Mortgage Strategy
28 September 2009

  • £4Bn Lloyds deal is shot in the arm for market

    28 Sep 2009

    The mortgage industry is keenly watching the take-up of a £4bn securitisation deal issued by Lloyds Banking Group for signs that the bank has managed to breathe life into the wholesale money markets.

  • 60 Seconds with.....John Cupis

    28 Sep 2009

    Is the mortgage intermediary market sustainable and whaT are the main changes you expect to see over the next 12 months?

  • A ray of Spanish sun in the gloom

    1 Oct 2009

    In 2001 Abbey National was considered a basket case but under the ownership of Spanish banking giant Santander it has become the UK's second biggest mortgage lender. Here, Nici Audhlam-Gardiner, head of mortgages at Abbey and Alliance & Leicester, tells a lending success story

  • A very modern Fairly tale with a strangely familiar ending

    1 Oct 2009

    Once upon a time there was a wise and benevolent lord who ruled over a magical place called Treating Customers Fairly Land.

  • AMI hits out at FSA PPI ruling

    30 Sep 2009

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries and the Association of Finance Brokers have hit out at the Financial Services Authority’s consultation on revised complaint handling rules for Payment Protection Insurance.

  • AMI policy meeting marks debut of new appointments to its board

    28 Sep 2009

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has held its first policy meeting with its recently revamped board.

  • ASA bans Haart Estate Agency ad

    30 Sep 2009

    The Advertising Standards Authority has banned an ad from SpicerHaart Group t/a Haart Estate Agents for being misleading after claiming it was "the number one estate agent in Harlow."

  • August lending up £1bn despite fall in approvals

    1 Oct 2009

    Mortgage lending rose by £1bn in August despite the number of approvals falling for the first time in nine months.

  • Baffled buyers are bombarded with small print

    1 Oct 2009

    Recent research indicates that the Financial Services Authority may need a consumer reality check with regard to its beloved Treating Customers Fairly initiative.

  • Bailout repayments may herald upturn

    28 Sep 2009

    Across the Atlantic, Bank of America is working with US regulators to convince them that it is in such a good state it can pay back billions of dollars of bailout money.

  • Bank of China unveils revised lending policy

    28 Sep 2009

    Bank of China has changed its lending policy and is now going to lend 4 x income or 3 x joint income.

  • Battling Darling turns on Turner

    1 Oct 2009

    Chancellor Alistair Darling used the Confederation of British Industry Scotland annual dinner in Glasgow last month to deliver an icy blast to his chief regulator's unfortunate views on the City of London and the financial services sector's place in the economy.

  • Be careful about the company you choose

    28 Sep 2009

    It seems that barely a week goes by without the Financial Services Authority taking enforcement action against firms not demonstrating competence or failing to understand the regulatory system.

  • Bigger is not always better, says FSA chairman

    28 Sep 2009

    The financial services sector should not equate size with success, according to Lord Adair Turner.

  • Bright Grey pays 90% of critical illness claims

    29 Sep 2009

    Protection provider Bright Grey has paid out on 90% of the critical illness claims made to the firm in the first half of the year.

  • Broker fees for pension referrals

    28 Sep 2009

    MD Pension Solutions is working with brokers to give their clients access to specialist pensions advice, with brokers paid for referrals.

  • Brokers miss out on additional cover sales

    28 Sep 2009

    Mortgage brokers are failing to sell additional cover with buildings and contents insurance policies and could be missing out on additional income streams, says Assurant Intermediary.

  • Brown vows to toughen up on rule-breakers

    29 Sep 2009

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown has proposed a new law that will empower government to intervene on bankers’ bonuses where there has been excessive risk-taking.

  • BSA calls for Northern Rock calls to be remutualised

    29 Sep 2009

    The Building Societies Association is urging the government to consider returning Northern Rock bank to the mutual sector, rather than sell it off or re-float it on the stock exchange

  • BSA calls for Northern Rock to be remutualised

    28 Sep 2009

    The Building Societies Association is urging the government to consider returning Northern Rock bank to the mutual sector, rather than sell it off or re-float it on the stock exchange

  • Cable's proposed rich tax is a stitch-up

    28 Sep 2009

    My granny loved knitting. She would knit for hours and while growing up I had the pleasure of receiving several hand-made jumpers, not to mention some pretty outlandish scarves. Back in the day she had a fairly lucrative sideline selling knitwear from a market stall in Ormskirk, Lancashire, among other things.

  • Clients are willing to pay for my help with direct deals

    28 Sep 2009

    The points raised by Chris Birchall, of Chris Birchall Independent Mortgage Brokers in his letter (Mortgage Strategy August 31) frustrate me as he seems to blame banks for him having to send potential customers away.

  • Clients may pay for the war on crime

    28 Sep 2009

    Two stories caught my eye last week. First, the Financial Mail reported that the Solicitors Regulation Authority has increased members’ charges by 160% - from £150 to £390.

  • Commercial enquiries jump at Mortgages for Business

    28 Sep 2009

    Mortgages for Business has seen the number of enquiries to its commercial mortgage packager arm jump a massive 44% between August and September.

  • Compliancy Services backs rent-back reforms

    1 Oct 2009

    Compliance support firm Compliancy Services has backed the Financial Service Authority’s package of reform measures for the sale-and-rent-back market.

  • Councils must rehome those who opt for voluntary sales

    28 Sep 2009

    Propertyearth.net last week revealed that there have so far been only 443 Assisted Voluntary Sales in the past year despite the fact that they could prevent up to 1,500 repossessions a year. This is yet another sign that this wretched government is on its last legs.

  • David Elms to step down as head of IFA Promotions

    30 Sep 2009

    David Elms is to step down as chief executive of IFA Promotion on 10 October 2009 as a result of being diagnosed with cancer.

  • Demand for online mortgage advice doubles

    30 Sep 2009

    Research from user experience company Foolproof, shows that consumers’ desire to research and apply for mortgages online has doubled in the last two years.

  • Discount sales are a lifeline for owners

    28 Sep 2009

    The criticism most regularly levelled at sale-and-rent-back agreements is that properties have to be sold for significantly less than their open market value.

  • Don't let buy-to-let fade away

    1 Oct 2009

    Despite the Bradford & Bingley experience buy-to-let need not mean lend-to-lose, and given its importance in the housing mix John Murray hopes the sector won't be regulated into history

  • Don't regulate products, AMI pleads

    1 Oct 2009

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has today cautioned the Financial Services Authority against the introduction of mortgage product regulation.

  • Doorstep lender refused credit licence

    29 Sep 2009

    The Office of Fair Trading has refused to grant a consumer credit licence to a doorstep lender after discovering that one of its directors had used high pressure tactics to get customers to repay.

  • Economic tracker

    28 Sep 2009

    Our monthly economic tracker, in association with Platform, provides data on the key indicators of the health of the economy and expert commetary

  • Fall in UK growth revised again

    29 Sep 2009

    The fall in economic growth in the UK for the three months to June has been revised down for the second time in two months.

  • French broker offering referral fees

    28 Sep 2009

    London-based French broker Athena Mortgages is offering brokers up to 0.5% commission for referring clients looking to purchase or refinance property in France.

  • FSA boss defends his comments on industry size

    1 Oct 2009

    Lord Adair Turner, chairman of the Financial Services Authority, has slammed critics who have suggested that the financial services sector needs to be big to be successful.

  • FSA calls for ban on emotive rent-back ads

    28 Sep 2009

    The Financial Services Authority has set out a package of measures aimed at protecting consumers in the sale-and-rent-back market, proposing a ban on exploitative advertising.

  • FSA does U-turn on plan to make consumers responsible for products

    28 Sep 2009

    The Financial Services Authority has scrapped plans to make consumers more responsible when they buy financial products.

  • FSA forces firms to revisit rejected PPI claims

    29 Sep 2009

    The Financial Services Authority has issued new measures for firms selling Payment Protection Insurance which will require firms to reopen some 185,000 previously rejected PPI complaints and reassess them against the guidance.

  • FSA plans to clamp down on rent-back excesses

    1 Oct 2009

    The Financial Services Authority has set out a package of measures aimed at protecting consumers in the sale-and-rent-back market, including a proposed ban on certain types of advertising.

  • FSA wants more debate on Turner Review

    30 Sep 2009

    The Financial Services Authority is to issue another discussion paper on the future model for banking regulation, having spent the last six months discussing a new regulatory framework.

  • Get all the facts before advising on equity release

    28 Sep 2009

    With most wealth in this country still in bricks and mortar, and given that the proportion of people aged over 65 is rising, many expect the equity release market to expand as retired individuals look for ways to raise money from their homes.

  • Get ready to face PPI changes

    1 Oct 2009

    An upcoming Competition Commission order will reshape the PPI landscape so lenders and distributors had better be prepared, says Drazen Jaksic, managing director UK & Ireland of Assurant Solutions

  • Giant on the south coast

    28 Sep 2009

    2009 has been a pretty rough year for networks - we’ve seen everything from firms collapsing to the head of one network stripped of his permissions by the regulator.

  • Halifax trails in consumer poll of lender service

    1 Oct 2009

    Halifax has come out on bottom of a Which? survey of mortgage lenders' service.

  • High LTV mortgage deals come at a premium

    28 Sep 2009

    The average rate for first-time buyers wanting to borrow at 90% LTV is now priced at a 4.25% margin above the cost of funding, according to Moneyfacts.

  • House prices back to 2008 levels

    2 Oct 2009

    House prices have risen for the fifth month in a row putting them at the same level they were a year ago, figures from Nationwide reveal.

  • House prices buoyed by London and South-East

    28 Sep 2009

    House prices rose 0.2% during September as a result of a surge in prices in London and the South East, figures from Hometrack show.

  • HSBC extends high LTV lending

    1 Oct 2009

    HSBC is making an extra £500m of mortgage funding available to home buyers with deposits of 10%.

  • HSBC injects £500m into 90% LTV lending

    29 Sep 2009

    HSBC is making an additional half a billion pounds of mortgage funding available to home buyers with deposits of 10%.

  • HSBC pledges £500m to 90% LTV lending

    29 Sep 2009

    HSBC is making an additional half a billion pounds of mortgage funding available to home buyers with deposits of 10%.

  • IntelliFlo expands mortgage team

    29 Sep 2009

    Software provider IntelliFlo has expanded its mortgage team with two senior level appointments with almost fifty years of financial services experience between them.

  • Investors wary of national landlord register

    28 Sep 2009

    Landlords fear that a government proposal to force all landlords in England to register on a national database will end up driving investors away from the buy-to-let market.

  • Irish house prices could fall by 50%, say experts

    1 Oct 2009

    House prices in the Irish Republic have fallen by almost a quarter from their peak two years ago and some experts are predicting a collapse of as much as 50% before the market hits rock bottom.

  • Jobs on the line at London & Country

    1 Oct 2009

    Bath-based mortgage brokerage London & Country is asking administration staff at the firm to put themselves forward for voluntary redundancy.

  • Just 15% of customers remortgage to raise funds

    29 Sep 2009

    Just 15% of borrowers applying for remortgage deals sought to raise money in the past three months, shows data from Evaluate Technologies.

  • Just 42% of borrowers chose fixes in August

    28 Sep 2009

    John Charcol's latest monthly mortgage activity monitor shows less than half of all borrowers - 41.9% - chose to take out fixed rate products in August, the lowest proportion since last December.

  • King says banks were just hours from collapse

    28 Sep 2009

    Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, revealed last week that the Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS were within hours of running out of money last year before they were part-nationalised.

  • Labour talks a good rescue scheme

    1 Oct 2009

    According to a recent government advertising campaign "300,000 home owners have got help and advice with their mortgage".

  • Land Registry sees dip in house prices

    29 Sep 2009

    The latest data from the Land Registry for August shows a fairly flat market with a monthly house price change of -0.1%.

  • Land Registry sees slight dip in house prices

    28 Sep 2009

    The latest data from the Land Registry for August shows a fairly flat market with a monthly house price change of -0.1%.

  • Latest version of Orbiter launches

    1 Oct 2009

    The company behind Orbiter has launched the latest version of its sourcing and application system, which aims to improve case management for brokers.

  • Lenders' hands are tied by costs

    1 Oct 2009

    The high price of doing business in a post-crunch environment means it's not fair to criticise lenders for boosting their margins, says Sally Laker, managing director of Mortgage Intelligence Holdings

  • Lenders predict more securitisations on the way

    1 Oct 2009

    Lenders are expecting more securitisation deals to be issued in the next three months, raising hopes that mortgage lending will be buoyed by an increase in funding.

  • Lending in the aftershock

    1 Oct 2009

    The Council of Mortgage Lenders' annual conference next month will bring the issues facing lenders into focus following the shock of the crunch, Michael Coogan, director-general of the organisation, tells John Murray

  • Lending trends are tricky to interpret

    28 Sep 2009

    Recent figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders suggest gross mortgage lending totalled £12.6bn in August - down from £14.5bn in July.

  • Less business at the housing cash machine

    1 Oct 2009

    Just 15% of borrowers applying for remortgage deals sought to raise extra money in the past three months, according to data from Evaluate Technologies.

  • Let's make equity release more understandable

    28 Sep 2009

    I am a passionate advocate of equity release and lifetime mortgages as you may recall, and I'm continually working to get referrals from other Pink Home Loans appointed representatives, local IFAs and professional connections to build that side of my business.

  • Let's woo funders into equity release

    28 Sep 2009

    I am not surprised to read that a number of lenders have been increasing rates to stem their flow of business in what is a difficult market.

  • Lib Dem mansion tax may mean lower house prices

    1 Oct 2009

    The Centre for Economics and Business Research says the Liberal Democrats' plan to tax homes worth more than £1m would force property values down.

  • Lloyds £4bn securitisation deal breathes life into RMBS market

    1 Oct 2009

    The European securitisation market is back in business for the first time in more than a year after Lloyds Banking Group issued a mortgage-backed bond equivalent to £4bn.

  • London agent ties up with Coreco for mortgage advice

    28 Sep 2009

    Prospective buyers registering with Douglas & Gordon estate agents will now be referred to Coreco for independent mortgage advice.

  • Lucky catch

    28 Sep 2009

    With times so tough at the moment there can't be many people who aren't wishing for a little luck. But for two Australian teenagers that wish became a reality.

  • Make the most of your title cover

    1 Oct 2009

    Lenders need to understand how to identify title insurance claims, how to make them and how to get the best value from their insurers, says Marianne Jarvis, senior solicitor at Moore Blatch

  • Mansfield offers FTBs 100% LTV shared deal

    28 Sep 2009

    Mansfield Building Society has launched a shared ownership deal offering first-time buyers up to 100% LTV on their share of the mortgage.

  • Marketwatch 28/09/2009

    28 Sep 2009

    Swaps edged up slightly reversing, some of their recent drops. Three-month LIBOR is now down 0.03% to 0.56%

  • Media Spotlight: The Love Of Money - Back From The Brink

    28 Sep 2009

    Back From The Brink, the final installment in BBC2’s The Love Of Money series, focusses on the week in which the British banking system almost collapsed.

  • Merry Christmas - if you start now

    28 Sep 2009

    Did you know there are fewer than 90 days to Christmas? And by the way, I do realise this information is likely to invoke groans up and down the country.

  • Moneyspinning

    28 Sep 2009

    Ian Giles, strategic marketing consultant and former head of sales at Kensington Mortgages, embarked on an epic 100 mile bike ride today.

  • Mortgage Brain integrates with Source

    28 Sep 2009

    Mortgage Brain has integrated its system with Source - a quotation system for buildings and contents, buy-to-let and unemployment Insurance.

  • Mortgage Brain unveils latest version of the Key

    29 Sep 2009

    Mortgage Brain is rolling out an updated version of the Key system which allows brokers to send clients online fact finds to check before face-to-face meetings.

  • Mortgage lending climbs despite fewer approvals

    29 Sep 2009

    Mortgage lending rose by £1bn in August despite the number of mortgage approvals falling for the first time in nine months, data from the Bank of England shows.

  • Mortgage lending climbs despite fewer approvals

    29 Sep 2009

    Mortgage lending rose by £1bn in August despite the number of mortgage approvals falling for the first time in nine months, data from the Bank of England shows.

  • Mortgage lending remains subdued, says BSA

    29 Sep 2009

    Gross lending among building was £1,49bn in August 2009compared to £2,66bn in August 2008, show figures from the Building Societies Association.

  • Mortgage lending remains subdued, says BSA

    29 Sep 2009

    Gross lending among building was £1,49bn in August 2009compared to £2,66bn in August 2008, show figures from the Building Societies Association.

  • Movers and Shakers

    1 Oct 2009

    Stephan Wilcke named chief executive of Asset Protection AgencyStephan Wilcke has been appointed chief executive of the Asset Protection Agency to replace interim head Jeremy Bennett.

  • Mutuals' gross lending added up to £1.49bn in August

    1 Oct 2009

    Gross lending by building societies amounted to £1.49bn in August 2009 compared with £2.66bn in the same month last year.

  • Mutuals' mortgage rates reflect these exceptional times

    28 Sep 2009

    I feel compelled to respond to some of the comments in a recent cover story regarding mortgage pricing (Mortgage Strategy September 21).

  • Network Data ARs who rebroked face clawback threat

    2 Oct 2009

    Former Network Data appointed representatives who have “systematically rebroked” life and general insurance business are most likely to be pursued for clawback commission, the Phoenix Group says.

  • No change to stance on consumer responsibility

    1 Oct 2009

    The regulator says feedback to its discussion paper on the responsibilities of consumers and firms when buying financial products has failed to reach a consensus.

  • Northern Rock and the law of unintended consequences

    29 Sep 2009

    Perhaps it’s a coincidence but in the year that we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origins of the Species there are still question marks over the future of Northern Rock which in Darwinian terms should have gone the way of the dinosaur back in 2007. That’s when its business model, which had become over dependent on wholesale funding, failed. The markets in which it operated changed and its vulnerability was ...

  • OpenConvey appoints Lloyd & Associates LLP to panel

    1 Oct 2009

    OpenConvey, the online conveyancing portal, has appointed Lloyd & Associates LLP, to its growing national panel of regionally based solicitors.

  • Outsourcing firm ranked by Standard & Poor's

    28 Sep 2009

    Target Loan Servicing has become the only UK loan outsourcing firm to be ranked by Standard & Poor's in the category of consumer finance, just three years after the company was set up.

  • Overseas buyers return to tried and trusted destinations

    1 Oct 2009

    Investors in foreign properties are turning their backs on emerging markets such as Bulgaria and Cyprus in favour of more traditional locations, according to research from Conti.

  • Pensions are saving grace for brokers

    28 Sep 2009

    By necessity, mortgage brokers are taking an interest in many aspects of financial services at the moment and it's becoming clear that the pensions market has huge potential.

  • Phoenix offers hope to Network Data's ex-ARs

    28 Sep 2009

    The Phoenix Group, which recently acquired the assets and client bank of Network Data and Mortgage Broking Services Limited, says it is confident it can recoup some of brokers’ lost commissions from lenders.

  • Plaudits as outspoken outsider is named as central bank chief

    1 Oct 2009

    A strange thing happened when Patrick Honohan was named as the new governor of the Central Bank of Ireland recently - the appointment was widely applauded, in what must be a unique experience for a banker these days.

  • PM draws the sword of morality

    1 Oct 2009

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown has proposed a law that would empower government to intervene on bankers' bonuses where there has been excessive risk-taking.

  • Politicians will not support home owners, says Coogan

    1 Oct 2009

    Neither Labour nor the Conservatives will have the funding to support home ownership for some time, says Michael Coogan, director-general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

  • Purchase approvals are up 81% year-on-year despite dip in July

    28 Sep 2009

    The number of house purchase approvals from high street banks soared by 81% in August compared with the same time last year, despite seeing a slight dip from July.

  • Rebranding for a different world

    1 Oct 2009

    Firms in the lending industry are going to have to work hard to reinvent their brands in a radically changed business environment next year, says Julian Wells, director of marketing at HML

  • Rental demand begins to match supply

    28 Sep 2009

    Letting agents are reporting an increase in tenant demand for rental properties and say this is a sign that the imbalance between supply and demand is coming to an end.

  • Repay £46,000 commission if you want to leave, network tells AR

    28 Sep 2009

    An appointed representative of Mortgage Times wanting to leave the network has been told he needs to pay it £46,000 to be released from his contract.

  • Repossessions could cost lenders £27.1bn

    28 Sep 2009

    Mortgage lenders could lose £27.1bn from their balance sheets in the next 10 years, says property forecaster Calnea Analytics.

  • Research key to good equity release advice, says ERSA

    29 Sep 2009

    The key to good equity release advice is thorough research of the products on offer, according to the Equity Release Solicitors’ Alliance.

  • Return Northern Rock to mutual status, urges BSA

    1 Oct 2009

    The Building Societies Association is urging the government to consider returning Northern Rock to the building society sector rather than selling it off or floating it on the stock market.

  • Rich pickings to be had in the high net worth sector

    28 Sep 2009

    The number of loans approved for house purchase is starting to pick up, but taken in context the figure is still low.

  • Running up cash for stroke victims

    28 Sep 2009

    The great and the good of Personal Touch Financial Services are to take part in the Birmingham half-marathon.

  • Saffron Building Society suspends equity release lending

    28 Sep 2009

    Saffron Building Society has become the latest lender to temporarily withdraw from the equity release sector having met its lending targets for the year.

  • Self-cert can also be useful for some employed buyers

    28 Sep 2009

    I have to disagree with Kevin Friend of Mortgages.co.uk who states that self-cert should only be for the self-employed and capped at 75% LTV (Mortgage Strategy September 21).

  • Set your insurance sights on landlords

    28 Sep 2009

    Many brokers will have breathed a heavy sigh of resignation at the news that the number of broker-only products fell to 1,979 in August from 2,202 in July.

  • Small lenders offer clients better service than big state-owned banks

    28 Sep 2009

    Smaller mortgage lenders outshine larger government-owned lenders when it comes to service.

  • Something to cheer at last

    28 Sep 2009

    The news last week that Lloyds Banking Group was able to launch a £4bn securitisation made up of HBOS loans finally gave the industry something to cheer about. The securitisation market has been closed for over a year and the deal is the first step to rebuilding our tattered industry.

  • South leads the way as house prices increase in September

    1 Oct 2009

    House prices rose 0.2% in September as a result of a surge in prices in London and the South-East.

  • Special brew

    28 Sep 2009

    On the subject of booze, for those looking to save money on alcohol, an inmate at a Dorset-based jail hit upon a nifty economy drive.

  • Stand out from the equity release crowd

    28 Sep 2009

    The news that Newcastle Building Society is to close its equity release operation shows how tough it is to ensure an advice proposition remains viable in the current climate.

  • Sweet taste

    28 Sep 2009

    Wriglesworth PR James Staunton took delivery of an unexpected crate of Victoria Bitter on Thursday that he duly shared around the firm.

  • Tenant demand up but buy-to let deals still scarce

    1 Oct 2009

    Letting agents are reporting an increase in tenant demand for their properties and say this is a sign that the imbalance between supply and demand in the sector is coming to an end.

  • The authorities must stay cool

    1 Oct 2009

    Political and regulatory over-reaction could jeopardise hopes of a sustainable recovery in the housing market, says Gary Styles, strategy, risk and economics director at Hometrack

  • The month at a glance

    1 Oct 2009

    While the month of September used to be known mainly for the start of the school year and as a time for new beginnings, after 2001 it became associated with terrorist atrocities and after 2008 the month will also forever be synonymous with the fall of Lehman Brothers and the near-collapse of the world banking system.

  • The old relationship between LIBOR, swap rates and mortgage rates has broken down

    28 Sep 2009

    Two years ago few people had heard of LIBOR, the London Interbank Offered Rate, let alone knew what it was.

  • Tiuta aims to ease HMO funding drought with 8.99% fixed rate

    28 Sep 2009

    Tiuta has launched a three-year buy-to-let fixed rate deal at 8.99% for houses in multiple occupation.

  • Tiuta launches three-year HMO deal

    28 Sep 2009

    Tiuta has launched a three-year buy-to-let fixed rate specifically for Houses in Multiple Occupation.

  • Top five UK banks accept bonus reform

    30 Sep 2009

    The top five UK banks have all agreed to the reforms of bankers’ pay that were agreed by the G20 in Pittsburgh earlier in the month.

  • Tories should sent a team to Coventry

    28 Sep 2009

    The Financial Ombudsman Service's recent condemnation of lenders' record of dealing with complaints should come as no surprise to anyone.

  • Unfairness is in the eye of the regulator

    28 Sep 2009

    With the Financial Services Authority's review of mortgage regulation imminent I wouldn't be surprised if we see the appointment of a Fairer Mortgage Task Force to explore the possibility of creating a product that is fair to all.

  • Unsecured loan

    28 Sep 2009

    And finally, last week a desperate borrower in California took the phrase robbing Peter to pay Paul literally. A 69 year-old man is accused of walking into a Bank of America branch in San Diego with a note demanding money, claiming he had a bomb.

  • We have come full circle with pre-fab homes

    28 Sep 2009

    Every house has a story to tell - Victorian villas hint at the affluence brought about as a result of having an empire on which the sun never set.

  • We should stop moaning and let lenders know that we appreciate their efforts

    28 Sep 2009

    There is a theory that if you receive poor service from a company you tell three times as many people about the experience than if you get good service.

  • We shouldn't have to pay FOS fees for rejected complaints

    28 Sep 2009

    Can someone please explain to me where the fairness lies in the Financial Ombudsman Service’s complaints procedure.

  • When is a decision not a decision?

    1 Oct 2009

    You'd imagine that once you'd decided at a senior management level to consign a national brand to history and announced this to the media, the decision would be irrevocable.

  • With a little help from the crunch

    1 Oct 2009

    Embarrassing Law Society adverts with Beatles lyrics may not be needed if rising cover costs due to the recession drive dodgy solicitors out of business, says Philip Tebbatt

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