  • Bluefin gets rid of Thinc brand

    20 Apr 2009

    Bluefin Advisory Services last week disposed of the Thinc brand as it transferred Thinc Network Services and Thinc Assured Network to Sesame.

  • Brits struggle with payments on Spanish holiday homes

    21 Apr 2009

    An increasing number of Brits who have bought Spanish holiday homes are struggling to meet their monthly mortgage payments, law firm DWF has warned.

  • Brokers offered free legal facility

    20 Apr 2009

    The Guardian Group last week launched a free online legal service giving brokers access to a panel of lawyers who can act on behalf of their clients.

  • BUDGET 2009: £500m towards stalled building projects

    22 Apr 2009

    Building projects that have been stalled by the credit crunch will benefit from £500m in government funding.

  • BUDGET 2009: £80m extension for Homebuy Direct

    22 Apr 2009

    The government is to give an additional £80m towards its shared equity scheme HomeBuy Direct.

  • BUDGET 2009: Budget is a water pistol to put out a fire says NAEA

    22 Apr 2009

    The National Association of Estate Agents has damned the chancellor Alistair Darling's second Budget report as "water pistol to put out a fire".

  • BUDGET 2009: Darling predicts GDP to fall 3.5% in 2009

    22 Apr 2009

    The chancellor Alistair Darling says he predicts UK GDP to contract by -3.5% in 2009.

  • BUDGET 2009: Government to extend Mortgage Interest Scheme

    22 Apr 2009

    The government will continue its Mortgage Interest Scheme for another six months for those who have lost their job, as long as they are looking for work.

  • BUDGET 2009: Government to guarantee securities backed by mortgages

    22 Apr 2009

    Chancellor Alistair Darling announced today that following state aid approval it will guarantee securities backed by mortgages.

  • BUDGET 2009: Higher income tax rate hiked to 50%

    22 Apr 2009

    Income tax rates for high earners is to climb to a massive 50% for those earning over £150,000.

  • BUDGET 2009: Industry reaction

    22 Apr 2009

    Today’s Budget was set against a backdrop of rising unemployment and the worst recession since World War II, but chancellor Alistair Darling is no Winston Churchill and his Budget did little to inspire the nation.

  • BUDGET 2009: Public borrowing at £175bn

    22 Apr 2009

    The government's current level of public borrowing stands at £175bn, 12% of GDP.

  • BUDGET 2009: Rescue scheme did not allow for negative equity

    22 Apr 2009

    The Budget 2009 report has revealed that up until now home owners in negative equity were not eligible for the government’s Mortgage Rescue Scheme.

  • BUDGET 2009: Speech in full

    22 Apr 2009

    Mr Deputy Speaker, today’s Budget will continue to help people through this global recession, and prepare Britain for the opportunities of the future.

  • BUDGET 2009: Stamp Duty holiday extended

    22 Apr 2009

    Chancellor Alistair Daring is to extend the Stamp Duty holiday for properties under £175,000 he announced in the Budget today.

  • BUDGET 2009: Tax receipts down 1.2% year-on-year

    22 Apr 2009

    Tax receipts as a percentage of GDP is 1.2% lower year-on-year.

  • BUDGET 2009: Tracker borrowers saving £230 a month

    22 Apr 2009

    The average savings made by the four and a half million people on tracker mortgages has been £230 a month.

  • BUDGET 2009: VAT reduction to continue to December

    22 Apr 2009

    The chancellor Alistair Darling has revealed in the Budget today that the VAT cut introduced in the pre-Budget report will continue until December.

  • Call to change tax on bulk purchases

    20 Apr 2009

    The British Property Federation has appealed to chancellor Alistair Darling ahead of the Budget this week to change the way Stamp Duty is levied when properties are bought in bulk.

  • Cash dispenser

    20 Apr 2009

    There was some interesting news from Taiwan last week, where it seems an unidentified man was throwing away money.

  • Cattles suspends shares

    23 Apr 2009

    Cattles, the parent of Welcome Finance has requested trading in it shares be suspended pending the publication of its audited report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2008.

  • Chancellor will need a magic moment

    20 Apr 2009

    This week's Budget will more closely resemble a performance by magician Paul Daniels than a speech by Vilfredo Pareto or Arthur Cecil Pigou, both influential economists. With little if any cash at his disposal chancellor Alistair Darling's second Budget is likely to produce more smoke and mirrors than anything of substance for taxpayers, let alone the mortgage market.

  • Cheap thrills

    20 Apr 2009

    Stuck for something to do in the credit crunch when restaurants are pricey, cinema tickets extortionate and retail therapy a no-no?

  • Corrie star joins claims firm

    20 Apr 2009

    Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster in the television soap, is swapping the Rovers Return bar for the boardroom after signing on as a director at Ratio Money.

  • Criticising PIQs will not improve the buying process

    20 Apr 2009

    I would like to respond to Peter Mounty's article in the April 13 issue of Mortgage Strategy entitled 'We need PIQs like a hole in the head'.

  • Days of hope

    20 Apr 2009

    It's that time of year again. The financial services industry is waiting with bated breath to see whether chancellor Alistair Darling and his trusty red briefcase will produce anything of any use to get us out of this mess.

  • Delivering low-cost housing initiatives

    20 Apr 2009

    Last December the government set up the Homes and Communities Agency to spearhead the delivery of affordable housing in England.

  • Direct products overshadow number of broker deals

    23 Apr 2009

    Broker-only products available at over 80% LTV represent just 21% of the products on offer across direct and broker channels, figures from Home Buyer Systems reveal.

  • Don't be put off considering joining a network

    20 Apr 2009

    The latest news from the Council of Mortgage Lenders is that although the volume of mortgages for house purchase increased by 4% in February, the volume of remortgage business fell by 20% compared with the previous month. The figures are even gloomier when viewed on an annual basis. The number of house purchase deals is down by 47% and remortgage deals by 58% compared with the same period last year.

  • Ex-FSA boss questions handling of HBOS rumours

    21 Apr 2009

    A former head of supervision at the Financial Services Authority has called into question the assurances made by the regulator following last year's market rumours about HBOS.

  • Fantasy house price service sparks HIP debate

    20 Apr 2009

    The Association of Home Information Pack Providers has accused property website Zoopla of breaching the latest HIP rules with its service called TemptMe!.

  • Financial advice service starts face-to-face pilot

    20 Apr 2009

    Moneymadeclear, the web-based financial guidance service from the Treasury and the Financial Services Authority, is piloting a face-to-face and telephone service in northern England.

  • First-time buyer activity saw 7% hike in February, says CML

    20 Apr 2009

    First-time buyer activity was on the up in February, showing a 7% rise compared with the month before.

  • Frustration as brokers get mixed messages

    20 Apr 2009

    Spring is here again and with it hope that the housing market will start to pick up.

  • FSA authorise Pink for Islamic funding

    22 Apr 2009

    Pink Home Loans has been given full authorisation from the Financial Servcies Authority to deal with Home Purchase Plans, otherwise known as Islamic Funding.

  • FSA could cap mutuals' lending

    21 Apr 2009

    Lord Turner, chairman of the Financial Services Authority, says a tighter cap on commercial lending for mutuals could result from the bailout of failed society Dunfermline.

  • FSA fines and bans south London broker

    20 Apr 2009

    The Financial Services Authority Last week banned a south London broker and fined him 100,000 for his involvement in the submission of false mortgage applications.

  • FSA increases FSCS limits

    24 Apr 2009

    The Financial Services Authority is to increase the compensation limits for insurance, investment and home finance advice business in the event of a firm failing.

  • FSA should not instil fear says CML

    24 Apr 2009

    Speaking at the Council of Mortgage Lenders Annual Lunch 2009 today, Matthew Wyles, chairman of the CML says it is not the right way forward for the FSA to want to be feared.

  • FSA takes over retail banking conduct regulation

    24 Apr 2009

    The Financial Services Authority is set to take over all retail banking conduct regulation for deposit taking and payment services in November 2009.

  • FSA withdraws Network Data permissions

    20 Apr 2009

    The Financial Services Authority has withdrawn Network Data Limited’s permissions to carry on regulated activities.

  • Gadgets that could improve brokers' lives

    20 Apr 2009

    I'm all for gadgets that make you feel like you've stepped onto the set of Star Trek, particularly if they help improve the quality of brokers' lives.

  • Get in shape for the better times ahead

    20 Apr 2009

    It's 12 months since I began working with clients across the professions involved in the mortgage and savings markets, and to say it's been a revealing time would be as much an understatement as believing 12 months ago that we would now have a base rate of 0.5%.

  • Gloom and bust

    20 Apr 2009

    Have you found yourself feeling a little blue of late? Not your usual cheery self? Well you're not alone. A survey of 5,000 adults by TV channel Comedy Central has found that in better times the average Brit laughs six times a day but since the dreaded crunch hit this number has halved.

  • Goldsmith Williams offers fee-free alternative

    21 Apr 2009

    Goldsmith Williams is offering an incentive scheme which pays brokers a referral fee and guarantees completion with seven days of the mortgage offer being issued.

  • Good collections staff required

    20 Apr 2009

    Collections and recoveries staff are in huge demand at the moment due to an increase of nearly 800% in arrears.

  • Government rolls out mortgage support scheme

    21 Apr 2009

    Housing minister Margaret Beckett has announced that a support scheme to help struggling home owners remain in their homes begins today.

  • Gross lending at Northern Rock hits £550m

    23 Apr 2009

    Gross mortgage lending at nationalised lender Northern Rock totalled £550m in the first three months of the year, the lender reports.

  • Guilty parties

    20 Apr 2009

    Amid the stream of bad news it warms Mole's heart to hear a happy tale so he was pleased as punch to find that the folk at the Financial Services Authority didn't miss out on the festivities at Christmas time.

  • Halifax offers buyers help with council tax bill

    20 Apr 2009

    Halifax is offering to pay towards the council tax bill for home movers and first-time buyers in order to help with the costs of buying a new home.

  • Halifax offers help with council tax

    21 Apr 2009

    Halifax is offering to pay towards the council tax bill for home movers and first-time buyers in order to help with the costs of buying a new home.

  • Industry professionals vote in favour of HIPs

    24 Apr 2009

    Over two thirds of industry professionals voted in favour of adaptingrather than scrapping Home Information Packs at the Land Data Great Housing Market Debate, hosted by The Wriglesworth Consultancy, earlier this week.

  • Inflation falls below zero

    21 Apr 2009

    For the first time since March 1960, annual inflation measured by the Retail Prices Index – which includes housing costs such as mortgage interest payments and council tax – fell below zero to -0.4%.

  • Inflation turns negative

    21 Apr 2009

    For the first time since March 1960, annual inflation measured by the Retail Prices Index – which includes housing costs such as mortgage interest payments and council tax – fell below zero to -0.4%.

  • Innovation forum added to Sesame event line-up

    20 Apr 2009

    Marketing Innovation Forum will participate in Sesame's Mortgage Extra Live events that will take place in April and May around the UK.

  • Insolvency specialist makes successful start

    20 Apr 2009

    Insolvency services provider Guardian Corporate Solutions has reported a successful first month's trading, trebling its projected targets.

  • Insurance sales system upgraded for compliance

    20 Apr 2009

    Home Buyer Systems has upgraded its insurance sales system to ensure brokers comply with the Competition Commission's recommendations on selling payment protection insurance.

  • Land Registry defends system after fraud trial

    20 Apr 2009

    The Land Registry has reaffirmed that it has a robust anti-fraud strategy after a Dewsbury-based mortgage broker was able to defraud almost £1m from HBOS by altering registry records.

  • Land Registry justifies fee increase

    20 Apr 2009

    The Land Registry has defended its decision to hike its fees by 30% and says it is already digging into its reserve funds after seeing a significant fall in property transactions.

  • Land Registry should cut back, not raise its fees

    20 Apr 2009

    I was intrigued to read your story last week that the Land Registry is proposing a fee hike to offset its operating loss due to a fall in transaction numbers (Mortgage Strategy Online).

  • Lenders expect weak mortgage demand to continue

    21 Apr 2009

    The Bank of England’s Trends in Lending report shows the top UK lenders expect demand for mortgages to remain weak in the coming months.

  • Lenders' field visits vital under government plan

    20 Apr 2009

    The Charlbury Group says that field visits where lenders meet borrowers are a vital element of lenders' adherence to the pre-action protocol.

  • Lenders sign up to Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme

    21 Apr 2009

    Housing minister Margaret Beckett has announced that a support scheme to help struggling home owners remain in their homes begins today.

  • Let Land Registry staff bear brunt of lower registrations

    20 Apr 2009

    Rather than pushing up the fees it charges the Land Registry should do what many other businesses have had to consider - ditch its final salary pension scheme and pay off some employees.

  • Link Lending returns to open bridging loans

    24 Apr 2009

    Link Lending has resumed lending on open bridging cases, after temporarily pulling from that market.

  • Lloyds Banking Group to axe almost 1,000 jobs

    23 Apr 2009

    Lloyds Banking Group is to shed 985 jobs over the next two years, mainly in its asset and motor finance operations.

  • M2000 mortgage club becomes Brilliant Mortgages

    24 Apr 2009

    Exclusive Connections, which acquired M2000 mortgage club in February, will be renaming it as Brilliant Mortgages from the 1 May.

  • Marketwatch 20/04/2009

    20 Apr 2009

    Swap rates fell for the first time in several weeks and three-month LIBOR has edged down to 1.53%.

  • Masthaven Bridging Finance joins SMS panel

    21 Apr 2009

    Solent Mortgage Services has added Masthaven Bridging Finance to its panel of lenders.

  • Middle classes are feeling the pinch

    20 Apr 2009

    The recession is taking its toll on the middle classes as desperate sellers look for different ways to get rid of their properties.

  • More indications of why fixed rates make increasing sense

    21 Apr 2009

    On March 25 I wrote that it was time to fix and swap rates have subsequently bobbed up and down without moving very far.

  • Mortgage lending climbs 16% in March

    22 Apr 2009

    Gross mortgage lending was an estimated £11.5bn in March, a 16% rise from £9.9bn in February shows the latest data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

  • Mortgage products up by almost a quarter

    20 Apr 2009

    The number of available mortgage products in March reached 3,725, up 24.87% from February shows the April Trigold Product Index.

  • Mortgage Times remains on GE panel

    24 Apr 2009

    Mortgage Times has revealed that it is one of the packagers to offer GE Money’s igroup product range.

  • MP to speak at AMI's annual dinner in June

    20 Apr 2009

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has revealed that the chairman of the parliamentary Treasury Select Committee, John McFall MP, will speak at its annual dinner to be held on June 10.

  • MPC uncertain over scale of asset purchases

    22 Apr 2009

    The Monetary Policy Committee is still unsure as how to much money should be ploughed into its quantitative easing programme, minutes from the meeting reveal.

  • Mutuals fight back after big ratings downgrades

    20 Apr 2009

    A number of mutuals are up in arms after having their credit ratings slashed by Moody's and plan to challenge the agency over its judgment.

  • NACFB sets up fraud committee

    20 Apr 2009

    The National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers is setting up a committee to investigate any reports of fraudulent activity within the commercial sector, after a number of complaints about brokers.

  • Network Data says MBSL continues to trade

    21 Apr 2009

    Network Data Holdings has this morning told the London Stock Exchange that its subsidiary network MBSL continues to trade.

  • Network Data tells ARs new owner will pay outstanding commissions

    20 Apr 2009

    Richard Griffiths, chief executive of Network Data Holdings, has told appointed representatives that commission claims will be settled in full by the successful bidder for the Network Data and Mortgage Broking Services Limited businesses.

  • Paradigm ties up with data management firm

    20 Apr 2009

    Paradigm Mortgage Services has linked with data management company Triangle Direct to offer members access to life insurance leads.

  • Pensioners using equity release to pay mortgage

    20 Apr 2009

    Research by equity release specialist Key Retirement Solutions, reveals that an increasing number of pensioners are turning to equity release to pay off their mortgage.

  • Pink adds May date to its course on selling cover

    20 Apr 2009

    Pink Home Loans has added an extra date to its course on improving sales skills in the protection sector on May 14 in Lichfield. Bright Grey and Paymentshield are among the firms that will give presentations.

  • Protecting families in difficult times

    20 Apr 2009

    Every cloud has a silver lining, or so the saying goes, and it seems the recession is no exception.

  • Putting the sparkle back into mutuality

    20 Apr 2009

    Last week I suggested that lenders should seek independent analysis of what lurks within their mortgage books.

  • Raising fees is not the right response in a downturn

    20 Apr 2009

    I was surprised to see the recent news story on Mortgage Strategy Online that the Land Registry is proposing to hike its fees.

  • Releasing brokers' earning potential

    20 Apr 2009

    In the past few years many experts have tried to convince us simple folk that equity release is evil and that should we deem to glance in its direction it will turn our business empires to dust.

  • Repossession sales double year-on-year

    21 Apr 2009

    Sales of repossessed properties over the last three months have doubled from the same time last year, says the Asset Management Group.

  • Retirement Plus suspends new cases

    21 Apr 2009

    Retirement Plus is suspending all new cases as it puts in place additional funding.

  • Rise in asking prices highest for 14 months, says Rightmove

    20 Apr 2009

    New sellers pushed average asking prices up by almost £4,000 during April in the largest price rise seen for 14 months, figures from Rightmove reveal.

  • Robyn Hall joins marketing website

    20 Apr 2009

    Mortgage Strategy's former editor Robyn Hall has joined the Marketing Innovation Forum.

  • S&P's introduces risk-adjusted capital framework

    21 Apr 2009

    Standard & Poor's Ratings Services is introducing a risk-adjusted capital ratio for financial institutions.

  • Saffron Building Society appoints new chairman

    23 Apr 2009

    Saffron Building Society, the East Anglia mutual, has appointed its former vice-chairman Peter Harrison as chairman.

  • Scheme launched for low-income borrowers struggling with debt

    20 Apr 2009

    The Insolvency Service has introduced an alternative to bankruptcy that could help up to 100,000 borrowers struggling with debt.

  • Self-cert remains a lifeline for many

    20 Apr 2009

    Is there still a self-cert market or are those asking for this service just whistling in the wind?

  • Strong demand for commercial seminar

    20 Apr 2009

    The Mortgage Alliance says renewed interest in the commercial market has resulted in strong demand for its seminar, to be co-hosted with BuildLoan on April 21.

  • Support scheme may not be answer, says IMLA

    21 Apr 2009

    Peter Williams, executive director of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association says the government's Homeowner Mortgage Support scheme may not provide help for everyone.

  • Support scheme won't help everyone, says IMLA

    21 Apr 2009

    Peter Williams, executive director of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association says the government's Homeowner Mortgage Support scheme may not provide help for everyone.

  • Sweet

    20 Apr 2009

    Clients of London-based Quantum Money could be in for a treat after boss Jonathan Burridge revealed fellow director Fahim Antoniades has developed a penchant for candy cakes.

  • TCF Debt Solutions recruits staff

    23 Apr 2009

    Debt advice specialist TCF Debt Solutions has recruited five members of staff.

  • TCF Debt Solutions seeking network ties

    20 Apr 2009

    TCF Debt Solutions, a broker focussed debt advice specialist is seeking further relationships with networks in 2009.

  • The diary of Doobry Wotsit

    20 Apr 2009

    With all that has been going on recently I was glad when Grand National weekend came round. I even had a win after placing a 50p each way bet on 100:1 shot Mon Mome.

  • The dogs of jargon feed us one last lie

    20 Apr 2009

    Politicians and economists mess up all the time but we continue to accept their excuses and heed their predictions.

  • The human face of our business

    20 Apr 2009

    As stagnation in the property market continues to blight the land, consumers are increasingly looking for alternative ways to meet their changing housing requirements - ones that do not involve moving home.

  • This time it won’t be a fudge it Budget

    21 Apr 2009

    Discount all the speculation about the Budget, on Wednesday April 22, Chancellor Alistair Darling will stand up in the Commons and with a confident smile announce a range of measures to put the mortgage and housing markets to right. He'll say: “Forget about the £5,000 electric car giveaway and all that rubbish.

  • Three wishes, one reality

    20 Apr 2009

    It's with bated breath that the mortgage market awaits chancellor Alistair Darling's Budget on Wednesday. If Darling was a genie in a lamp our three wishes would be:

  • Time to change the way our industry is regulated

    20 Apr 2009

    I was intrigued by a recent article in which shadow chancellor George Osborne warns that bailed out banks could pose a risk (Mortgage Strategy April 13).

  • Tricky business of comparing eggs with eggs

    20 Apr 2009

    How the other half lives. Last week I read about the UK's most expensive house - 10 Belgrave Square, London SW1. A snip to you sir at just £100m, carpets and curtains not included.

  • Uncertain about auctions

    20 Apr 2009

    I'm still making my mind up about the US auction house that has graced our shores in the past month. Real Estate Disposition Corporation - usually known as REDC - specialises in repossessed properties. Nothing wrong with that but rather than sellers, i.e. lenders, being charged the average 2% to 3% UK fee, buyers pay 10% of the purchase price to REDC. And that's the bit I'm not sure about.

  • Unemployment among tenants goes up by 5%

    20 Apr 2009

    Smartlandlord.co.uk says unemployment among new tenants has shot up by almost 5% in the past 12 months.

  • Unemployment cover limits loom

    20 Apr 2009

    The Association of British Insurers says other insurers may follow in the footsteps of the Post Office and limit their unemployment cover if contracts allow.

  • Unemployment rises to 2.1 million people

    22 Apr 2009

    Unemployment has risen to 2.1 million people, 6.7% of the UK working population.

  • Why valuers are earning their keep

    20 Apr 2009

    Like everyone else, lenders are hungry for data on how the property market is performing. But this phrase itself goes some way towards explaining why there can be no straight answer.

  • Woolwich pulls some long-term deals

    20 Apr 2009

    Woolwich reduced a number of its tracker rates last week but offset this by pulling or hiking rates on some longer term fixed deals.

  • Woolwich to increase lending by £5.5bn in 2009

    23 Apr 2009

    Barclays has revealed today that it plans to increase its mortgage lending by £5.5bn in 2009, as part of its plans to lend an additional £11bn to UK households and businesses.

  • Worst of recession over, says CBI

    20 Apr 2009

    The UK recession was more extreme than expected in the first three months of 2009, but the Confederation of British Industry says the worst is behind us.

  • Yorkshire Bank gains environmental accolade

    20 Apr 2009

    Yorkshire Bank has become the first high street bank to gain the Carbon Trust Standard after reducing its carbon footprint by 15.8% in 12 months.

  • Your Broker Network extends 60% commission offer

    23 Apr 2009

    Your Broker Network is extending its 60% commission offer for secured loans, until June 30 2009.

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