Home Information Packs have been shrouded in controversy since they were first introduced last year, with both supporters of the packs and those opposed to them arguing their side. Those supporting HIPs have stated that these packs contain all of the information necessary to make the sale and purchase of a property smooth, quick, and [...]

According to a recent report there have been house price falls in all regions of England and Wales, and officials from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors have stated that in some areas house prices have been falling at their fastest pace since records began in 1978. Amongst the areas suffering the worst declines on [...]

Many struggling borrowers in the UK have entered into an IVA over recent years, with awareness about this process having been raised through a series of advertisements put out by IVA firms. An IVA, or Individual Voluntary Arrangement, is a legally binding agreement that is known as a softer alternative to bankruptcy. This process is [...]

Despite the two most recent Bank of England interest rate cuts the interest charged on personal loans in the UK is continuing to rise, leaving many potential borrowers facing huge costs relating to their borrowing, The rates on personal loans have been rising for some time, and as a result of the credit crunch many [...]

A financial industry expert, who also worked as an advisor to the government, has predicted that house prices in the UK could plummet by 20% over the next couple of years, providing a gloomy outlook for homeowners. The average property price could plummet from £200,000 to just £160,000 if the predictions of Professor David Miles [...]

Most first time buyers in the UK have very little to put down by way of deposit on a mortgage, and this is because they have no previous property from which to use equity towards a deposit. In the past this has not proven too much of a problem, as many first time buyers have [...]

An injection of cash from the Bank of England has recently increased liquidity for the banking industry, which means that banks and lenders may be able to continue with their loan and mortgage lending without struggling, at least for the short term. Since the global credit crunch came into effect many lenders have found that [...]

An unsecured loan is a loan that is based on trust and contract, and unlike a secured loan this type of loan is not secured against any asset. In order to be eligible for an unsecured loan you will usually need to have a good credit rating, as the non-secured nature of the loan makes [...]

Since he came into office as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling has spoken very highly of long term fixed rate mortgages, and has made it quite clear that he believes that this is the way forward for the UK in order to try and bring stability to the housing and mortgage market, and increase [...]

Whilst general mortgage figures and statistics have made for gloomy reading over recent months, it seems that the same level of gloom and despair has not hit the buy to let mortgage market according to recent data. In fact, recently released figures show that the level of outstanding buy to let mortgages has rocketed since [...]

According to a recent report the Home Information Packs that were introduced by the government last year are not proving nearly as successful as was hoped. These packs are now compulsory for any residential property that is being marketed for sale in England or Wales, with government officials stating that they will make things easier [...]

A recent report has shown that house movers and first time buyers are confused over whether they should purchase a property now given the predictions over falling house prices and interest rates, with many unsure as to whether they should take the plunge or adopt a wait and see stance. A number of analysts and [...]

Recent reports have shown that the loans market continues to suffer as a result of the global credit crunch, with rates on personal loans continuing to soar despite base rate cuts, and with the number of sub-prime mortgages available on the market falling rapidly. According to industry officials the number of lenders offering sub-prime mortgages [...]

According to recent figures from the Bank of England, many first time buyers are now facing crippling mortgage rates, with many being hit by the highest mortgage rates in over seven years. Data from the central bank suggests that in some cases first time buyers are being hit with interest rates on mortgages that are [...]

Awareness over Individual Voluntary Arrangements, or IVAs, has increased over the last couple of years, with a number of firms putting out advertisements relating to this type of debt solution. An IVA is known as a softer alternative to bankruptcy and is designed to help those in high levels of unsecured debt to get out [...]

As promised one of the issues that Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, addressed in his first budget recently was the importance of longer term fixed rate mortgages, which he claims will increase stability in the housing and mortgage sector, and will enable homeowners to enjoy increased security and peace of mind as a result [...]

Over recent years Individual Voluntary Arrangements, or IVAs, have become increasingly popular with borrowers that have found themselves in unmanageable levels of debt. With an IVA, if agreed, the borrower pays a set amount each month, which is then distributed amongst all creditors on a pro rate basis, and the term of the agreement is [...]

For the last couple of years payment protection insurance, known simply as PPI, has hit the financial headlines on a number of occasions, and this is because of a number of problems that regulators have picked up on with regards the both the sale and the effectiveness of this cover. PPI is a type of [...]

Following the latest Monetary Policy Committee meeting last week the Bank of England has decided to keep interest rates on hold amidst concerns over rising inflation. Although there have been calls for the central bank to cut rates as a result of the flagging economy officials have also had to take into consideration the risks [...]

If you are a homeowner in the UK and you are looking to raise finance for one of a wide range of purposes you may be able to enjoy great value borrowing by securing a loan against your home. Your ability to get a secured loan will depend upon the market value of your property [...]

Consolidation of debts is a term that many of us have become increasingly familiar with over recent years, with many of us turning to consolidation in order to try and eliminate higher interest debts. If you are able to get your hands on a low rate consolidation loan with cheap repayments you could really feel [...]

These days, with the level of consumer debt in the UK at record highs, many people find themselves suffering from debt problems, and once these problems start they can quickly spiral out of control. Often, it is people with a number of high interest debts such as credit cards, store cards, and high interest loans, [...]

In the past many consumers had no idea what an IVA was, but awareness has been raised over the past couple of years following a series of glossy advertisements run by a number of debt management agencies. An IVA, or Individual Voluntary Arrangement, is a legally binding agreement between a borrower and his or her [...]

Over recent years the prospect of being able to get onto the property ladder has become a very bleak one for many people, with rising property prices, rising interest rates, and rising living costs all adding to the financial strain experienced by consumers. In addition to this the global credit crunch has resulted in tighter [...]

The CEO of a major housing development company has called for further interest rate cuts, stating that house prices are likely to remain flat for the next eighteen months, and adding that the interest rate cuts are necessary in order to support the market. The Chief Executive of Barratt Developments has forecast a tough year [...]

Finding the right loan these days isn’t always difficult because there are so many different loan products available to suit a wide range of needs and circumstances. However, it is important to bear in mind the importance of choosing the right loan product. It is all too easy to rush into taking out finance without [...]

Despite the gloomy predictions relating to the housing market, and the documented reductions in house price inflation, recent figures have shown that buy to let mortgages had rocketed by the end of last year, increasing by nearly 25% compared to the end of the previous year.

With the high level of consumer debt in the UK, and the rising costs experienced by most households, it is little wonder that an increasing number of us are finding that our credit history and rating has been affected. Having bad credit is nothing unusual these days, but it is, of course, important to try [...]

Unsecured loans are loans that are available from a wide range of lenders, from High Street banks and building societies to Internet only lenders. As the name suggest an unsecured loan is not secured against any asset, and is based only on trust and contract. An unsecured loan is available to both homeowners and non-homeowners, [...]

Secured loans are loans that are aimed at homeowners with some level of equity in their homes. Equity is the difference between the market value of your property and the amount that you owe on the property by way of mortgage or other secured loans. Unlike an unsecured loan these loans are secured against the [...]

A fresh attack has recently been launched against some sale and rent back scheme firms by the homeless charity Shelter, with officials claiming that many of these forms fail to live up to their promises and rip off consumers in terms of what they pay for the property. These schemes have become increasingly popular with [...]

Homeowners that have entered into an IVA, or Individual Voluntary Arrangement, could face soaring interest charges on their mortgage as the result of a clause in the agreement that requires them to use the equity in their home to put towards their debts. An IVA is known as a softer alternative to bankruptcy, and those [...]

It seems that over the past year or so cheap mortgages have become a thing of the past in the UK, with the series of five interest rate hikes between August 2006 and July 2007 resulting in lenders hiking up their mortgage interest rates and reducing affordability for many potential property purchasers.