Interest rate increases will mean paying out more on debt

Industry officials have said that increases in interest rates over the next four years will result in families having to find more money every year to make increased payments on debt such as credit cards, loans, and other forms of finance that are based on variable rates. This could result in families having to find a whopping £1800 a year more in order to deal with the increased interest on these debts.

For nearly two years now the base interest rate has been at an all time low of just 0.5 percent, and this is he lowest it has been in the history of the Bank of England, which spans over three centuries. However, inflation levels are now soaring and many industry officials now believe that the rate of interest will have to rise over the course of this year in order to keep a lid on inflation, which could mean more financial hardship for many households.

There are a number of experts that think the rate rises could start by this summer, which means that households would have to cope with additional interest on their debts as well as higher living costs and increased VAT, which went up by 2.5 percent at the start of this year. Mortgage payers will also be affected with extra payments, which could leave many on the financial edge and put them at risk of missed repayments.

The Bank of England said: “Currently, around two thirds of outstanding mortgages in the United Kingdom have floating interest rates, somewhat above the average over the past five years. That proportion is rising as mortgagors move on to standard variable rate products as existing fixed-rate deals expire. This exposes more households to the risk of increases in interest rates.”

Tags: interest rates, Loans, year, United Kingdom, lid, variable rate products, households, GBP

Bank of England base rate needs to be increased

A member of the powerful Monetary Policy Committee has recently stated that it is essential that the base interest rate is increased in order to keep a lid on spiralling inflation, which could otherwise damage the economy. Andrew Sentance has voted to increase the rate for the past several months, but with the majority of members voting to keep the rate on hold the base rate has remained at its rock bottom level of 0.5 percent for the past nineteen months.

Sentance has said that the base rate should be increased gradually in order to try and curb inflation levels, which are currently way over the 2 percent target set by the government. Sentance was making a speech in London when he expressed his views, and minutes of Bank of England meetings show that he has voted for increases in the base rate for the past few months.

Between June and September Sentance was the only member of the Monetary Policy Committee that voted for an increase, but with all others voting to keep rates on hold the base rate remained static. Its current level is the lowest in the history of the Bank of England, which spans over three hundred years, and it was reduced to this level under the former Labour government amidst hopes that it would help to aid the failing economy during the global financial crisis and the recession.

In his speech Sentance stated: “I have voted for a rise in interest rates at recent MPC meetings — as a start to a gradual movement away from the exceptional level of monetary stimulus put in place to combat very difficult economic conditions last year. And I continue to believe that this is the right policy for the situation the UK economy currently faces.”

Tags: year, hundred years, bottom level, Monetary policy, london, Monetary Policy Committee, interest rates, Andrew Sentance

Record low base rate remains static

For the past eighteen months the base interest rate in the UK has stood at a record low of 0.5 percent, which is the lowest it has ever been in the history of the Bank of England, which spans over three hundred years. It has now been announced that the base rate will remain at this record low for a nineteenth month, with a decision to keep the base rate at 0.5 percent being made after the October Monetary Policy Committee.

Although one member of the MPC has been calling for the base rate to be increased for the past four months according to the meeting minutes the fragility of the economy has been taken into consideration, hence the decision to keep the base rate at 0.5 percent. Andrew Sentance, the MPC member that wanted to increase rates, said that this was necessary in order to keep a lid on inflation.

For homeowners that are on variable rate mortgages the decision to keep the base rate static will come as good news, as it will help them to avoid costly repayment increases, which many may struggle to keep up with in the current financial climate.

The Bank of England said that it is vital to stimulate the economy by encouraging spending, and this is why the interest rate needs to be kept low. The central bank said that this had to be a priority over inflation, which is currently 1.1 percent over the 2 percent target set by the government.

The Bank of England also said that it would not be extending the quantitative easing scheme, which has already seen £200 billion ploughed into the economy.

One economist said: ‘So far the effects of QE in stimulating the wider economy have not been impressive. The bank sector remains weak and unable to increase lending to companies. There are dangers that further QE could lead to major new problems rather than leading to economic recovery.’

Tags: Monetary Policy Committee, interest, record, uk, bank of england, monetary, Monetary policy, interest rates

Lenders cut fixed rate mortgage rates

According to industry reports a number of lenders have slashed the rates on their fixed rate mortgage offerings even though the Bank of England decided to keep the base interest rate on hold again this month at its record low of 0.5 percent. A number of building societies and banks have cut the rates on their fixed rate deals.

High Street banking giant HSBC recently launched its lowest ever five year fixed rate deal, and last week saw Coventry Building Society and Nationwide Building Society reduce their fixed rate deals. One industry expert said that the reason why lenders were slashing their fixed rates even though the base rate had remained static was because they wanted to try and entice people off going for low standard variable rates. With banks already struggling the situation is being made worse by people opting for low standard variable rates, and this has led the banks to start taking action.

She said that many people that had come off special fixed rate deals had then moved onto standard variable rates, and with the base rate being so low this had been their cheapest option. This has resulted in lenders struggling, and many are now working on the hope that by cutting their fixed rate deals they can tempt people into remortgaging and taking out a fixed rate deal rather than a standard variable rate one.

Financial expert Michelle Slade stated: ‘Millions of customers who have come off short-term fixed-rate and tracker deals in recent years have gone on to their lender’s standard variable rate as it has been cheaper than fixing again. For example, Nationwide’s base mortgage rate is just 2.5%.’ She added: ‘The new fixed rates are certainly mouth-watering and could be worth grabbing for some borrowers.’

Tags: fixed rate mortgage, interest, interest rates, variable rate mortgage, mortgage

Improvement in mortgage lending continues

For the past couple of years many people have found it increasingly difficult to get a mortgage loan, with many unable to get the finance that they need from the lenders in the UK, who have been exercising more caution when it comes to lending money.

However, over recent months the end of the recession has marked an easing in the financial markets, and lenders have become more relaxed about handing out finance to consumers. This could help people to obtain mortgage loans more easily, and could enable those struggling to get onto the property ladder to finally get the loan that will enable them to live their dream.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has recently confirmed that mortgage lending levels have already increased, with the level of mortgage lending having increased by around 7 percent last month. However, the CML has said that whilst the level of mortgage lending has increased it is still far lower than the level of lending that was seen last year.

The CML has said that mortgage lending is still subdued in the UK, and despite the fact that the recession is over and financial markets are meant to have improved the market remains difficult and challenging. In fact, the CML believes that the total level of lending for this year could fall short of the forecast total of £150 billion.

The CML also said that a number of factors would affect the housing and mortgage markets such as consumer confidence levels in the mortgage and financial markets, and also household finances. Credit conditions are still said to be tight when it comes to getting a mortgage loan, and it is thought that many consumers, especially first time buyers, will continue to experience difficulties.

Tags: mortgage, Council, finance, interest rates, Mortgage loan, forecast total, business, council of mortgage lenders

Banks urged to provide services to those that are excluded

A group consisting of charities and local groups is urging banks to extend their services to those that are currently excluded from a wide range of banking services, such as current accounts, basic bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and overdrafts. Read more

Tags: Credit card, bank accounts, quarter, Credit Cards, Payday loan

Credit card industry speaks out against government proposals

The credit card industry in the UK has spoken out against one of the measures that has been proposed by the government to try and curb some of the practices used by credit card companies. One of the measures that the government has proposed in order to reduce problems relates to the credit limits that credit card providers offer, and the aim of the government was to try and get credit card companies to reduce these limits. Read more

Tags: personal finance, interest rates, Credit card, Stoozing, UK Cards Association, Credit history

Credit card companies to start targeting high earners again

Whilst there has been something of a credit boom in the UK over the past decade, prior to this boom it was not unusual for credit card firms to focus only on wealthy, higher earners, leaving those on lower incomes out in the cold when it came to getting credit. In fact, seeing someone open a purse or wallet with a string of credit cards suggested that the person was well off and earned good money. Read more

Tags: Debit card, interest rates, Credit history, credit, Credit Cards, Payment systems, Sandra Quinn, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Making your money go further over the festive season

In years gone by Christmas usually referred to just one day, which was of course Christmas day, and whilst preparations for the big day were made in the run up to Christmas it was not like it is today, where the two weeks leading up to Christmas were filled with festive events and parties and the week between Christmas and New Year was also filled with events and festivities that often usually cost money. Read more

Tags: finances, interest rates, festive budget, Christmas spending, lucky ones, trimmings, Credit Cards, save you

No increase in base rate again

For the ninth month in a row the Bank of England has decided to keep the base interest rate on hold, leaving it static at its lowest level in history, which is just 0.5 percent. The decision to keep the base rate so low has come as no surprise to most industry experts given the ongoing problems facing the economy and further threats of job losses. The announcement was made following the December Monetary Policy Committee meeting, which was held last week.

The Bank of England also announced that it would continue with its quantitative easing program to try and revive the economy, having announced last month that the plan was being extended to a total of £200 billion, reflecting an extension of a further £25 billion. Originally the maximum amount earmarked for quantitative easing had been £150 billion. No clue was given as to whether the scheme would be extended further next year.

Many industry experts have slated the quantitative easing programme, stating that it is clear that the plan is not having the desired effect on the economy but the government is continuing to use the programme to try and ease the economic problems. It is thought that when the current programme runs out in January the government will announce whether it plans to extend the scheme further.

In the meantime, an economist from Global Insight, Howard Archer, said that it was likely that the Bank of England would keep the base rate on hold at 0.5 percent until late next year, and even predicted that it could be 2011 before the base rate was increased. He said that fears over unsustainable recovery meant that it was far too soon for the government to think of policy tightening.

Tags: base rate, The Bank of England, economist, interest rates, Monetary policy, Global Insight Inc, Howard Archer, quantitative easing

Savers Can Enjoy Increased Interest Rates

In an effort to fund new mortgages, building societies and banks have started to raise the interest they pay on savings accounts in an effort to raise the monies they need to be able to offer new mortgages to their customers. Read more

Tags: wholesale funds, repay mortgage, Financial services, length of time, saving rates

Interest rates on hold again

Earlier this month saw the September Monetary Policy Committee meeting took place, and following the monthly meting the Bank of England has announced that the UK base interest rate is to be kept on hold for yet another month, staying at its all time low level of just 0.5 percent. Read more

Tags: hike, quantitative easing, bank of england, easing, place, interest rates, mortgage rates, monetary

Credit card rates will have to come down

In a recent report a leading consumer watchdog groups has said that credit card interest rates in the UK are going to have to come down. Read more

Tags: year, choice, company, higher rates, interest rates

Should you Remortgage at a Lower Rate of Interest?

Lenders are offering sweet deals to homeowners who wish to remortgage their homes. HSBC is currently offering two-year fixed rate remortgage loans at the low rate of 2.69% and Nationwide has announced lower interest rates for those who can make a small deposit on the remortgage loan. Read more

Tags: five-year fixed rate, loan, fixed rate mortgage, fixed terms, remortgage, interest rates, bank

What is the Next Step for Borrowers and Savers?

With the recession in full swing in the UK and predictions of worse conditions to come, both borrowers and savers are wondering what they should so in the future. Small returns on investments are making it extremely difficult for savers to earn the money they were counting on for future needs, such as retirement. Read more

Tags: bank of england, save money, base rate, interest rates, borrow money, mortgage rates

No change in base rate for third month

For the past couple of months the base interest rate in the UK has been kept at its record low of 0.5 percent, and following this month’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting the Bank of England has announced that the rate will remain on hold for a third month. Read more

Tags: interest rates, October, security, record low, money, level

Interest rate could rise again quickly

The chief economist at the Bank of England has warned that whilst the base interest rate in the UK has plummeted to its lowest level in history over recent months, following a series of six interest rate cuts in as many months, there is a good chance that it could rocket back up again in the future if policymakers decide that the rate needs to go up in order to keep inflation in check. Read more

Tags: interest rates, Central bank, Index, access, order, lending, bank of england

Consumers advised to pay credit card debt and not save

In the current economic and financial climate, with the recession threatening the jobs of many people, it is not surprising that many people decide to put every spare penny into savings in the event that they should find themselves short of cash or experience a drop in income. Read more

Tags: fact, interest rates, credit card debt, Stoozing, savings account

Interest rates remain on hold after May meeting

After the May Monetary Policy Committee meeting the Bank of England announced that the base interest rate was to be kept on hold at its all time low of 0.5 percent. Read more

Tags: base rate, Central bank, money, interest rate, bank of england, lowest level, interest rates, Economic policy

Hikes in ISA limits result from budget

It was announced at the recent budget by Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, that ISA limits in the UK were being hikes, although savers will not see the benefits straight away. Read more

Tags: added incentive, cash isas, isa limit, interest rates, society, investment, individual savings account, ISA

The pros and cons of the base rate cuts

Between 2006 and early 2007 many people were horrified as a result of the base interest rate increases which saw the base rate rise from 4.5 percent to 5.75 percent. Borrowers and homeowners found that their financial commitments went up considerably, although the rate increases came as far better news for other groups such as savers, who hoped to get better returns on their money as a result of the rate increases. Read more

Tags: Loans, base rate, interest rates, savings, Mortgages, bank of england

Banks decides to look at quantitative easing to assist economy

Over the past six months the nation has seen the UK’s base interest rate drop dramatically from 5 percent in October of last year to just 0.5 percent by March of this year. This came after a series of six interest rate cuts from the Bank of England in as many months, taking the base rate to its lowest level in the three hundred and fifteen year history of the Bank of England. Read more

Tags: access, level, bank of england, Mortgages, Central bank, industry

Interest rate cuts could mean free banking comes to an end

A recent report has suggested that the fact that the base interest rate in the UK is now at a record low, and could even fall further, means that the nation could see free banking services come to an end. Read more

Tags: savings accounts, interest rates, bank of england, building societies association, free banking

Savers disappointed by low returns

Since October of last year the base interest rate in the UK has plunged from 5 percent to just 1 percent, which has come as a blessing for many borrowers who were struggling to keep up with rising borrowing costs, such as mortgage repayments. Read more

Tags: base interest rate, lenders, instant access, interest rates, savings accounts, level, bonds, savings returns

Officials encourage mortgage overpayments

A number of industry officials have recently highlighted the benefits of overpaying on a mortgage, stating that borrowers could benefit hugely by taking advantage of the lower interest rates and making higher than necessary repayments on their mortgages. Read more

Tags: interest rates, base, industry, industry officials, bank of england, england, interest, fortune

Five year low on savings rates

Following the series of base interest rate cuts that have been applied over recent months figures have shown that the interest rates on savings accounts have fallen to their lowest levels in five years. Read more

Tags: interest rates, finance, GBP, Financial services, bank, good returns

Base rate at lowest in over three centuries

Following the most recent cut to the UK base interest rate the base rate has now dropped to its lowest level in over three centuries. Read more

Tags: economy, rate movement, interest rates, series, base rate, meeting, Late 2000s recession in Europe

UK interest rates make history

Over the past week the interest rate in the UK has made history by falling to an all time low of just 1.5 percent, which is its lowest since the Bank of England was founded over three hundred years ago. Read more

Tags: percent mark, Monetary Policy Committee, monetary, rates, aggressive cuts, interest rates, interest rate, level

Getting your dream home whilst house prices are down

For most homeowners the fact that property prices have been plummeting over the past year is not good news, as many people who saw the value of their homes rocket in the past decade have now seen equity levels coming back down by significant levels as house prices have spiralled downwards. However, the house price falls are not bad news for everyone, as those looking to purchase a property can now get their dream home for far less than they would have paid last year, making tens of thousands of pounds difference in some cases, and with higher priced properties even more. Read more

Tags: South-West, industry, point, freefall, interest rates, house prices, Barnes, cash

Increase in household spending

Figures from a recently released report have shown that household spending levels have increased enormously over the past five years in order to cope with rising household bills and living costs. The figures were released some weeks ago by the Office for National Statistics, and showed that the average weekly household spend had gone up by around 13 percent in the past five years. Read more

Tags: household spending, interest rates, GBP, inflation, gas, economics, office, energy usage costs

Bank rate cut by a further 1 percent

The Bank of England has cut the base interest rate buy a further 1 percent in the third rate cut in as many months. The rate cut took place following the December Monetary Policy Committee Meeting, where it was decided by committee members that a further cut in interest rates was necessary in order to try and boost the flagging economy through increasing consumer spending. Read more

Tags: bank of england, Mortgages, interest rates, confidence, base rate, Monetary Policy Committee, committee, right

Drop in interest rates causes surprise for consumers

Struggling homeowners trying to cope with high mortgage repayments welcomed a surprise earlier this month after the Bank of England slashed the base rate by 1.5% just a month after applying a surprise 0.5% cut a day ahead of the scheduled Monetary Policy Committee meeting. The slash in interest rates has now taken the base rate down to just 3%. Just a year ago the base rate stood at 5.75%, so it is now nearly half of what it was a year ago. Read more

Tags: interest rates, chancellor, order, CBI, policy, bank of england, Business Finance, borrowers

Central banks cut interest rates in unprecedented move

Just a day ahead of the scheduled Monetary Policy Committee meeting, the Bank of England followed other global central banks by slashing the base interest rate by 0.5% in an unprecedented move. The interest rate in the UK has dropped from 5%, where is has stood since April, to 4.5%. Many lenders also reduced their borrowing interest rates right away upon hearing the news. Other global central banks have also shaved half a percentage point from their base rates, including Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, the United States, and Europe. Read more

Tags: US Federal Reserve, committee, Monetary Policy Committee, policy, interest rates

Savers should act quickly to secure good interest rate on savings

According to many industry officials savers in the UK need to take action as soon as possible in order to secure a good rate of interest on their savings, as – whilst interest rates on many savings accounts is high at present – many lenders may start cutting savings interest rates as a result of anticipated cuts in the Bank of England base rate. Read more

Tags: savings accounts, past couple, view, suitable fixed rate, rate falls, saving, interest rates, number

Consumers still having to pay high deposits for affordable mortgages

Over recent months getting a mortgage has become increasingly difficult and expensive, with many lenders reserving their best deals and lowest interest rates for those that are able to put down a sizeable deposit as opposed to the traditional 5% deposit. The changes in mortgage lending and costs have come about as a result of the global credit crunch, which swept across the nation last summer. Read more

Tags: Mortgage loan, Mortgages, equity, lending, england and wales, interest rates, lenders, arrangement fees

Interest rates kept on hold for another month

Following the Monetary Policy Committee meeting that was held last week the Bank of England has announced that the base rate is to be kept on hold at 5% for yet another month. This signifies the fifth month in a row where the base rate has remained unchanged, as the central bank and members of the powerful MPC struggle to deal with both soaring inflation levels and a slowing economy.
Read more

Tags: row, economics, committee meeting, committee, england

BCC states that interest rate must be cut

After several months where the interest rate has been left on hold at 5% by the Monetary Policy Committee and the Bank of England, the British Chambers of Commerce is now calling for action, stating that the base rate has to be cut in order to ensure that the economy does not grind to a halt. The government is facing tough decisions when it comes to the base rate, as the nation is going through a period of stagflation, where the economy has slowed down and stagnated and the level of inflation is soaring way out of control. Read more

Tags: bank of england, UK unemployment, consumer spending, chelsea building society, base, British Chambers of Commerce, interest rates, interest rate

Split decision on rates at last MPC meeting

According to the recently released minutes from the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting held in early August there was a split vote with regards to interest rate movement. However, despite this many officials now believe that the minutes indicate that the MPC and the Bank of England are now prepared to look at cutting rates again despite soaring inflation levels that are set to get worse. This is because of the gloomy forecasts that have been made with regards to the UK’s economy. Read more

Tags: rate, bank of england, remainder, bias, Monetary Policy Committee, year, interest rates

Was the Bank of England right to keep interest rates on hold?

Following the five interest rate rises that took place between August 2006 and July 2007 the whole country seemed to breathe a sigh if relief when in December of last year the base rate was cut for the first time in two years. Another base rate cut quickly followed in February, and a further one in April. By this time many analysts and economists were wildly enthusing over how quickly and by how much interest rate were likely to come down, with some predicting that rates would fall to below 4% by the end of the year. Read more

Tags: CBI, British Retail Consortium, British Chambers of Commerce, bank of england, interest rates

Interest rate cuts could be put on hold

At the start of this year there were high hopes about base rate cuts amongst both borrowers and industry officials, with many expecting the base rate to fall significantly over the course of this year, and with some industry officials predicting that the base rate could fall as low as 4% or below by the end of the year. However, whilst the base rate was cut three times between December 2007 and April of this year, it seems that further rate cuts could be put on hold, as the Bank of England tries to deal with soaring inflation levels. Read more

Tags: present steps, government’s 2% target, time, interest rates, recent additions, Monetary Policy Committee, foreseeable future, Mervyn King

Interest rate stays at 5%

Following the July Monetary Policy Committee meeting last week it has been announced that the base interest rate is to remain on hold at 5%. The Bank of England cut the base rate three times since December, taking it from 5.75% to 5%. However, since May the base rate has remained static after inflation levels soared to 3.3%, which is way over the 2% target set by the government. Read more

Tags: inflation, uk factories, Gross domestic product, interest rates, light, meeting

Three way split on interest rates for July

The minutes of the latest Monetary Policy Committee meeting, which was held earlier this month, has shown that there was a three way split on interest rate movement for the month of July, indicating that setting the base rate is becoming an increasing challenge for members of the powerful committee and for the Bank of England. The minutes showed that whilst the majority of members voted to keep the rates on hold at 5%, one voted for the rate to be cut due to the slowing economy and another voted for the base rate to be raised due to soaring inflation levels. Read more

Tags: rise, Brits, interest rates, movement, year, Richest, credit rating

Consumers need to ‘understand the whole product’ when buying a credit card

Spenders need to know what they are getting when they shop for a credit card, one financial advisor has claimed.

Credit Action said consumers need to take some time and effort when choosing a credit card, just as when choosing a car.

Chris Tapp, director of Credit Action, stated that people need to understand the principle behind cards, which is to make sure that the amount borrowed on it can be paid off the following month.

“That is the way to avoid getting hit with all kinds of charges, to make sure you are only borrowing as much as you can pay back,” he said.

He added that the main thing to look for is the headline rate and to compare this rate of the interest between card providers to ensure the best deal is found.

Meanwhile, MoneyExpert.com research released at the beginning of the month shows that 3.2 million spenders own five or more credit cards and 28 per cent of us applied for more plastic last year.

Tags: choosing, Credit Action, rate, credit, Credit card, headline rate

Rate cut could ‘ease financial pressure’

The cut in interest rates by the Bank of England (BoE) will help “ease financial pressure”, claims one financial expert.

According to the Fair Investment Company, the rate cut of 0.25 percentage points to 5.25 per cent by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) should help homeowners with mortgages of over £150,000 receive as much as £40 per month back.

James Caldwell, director of the company, said: “The MPC’s decision will come as a relief to many. A lot of people are facing higher living costs and business expenses, so the rate cut is an important step towards easing financial strain.”

However he added that home owners will only benefit if mortgage rates are cut in line with the BoE’s decision.

Mr Caldwell also said that savers will be worse off as a result of yesterday’s decision.

Those savers who hoped the base rate would remain the same for another month “will be disappointed”, he concluded.

However, according to the Newcastle Building Society, despite the effects of the interest rate cut, savers could benefit from the current climate of competition between banks and building societies to offer the best deal.

Tags: Newcastle Building Society, Mortgages, england, business, Business Finance, best deal, interest rates, pressure

UK private housing market valued at £4tn

UK homes are worth a total of £4 trillion, according to new research from the Halifax.

The findings revealed that the value of the UK’s private housing stock rose by 9 per cent (nearly £320 billion) in 2007.

Martin Ellis, chief economist at Halifax, said: “UK home owners have collectively accumulated an extra £2 trillion of equity in their homes over the past decade as property prices have risen.

“This has significantly strengthened the household balance sheet. Mortgage debt accounts for only 30 per cent of the value of the UK’s £4 trillion worth of housing assets,” he added.

The value of the housing stock has more than tripled over the past decade, rising by 208 per cent from £1.3 trillion in 1997.

By comparison, the headline retail price index (RPI) has risen by 31 per cent over the past ten years.

Meanwhile, the Bank of England’s decision to hold interest rates at 5.5 per cent is “not all doom and gloom” for home buyers, according to the Leeds Building Society.

Tags: economics, england, interest rates, housing market, finance, headline retail price index, price, halifax

Bank holds interest rates

The Bank of England has held interest rates at 5.75 per cent for the fourth month in a row.

The decision, announced at noon on Thursday, comes as no surprise with many analysts predicting such a freeze well in advance.

Ongoing uncertainty in world financial markets and the rising price of oil led members of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to keep rates at their current peak.

That will mean prolonged misery for many homeowners, struggling to cope with high mortgage payments.

Chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), Peter Bolton King, was critical.

He said: “I would have hoped that the Bank of England would have considered this month’s rate movement carefully as confidence in the market needs to be restored and a relaxation of interest rates would do just this.

“The last 12 months has been an extremely busy period for the housing market and consumers are crying out for reassurance.”

Tags: economics, executive, market, Monetary policy, interest rates, consumers, confidence

House prices fell by 0.5 per cent in October

More evidence that the housing market is slowing down was published yesterday.

Halifax’s monthly housing market report, published on Thursday, found that average prices fell by 0.5 per cent in October.

Although this contradicts figures published by Nationwide late last month, it is the second consecutive month in which Halifax – the country’s biggest mortgage lender – has recorded a drop.

Halifax reported that house prices fell by 0.6 per cent in September.

Nevertheless, the lender was confident about the long-term strength of the housing market and the economy.

Chief economist Martin Ellis said: “The UK economy is in a strong position. High levels of employment and a shortage in the number of properties available for sale will continue to support house prices.”

A recent study of the market by PriceWaterhouseCoopers claimed that houses in the UK are 10 per cent overpriced compared to average salaries.

Halifax’s study comes as the Bank of England held interest rates at 5.75 per cent for the fourth month in a row.

Tags: Economic history, position, second consecutive month, england, martin ellis

Mortgage lenders try and pull in retail deposits

Mortgage lenders across the UK are trying to pull in deposits from savers after facing difficulties with borrowing money in the short term wholesale market.
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Tags: Birmingham, number, Sage, banks, interest rates, savings

Tracker rate deals gaining popularity

Fear over the fate of the UK property market has led to a significant increase in tracker rate mortgage interest.

According to GE Money, tracker and discount products are set to account for a third of all broker business, representing a 120 per cent increase from the last quarter.

The changes results from the fact that 89 per cent of mortgage brokers believe that interest rates have peaked, with nearly half anticipating a fall in the base rate in the next few months.

Subsequently, brokers are increasingly recommending discount and tracker products over longer fixed rate deals.

Gerry Bell, head of mortgage marketing at GE Money home lending, said: “Consumers and brokers alike have clearly been concerned by the recent stress in the financial sector and our research indicates that the market is now being boosted by a possible decrease in interest rates in the coming months.

“This will also be welcome news to those homeowners currently coming to the end of a fixed rate product who are concerned about re-mortgage products and rates that will be available to them.”

The UK markets have felt the far-reaching impact of the sub-prime mortgage crisis afflicting the US this year that has led to worldwide credit squeeze.

Tags: research, Mortgage broker, credit, welcome news, interest rates, crisis, cent, mortgage

Further controversy over banks’ failure to apply interest rate rise to savers

Once again many banks in the UK are coming under fire as a result of leaving savers hanging on to find out if and how they will benefit from the latest interest rate rise, which was applied four weeks ago by the Bank of England. Read more

Tags: bank of england, Loans, banks, interest rates, interest

Debt “completely out of hand”

Levels of debt in the UK have been labelled “completely out of hand” by financial advisors Chase De Vere.

Customers were advised to be “totally sensible” when purchasing credit cards, and to moderate their spending once receiving them.

Chase De Vere savings manager Susan Hannums also warned consumers not to fall for lenders’ advertising ploys, saying that “you can try and drum home the message – and we play a big part in doing that – but in a lot of cases people only really pay attention when they absolutely have to act.”

There are several ways in which credit providers can sell their products by making attractive headline offers, and recouping on them by ‘hidden’ costs.

A prime example of this comes with the “zero per cent” cards, which charge transfer fees to offset their attractive interest deal. This financial sleight of hand has netted banks £240 million in transfer fees last year, according to This Is Money.

Tags: uk, financial sleight, Chase, finance, De Vere savings, interest rates

Are UK bank services the best?

According to a report from on economic consultancy, consumers in the UK receive far better and cheaper banking services than practically any other developed country. Read more

Tags: banks, interest rates, Loans, bank accounts, personal loans

Overdraft interest rates go up

Recent reports have indicated that some banks and lenders have raised their overdraft interest rates by huge amounts over the past year, by far exceeding the interest rate rises that have been imposed by the Bank of England in terms of the base rate. Read more

Tags: Banking, interest rates, overdraft, bank of england, banks

Credit card rewards not being claimed

Millions of credit card holders are failing to take advantage of the rewards that are on offer to us.

Research by the Post Office has found that around two-thirds of us are lured by incentives on a new card but do not cash in.

The most common rewards that are available to card holders include cashback offers and other bonuses but 60 per cent are not benefiting from them.

Even those who do take advantage do not use them to their full potential, with the average reward claim being just £37 a year.

Credit card holders are being encouraged to take advantage of the rewards they are offered or opt for a card that offers more long-term benefits.

“We urge credit card holders to look at the long-term value offered by their credit card – particularly as almost a third (32 per cent) of credit card users have held their card over five years.”

It appears that this message is already prevalent among card holders, with 60 per cent of those asked stating that they would stick with one card if they could find one which offered long-term value across the board.

In addition, card holders named low interest rates, nought per cent on balance transfers and nought per cent on purchases as the most desirable features.

Tags: nought, board.In addition, desirable features, year, Loyalty program

Base rate should remain at 5.5%

We are likely to see interest rates rise again this summer but borrowers can sit comfortably for the rest of this month at least.

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is due to announce a base rate decision on Thursday June 7th but industry figures are not predicting another rise.

Interest rates have increased four times since August 2006, taking them to 5.5 per cent, the highest level since April 2001.

Despite many experts seeing it as inevitable that the base rate will rise again before the end of the year, Lloyds TSB says that it does not expect another rise in June.

“We may well see a rate rise before the summer is out, but a move this month is highly unlikely. We’ve seen rates increased four times since August last year and the effects of these are only just starting to show through – inflation is coming off the boil, the housing market is cooling and signs of slower activity are appearing in the retail sector,” said Trevor Williams, chief economist at Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets.

“However, it’s still too early to judge the full impact of these cumulative increases, especially those that have taken place in the past nine months.

“The most likely outcome of this month’s meeting is that the MPC will opt to hold rates and buy time to gauge the impact of recent increases, before making another move,” he concluded.

The news will be welcomed by those with credit cards, loans and mortgages.

Tags: Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee, market, nine months, rise.Interest rates, interest rates

Interest rates remain 5.25%

The Bank of England has decided to hold interest rates at 5.25 per cent.

It is good news for those with a mortgage, loan or credit card and will be welcomed by the majority of borrowers.

Many experts had been predicting a continued rise in base rates in the coming months, following a steep increase from 4.5 per cent to 5.25 per cent in five months.

However, a number of factors, namely falls in the stock market, commodity prices and a fall in inflation, have reduced the chances of an imminent rise.

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) changes the base rate to keep inflation as close as possible to the government’s two per cent target.

Recent months have seen inflation running well ahead of this, sparking the quick succession of base rate increases.

Last month the MPC was split in its decision to hold rates and economists are predicting that March’s decision will also be a split one.

That does not bode well for the future, although two MPC members have come out indicated that they are strongly against any future rises.

Tags: cent, future, succession, bank, bank of england, finance, Monetary Policy Committee, interest rates

Bank was split over rate rise

The recent freezing of interest rates caused a split within the Bank of England, with two Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members voting in favour of a rise.

Minutes of the meeting in February have revealed that the vote was split 7-2 in favour of freezing rates but the divide means that the future for borrowers remains uncertain.

Those with a mortgage, credit card or loan could still see interest rates rise, with many people likely to suffer as a result if they do not have the financial clout to withstand another increase.

MPC members decided to wait and see what effect the previous three rate rises would have before moving ahead with another.

“It would take some time for the full effects of the past tightening to be seen. It was difficult to judge whether, and if so by how much, policy might need to be further tightened to keep inflation on track to meet the target,” the minutes read.

The previous rises came in quick succession, with rates jumping from 4.5 per cent in August to 5.25 per cent in January.

It appears that interest rates are likely to rise again in the coming months as the MPC attempts to bring down inflation which is currently running well above the government’s target of two per cent.

Tags: interest rates, succession, interest, rates, target, clout, Consumer Price Index, RPIX

Banks top mortgage lenders table

Banks remained the cheapest mortgage lenders for existing borrowers in 2006.

That is according to a new study by financial research company Defaqto, which also discovered that there was a huge difference between the cheapest and most expensive.

There was a difference of almost £500 between some mortgages, with HSBC being named the cheapest for standard variable rate mortgages or their equivalent.

HSBC was closely followed by Intelligent Finance, while the next three in the top five were building societies (Skipton, Nationwide and Britannia).

“Despite two Bank of England base rate increases last year, on average they did not change significantly from 2005 so it’s not surprising that it cost virtually the same to service a standard variable rate mortgage in 2006 as it did in 2005,” commented David Black, head of banking at Defaqto.

“While it is recognised that standard variable rate mortgages are only one type of mortgage, they can represent an important benchmark in competitiveness.

“This demonstrates why borrowers must take the time to check that they have the most appropriate mortgage,” he added.

The research was based on the amount of gross interest payable on a £50,000 interest-only mortgage and specialist providers, privilege and loyalty rates were not included.

Tags: nationwide, mortgage lenders, banks, bank, interest rates, Defaqto, Banking

No Evidence That Interest Only Mortgages Are Taken Out Under Pressure

Amidst concerns that many people may be taking out interest only mortgages rather than capital and interest mortgages simply because of the rising cost of house buying and the problems with affordability, a recent report has been published and has indicated that this is not actually the case, and it is not pressures relating to the affordability of housing in the UK that is resulting in some borrowers opting for the interest only mortgage.
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Tags: base rate, bank of england, interest rates, interest only mortgages, Mortgages

Savings Accounts – Are They Worth It?

It wasn’t like that in my day

It’s an often heard phrase usually uttered by a disgruntled and crumpled pensioner about some aspect of modern life. Well, thank goodness it’s not like it used to be as far as savings bank accounts are concerned. They used to be pointless; today they are a little different. Read more

Tags: bank account, Savings and loan association, interest rates, Wise words, savings accounts, recession, leicester, saving