VAT rise saw High Streets bustling
February 5, 2010
The few days following Christmas have been extremely busy on the High Streets of the UK, and this is partly down to the fact that VAT is due to increase again from 1st January 2010, when it will go back up to 17.5 percent, having been reduced to 15 percent last year in order to try and aid the struggling... more
What does the banks’ victory mean for you?
January 31, 2010
Last year banking customers, campaigners, and various industry groups in the UK received the news that they thought that they would not hear but had been dreading at the back of their minds. After nearly two years of legal battles and appeals it was announced that the banking industry had won the case... more
No change in interest rates for January
January 27, 2010
There has been no further change in interest rates for the month of January. An announcement was made by the Bank of England following the Monetary Policy Committee meeting for January, where it was confirmed that the base rate was to remain at 0.5 percent, where it has been since March 2009. The current... more
Further pay freezes for workers this year
January 26, 2010
The Confederation of British Industry has made a number of predictions recently, and has issued a warning stating that workers should prepare themselves for another year of pay freezes. The CBI has stated that with unemployment levels expected to increase until the autumn of this year it is unlikely... more
Lower interest rates helping homeowners
January 23, 2010
Recently released figures have shown that the lower interest rates that have been in play for the past nine months are helping many homeowners to cope better in terms of their finances. It appears that some homeowners are up to £200 a month better off as a result of the base interest rate being at just... more
Average Buyers Still Unable To Afford Property
January 21, 2010
It has been revealed that the average buyer may still find that property prices are out of their reach, with house prices becoming unaffordable again for the first time since the property slump began at the end of 2007, according to a recent report. Prices are said to be moving out of the reach of many... more
Slowdown in house price increase for December
January 14, 2010
Recently released figures have shown that house prices increases in the UK have seen a slowdown for the month of December, with growth in properties across both England and Wales slowing down for the month. The figures have been released by the property website Hometrack, and the figures showed that... more
Buyers Being Forced Into Mortgage Loans By Estate Agents
January 9, 2010
A recent study that was carried out by Times Money has suggested that in many cases potential property buyers in the UK are being forced into taking costly mortgage loans through the estate agency that they go with. The report accused estate agents of using unfair practices to boost their own profits,... more
Deposit scheme suffers according to landlords
January 5, 2010
According to a recent report many landlords and tenants are concerned that a government deposit scheme that is supposed to protect the deposits of tenants will end up suffering as a result of measures brought in to try and cut costs. The independent deposit schemes were brought in to help protect deposits... more
Warning over predatory lenders over Christmas and New Year
December 24, 2009
Warnings have been issued by industry experts to consumers in the UK who might be thinking about taking a loan over the Christmas and New Year period to tide them over. Many desperate consumers who do not have the cash available to go out, entertain, make purchases and the like over the festive season... more
Tesco moves closer to full banking service
December 23, 2009
Over recent years many of the UK’s major supermarkets have started offering far more than just household goods and groceries, with everything from mobile phones and electricals to insurance services and credit cards now available from some major supermarkets. However, one supermarket is now aiming... more
Mixed news for those with low deposits for mortgages
December 18, 2009
In the past getting an affordable mortgage with only a low deposit of 5 percent, or even with no deposits at all in some cases, was not a big problem, as many mortgage lenders offering 95 percent loan to value mortgages, 100 percent mortgages, and even 125 percent mortgages. However, since the onset... more
Advice offered to homeowners regarding making money from their homes
December 13, 2009
With the value of property in the UK having plunged over the past couple of years since the onset of the global credit crunch many people who were convinced that they could rely on the equity in their properties were shocked to find that their equity levels suddenly melted away. For many this meant... more
Gordon promises economic recovery in recent podcast
December 8, 2009
The shock news that was released recently with regards to the economic growth in Britain - or rather the lack thereof - caused more unrest in the UK. It had been widely predicted that the economy would show growth in the third quarter of this year, which would mean that the UK was finally out of recession,... more
What the experts think of the QE extension
December 4, 2009
Following the most recent Monetary Policy Committee meeting the Bank of England announced that the base interest rate was to stay at its all time low level of just 0.5 percent for the eighth month in a row, in the hope that the lower base rate would help to increase affordability and boost the economy.... more
BSA warns that mortgage costs could increase
November 30, 2009
The Building Societies Association has recently warned that the cost of mortgages could rise despite the record low base rate, and this is because of increasingly stringent regulations with regards to mortgage lending coupled with a battle to attract more retail deposits. Chief Executive of the BSA,... more
Buyers rush to get properties completed before stamp duty holiday ends
November 26, 2009
Last year saw the government take steps to try and revive the struggling property market in the UK, and one of the measures that was put into place to do this was to suspend stamp duty on properties up to the value of £175,000. Previous to this stamp duty had to be paid on properties over £125,000... more
Cable comments on new FSA regulations
November 22, 2009
Following the announcement by the Financial Services Authority with regards to changes to mortgage lending regulations to prevent another financial meltdown a number of industry groups and officials have given their opinions on the measures. One of the people that has commented on the new FSA regulations... more
Mortgage default levels haven’t peaked yet
November 16, 2009
Over recent years a rising number of people have fallen behind on their mortgage repayments, with financial problems being fuelled by the global credit crunch and the recession. This rise in the level so mortgage defaults has led to a rise in repossession levels, with many people losing their homes... more
Right Move report a return to peak for London house prices
November 11, 2009
According to recently released figures property prices in London have managed to claw their way back to the level that they were at when they reached their peak back in 2007. In fact, officials from one property website said that sellers were now asking for slightly more for homes in London than they... more