Self-cert
On Monday, GE Money Home Lending announced plans to expand its mortgage range to address demand from self-employed borrowers. With rates from 3.99%, borrowers will be offered discount, fixed and tracker mortgages with LTVs up to 80% on selected GE Money products.
Trapped renters
According to Rightmove’s latest research, the proportion of “trapped renters” – those wanting to buy, but unable to afford it – has risen almost 3% to 55% at the beginning of Q4, with more than a quarter of such renters aged over 40.
Turf wars
Industry figures told MPs they fear “turf wars” breaking out between different regulatory bodies and called for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to be more accountable on Tuesday.
SVR hike
The Bank of Scotland and The Mortgage Business said they would be increasing their SVR from 4.84% to 4.95% on 1 November, affecting around 175,000 customers.
90% comeback
Barclays re-entered the high loan-to-value mortgage market with a new range of products offering up to 90% LTV after withdrawing from the sector three years ago.
Debt avoiders
“I don’t know about you, but I tend to find that when people owe someone money, half the time they will kinda avoid contact.” Our exclusive columnist, The Insider, explains how tackling debt avoidance is a job for the specialists.
Bright ideas
Following Grant Shapps’ speech at the BSA conference on 30-year fixed rate mortgages, we got the views of the CML, AMI and Countrywide who tell us the ideas the government should really be listening to in this week’s Market Watch.
BTL regulation
With the European Union’s intention to draw buy to let under the regulator’s eye, Simret Samra examines why some of the market’s most influential players should be thinking and planning ahead now, in her latest blog.
HMO rules
Buy-to-let investors and landlords have been warned to beware potentially expensive regulatory changes that require planning permission for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or risk facing a “hefty” fine, warned the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) on Thursday.
TCF debate
In the latest Mortgage Solutions poll, we asked brokers if they thought the Financial Services Authority’s (FSA) Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) regime was a failure. The results showed that 47% of brokers believe the existing TCF principles do not provide enough protection for consumers, while 53% disagreed.
And finally…Top tweets
Sarah Modlock
If Sarkozy wants Cameron to keep out of “our” meeting then presumably he won’t want any more UK money for future eurozone bailouts either?
Allister Heath
MEPs vote for a 5.2pc pay hike at a time when their Eurozone is in terminal crisis. Why should we reward for failure?
Queen_UK
One has written off 50% of Greek debt. Less well reported is that one has also written off 50% of Angela Merkel and President Sarkozy.
Tom Green
In-Vince-able? I don’t think so. Business secretary who is banging on about people not paying taxes has been fined for not paying his own. Pot. Kettle. Black.
