Property owners in danger of losing their homes as a result of consumer debt could soon be better protected. The Ministry of Justice has launched a consultation on proposed new measures that would set a minimum level of such debt before a court can order the sale of a home. Under the current system, a [...]
Championship side Crystal Palace has gone into administration as a result of financial difficulties. In November, cash flow problems were highlighted after players were paid late on several occasions. The news comes just a month after Watford Football Club saw its shares suspended after its parent company, Watford Leisure, was on the verge of administration. [...]
The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) claims that lenders are increasingly threatening customers in England and Wales with charging orders, in attempts to intimidate debtors into making unaffordable repayments. A charging order is a means of securing an unsecured loan against equity in the debtor’s property. In a new report entitled “Out of order” the charity [...]
A ruling by the court of appeal could see millions of pounds returned to customers after the case of unauthorised overdraft charges was thrown out. The ruling follows a test case last year between the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and eight High Street Banks with regard to charges for unauthorised borrowing and bounced cheques, [...]
The Centre for Policy Studies has warned that very few households will benefit from government initiatives aimed at reducing the number of home repossession. The think tank, which was formed by Sir Keith Joseph and Margaret Thatcher in 1974, estimates that the recession will put over 145,000 households at risk of repossession, with a further [...]
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has today told parliament that county court judges will be receiving new guidance regarding actions brought by lenders to repossess homes. As Britain slips into recession, mortgage providers will have to demonstrate to the courts that repossession is only being sought where all other options have failed. The new measures will [...]
Recent changes in the Consumer Credit Act 1974 mean that holders of Shared Appreciation Mortgages (SAMS) sold by HBOS and Barclays may be able to obtain compensation. SAMS were a form of equity release sold during the 1990s. They provided a loan secured against the future equity growth of a property. Under the arrangement, the [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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