Borrowers were more cautious in May according to figures from the British Bankers Association (BBA) which showed an increased focus on reducing debt. Mortgage repayments were higher than lending for the first time, according to the BBA’s figures. Net mortgage lending fell by £73 million in May, the first time it has gone into reverse [...]
Credit card lending contracted in April, representing the fourth time it has contracted in the past six months and suggesting that consumer confidence remains low. Repayments exceeded new borrowing by £118m last month, marking the biggest monthly contraction since August 2006, according to the latest figures from the Bank of England. Other types of personal [...]
Economists had expected mortgage approvals to increase to 34,000 in March but instead the latest figures from the British Bankers Association show they actually fell, to 31,888. This was significantly lower than 32,840 in February and the 25-month high in January, when 38,233 mortgages were approved. The slump in March represents an 11-month low and [...]
House prices have fallen for the first time in six months, with the decline attributed to changes in stamp duty. The average house price in March was £163,327, 0.9 per cent lower than in March 2011. It was the largest fall in house prices since June last year. Nationwide’s figures showed a fall in nearly [...]
Personal loan, credit card and overdraft borrowing is being repaid at the highest rate since January 2011. The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) reported net consumer credit repayments of £305 million in February. Consumers borrowed £7 billion on credit cards but £7.3 billion was repaid. The ongoing squeeze on household incomes is making consumers more careful [...]
Mortgage approvals have reached their highest level since December 2009 according to Bank of England figures. 58,728 home loans were approved in January 2012, a 30 per cent increase from January 2011, following increased activity among first-time buyers. A two-year stamp duty exemption on properties between the value of £125,000 and £250,000 will end in [...]
Gross mortgage lending fell to £10.5bn in January, 12 per cent lower than the total for December. However the figures represent a year-on-year increase of 10 per cent, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said. January was the sixth consecutive month of higher lending compared with the previous year. Home loan approvals also increased in [...]
The latest house price index from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed prices rose by 0.4% in October on a monthly basis. On an annual basis, house prices are now 0.8% higher than this time last year – representing the first yearly rise in six months – with the average UK home costing £165,650. However, [...]
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today reported that the UK housing market is suffering due to fears over the economy. However, the Institution said the number of enquiries from potential new buyers increased marginally in the month, with 3% more surveyors reporting a rise rather than a fall. First-time buyers, in particular, [...]
Official data from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) today revealed UK house prices rose by 0.6% in August compared with July. However, on an annual basis, house prices are 1.3% lower, taking the average UK house price to £208,476. The data from the DCLG is based on mortgage completions figures collected by [...]
The latest house price index from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed prices rose by just 0.1% in September on a monthly basis. On an annual basis, house prices are now 0.3% lower than this time last year with the average UK home costing £166,256. Meanwhile, when comparing prices in the three months to the [...]
The latest house price index from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed prices fell by 0.6% in August on a monthly basis – the fastest pace since October 2010. On an annual basis, house prices are now 0.4% lower than this time last year with the average UK home costing £165,914. The latest figures suggest [...]
The UK’s High Street banks approved 74,590 mortgages in July, with the figure up from 71,521 in June and ahead of the previous six-month average (69,803). According to the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) house purchase approvals came in at 33,417, activity having gathered pace since June (32,123) and exceeded the previous six-month average (30,695). At [...]
The latest house price index from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed house prices crept up by 0.2% in July. On an annual basis, house prices are now just 0.4% lower than this time last year with the average UK home costing £168,731. The housing market remains subdued as a lack of buyers, together with [...]
The latest house price index from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed house prices remained unchanged in June after a 0.3% rise in May – in line with expectations. On an annual basis, house prices are now 1.1% lower than this time last year with the average UK home costing £167,208. The housing market remains [...]
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has today revealed a slight rise in the number of homes sold in February in the UK. According to HMRC, 57,000 homes worth at least £40,000 or more were sold in the month – 4,000 more than January‘s levels. The figures come as the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) revealed a [...]
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed a slump in the number of homes sold in January in the UK. According to HMRC, just 54,000 homes worth at least £40,000 or more were sold in the month – the lowest number since January 2010. The figures are revealed as the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) reported [...]
According to housing intelligence group, Hometrack, house prices in England and Wales fell for the seventh consecutive month in January. According to Hometrack, house prices fell by 0.5% on the month to £153,600. On an annual basis meanwhile, house prices were 2.2% lower in January. Hometrack believes that house prices will continue to fall, in [...]
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today indicated house prices could fall by around 2% in the next 12 months. However, the Institution highlights that the fall could be much more severe if the Government’s austerity measures hamper the economic recovery. Many reports have pointed to a cooling housing market with continuous falls [...]
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed a slump in the number of homes sold in November in the UK. According to HMRC, 77,000 homes worth at least £40,000 or more were sold in the month - down from the 80,000 sold in October and 6,000 less than in November last year. The figures are [...]
Unions vote to accept public sector pension changes
Unions have agreed to proposed changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), ending a long-running dispute with the government over the reforms. Members of Unison and Unite, two of the UK’s largest unions, voted in support of the reforms, with 84 per cent of Unite members voting to accept the changes and 90 per [...]
RBS could receive higher fine than Barclays for rate-rigging
The Royal Bank of Scotland could be more heavily involved in inter-bank rate fixing than Barclays, an MP has suggested. John Mann, a Labour MP on the Treasury select committee, speculated that RBS could receive a fine in excess of the £290 million incurred by Barclays, if the allegations prove true. A source from within [...]
Rich have benefited most from quantitative easing
The Bank of England has admitted in a new report that the richest 5 per cent of UK households have benefitted the most from its quantitative easing (QE) programme. The Bank launched the programme in March 2009, in an effort to revive economic growth. In total it has bought £375bn of government bonds, known as [...]
ABI calls for transparency over pension charges
A ‘protocol’ should be given to members of company and private pension schemes, giving clear information on charges, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) says. The ABI’s call for pension charges to be made clearer comes prior to the introduction of automatic enrolment in autumn, when employers will be required to enrol workers in a [...]
Report tackles shortage of rented homes
With soaring demand for accommodation pushing rents to an all-time high, a new report suggests that rules on affordable homes should be relaxed to encourage the building of homes for rent. The average rent paid by private tenants in England and Wales reached £725 a month in July according to property group LSL. The government [...]
Police seize millionth uninsured vehicle
Police have seized the millionth uninsured vehicle, indicating the size of the problem of uninsured driving in the UK. The vehicle was seized in Birmingham, which is one of UK’s motor insurance evasion hotspots. According to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), Bordesley in Birmingham has now replaced the Barkerend area of Bradford as the place [...]
Mortgage fraud increases by 23 per cent
Information services company Experian has reported a 23 per cent increase in the number of people giving false information in order to obtain a mortgage. In the second quarter of this year, 39 out of every 10,000 mortgage applications were found to be fraudulent, compared with 32 in the 2011 second quarter. Lenders have tightened [...]
Government to crack down on hidden credit card charges
Tougher rules are to be brought in to protect consumers from hidden credit card charges and premium-rate phone calls to customer service departments. The Government has launched a consultation on how to implement the changes, which are required under a European Consumer Rights Directive and will apply to countries across the European Union. The new [...]
Which? report claims free banking is a myth
A new report by consumer group Which? highlights the high charges that can be applied to ‘free’ current accounts. While these accounts are free while in credit, charges can be applied if a customer goes overdrawn, especially if they do so without permission. Customers can also be charged for overseas transactions and for agreed overdrafts. [...]
Households more optimistic about their finances
Household finances are still deteriorating, but at a slower rate, according to the Markit household finance index. The index increased from 37.5 in July to 38.9 in August, with figures above 50 representing a positive change in household finances, and figures below 50 representing a negative change. The August figure represents the third consecutive monthly [...]
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