News & Insight

Nearly half of landlords are due to remortgage this year, according to research, with current competitive mortgage rates meaning it could make sense to secure your next deal sooner rather than later. ...

The mortgage price war has brought some much-needed good news for landlords, who like residential homeowners have been hit with steeper mortgage costs over the past year. ...

The New Year can be a great time to review your financial situation and look at ways you might be able to make your money work harder for you. ...

The Bank of England has increased base rate to 1.25%. Here's our rundown of how lenders are reacting to the rise. ...

Nearly one in five UK adults (17%) thought about buying a holiday let property during the pandemic, according to research carried out by Suffolk Building Society....

Rising tenant demand is good news for landlords, who are also benefiting from some of the lowest Buy to Let mortgage options ever seen...

As uncertainty over foreign travel continues, demand for UK holiday lets is soaring. If you’re planning to rent out a property, make sure you don’t fall foul of mortgage rules. ...

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to leave the base rate unchanged at 0.1% in February but didn’t rule out rates falling below zero in future. ...

We explain what thew new restrictions in your area mean for your purchase or remortgage ...

Homeowners who have taken mortgage payment holidays to help them weather the financial impact of coronavirus may be able to extend their breaks by three months, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed. ...

Recent weeks have proved a rollercoaster ride for the mortgage market, with several lenders withdrawing products and then expanding their ranges. But what next for the mortgage market? ...

More than 1.2m homeowners have been offered mortgage payment holidays by their lenders to help them weather the financial impact of coronavirus. ...

Home-movers are being advised by the Government to put their plans on hold wherever possible whilst measures are in place to fight coronavirus. ...

The Bank of England cut the base rate again on Thursday to just 0.1%, its lowest ever level, in a bid to support the economy during the coronavirus crisis. ...

Although much of this week’s Budget speech focused on measures to protect people and businesses from the economic impact of the coronavirus, there were several announcements on property. ...

The Bank of England slashed the base rate by half a percentage point to just 0.25% on Wednesday to help shore up the economy during the coronavirus outbreak. ...

Growing numbers of property investors are looking to buy holiday homes to let out in the UK in response to increasing demand for UK holidays. ...

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After all that festive spending, the New Year is the ideal time to review your finances and look at ways you might be able to save money in 2020. ...

Political and economic uncertainty may have dominated 2019, but homeowners and buyers have continued to benefit from rock-bottom mortgage rates. ...

Ongoing political and economic uncertainty has failed to deter first-time buyers, with growing numbers managing to get on to the property ladder. ...

The number of landlords buying properties to rent out is on the up, according to latest data from trade body UK Finance. ...

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First-time buyer and homemover mortgage numbers dropped slightly in June, with many people putting their plans on hold due to current political and economic uncertainty. ...

Buy-to-let landlords are benefiting from cheaper mortgage rates and a wider choice of deals as lenders compete for their business. ...

The financial press took a look at the pros and cons of longer mortgage terms this weekend, following research produced by Santander that suggested almost half of buyers would consider taking a mortgage over a period of 40 years. ...

This weekend’s financial press highlighted the variety of new products coming on to the market, as lenders look for new and interesting ways to attract borrowers. ...

There are just a few weeks to go before the new 2019-20 tax year begins on 6th April, when landlords will see further reductions in the amount of tax relief they can claim. ...

Political and economic uncertainty has failed to dent first-time buyers’ enthusiasm, latest UK Finance figures show, with numbers reaching a 12-year high in 2018. ...

Landlords racing to beat the self-assessment deadline on 31st January must for the first time factor in cuts to mortgage interest rate relief when completing their tax returns. ...

Your mortgage is likely to be your biggest monthly outgoing, so it’s a great place to start if you’re looking to cut costs. Here’s our rundown of some of the mortgage resolutions you might want to consider making. ...

Landlords who are concerned about higher mortgage costs if interest rates rise have a wider range of fixed rate options to choose from following the launch of a new range of 10-year fixes. ...

Landlords should be incentivised to sell to tenants at a discount under a new scheme proposed by conservative think-tank the Centre for Policy Studies. ...

First-time buyer numbers in August reached their highest level since June last year, with a total of 35,500 mortgages completed. ...

The Chancellor Philip Hammond will unveil his Autumn Budget on October 29th, with many speculating that he could announce a range of measures affecting the property market. ...

The Guardian highlighted further changes for landlords this week, as new rules for ‘Houses in Multiple Occupation’ (HMO’s) come into force. ...

This year’s Gas Safety Week, which runs from September 17-23, aims to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. ...

Short-term holiday lets are becoming increasingly popular as a way for landlords to generate an income, but it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons carefully first. ...

With recent figures indicating subdued wage growth and inflation, some experts believe that next month’s anticipated base rate increase is no longer a certainty. ...

Renters would be able to stay in their homes for at least three years under new government proposals aimed at giving both them and landlords more security. ...

There was some good news for landlords this weekend, with the Times reporting on a significant increase in the number of deals available within the Buy to Let market over the last two years, particularly for first time landlords. ...

More than 40,000 homeowners remortgaged in April, according to latest figures from trade body UK Finance, up 36% compared to the same month last year. ...

Recent figures have revealed that the Bank of Mum and Dad lent over £6.5 billion in 2017 to help their children get on to the property ladder. ...

Around 380,000 landlords (19%) plan to sell their rental properties in the coming year, according to research by the National Landlords Association. ...

Two lenders, Sainsbury’s Bank and The Mortgage Lender, have entered the buy to let market this for the first time, widening the range of mortgage options available to landlords. ...

Expectations of a base rate rise in May were dampened following comments from the Bank of England governor Mark Carney, but it’s still vital for homeowners to consider the impact of higher rates. ...

There was some good news for experienced landlords this week, as one lender removes its upper age limit for those who have owned and let a Buy to Let property for at least 6 months. ...

The start of the new 2018-19 tax year on April 6 saw further reductions in the amount of tax relief landlords can claim on mortgage interest payments. ...

Landlords will need to ensure their rental properties meet minimum energy efficiency standards before they can be let out, under new rules being introduced this spring. ...

Navigating the mortgage market isn’t always easy, but some seem to manage it with ease, even though it often takes a lot of hard work behind the scenes. That’s the message behind our new advertising campaign ‘Glide’ which you can watch here . ...

The Guardian revealed this weekend that thousands of homeowners are finding themselves trapped in new-build properties they cannot sell, due to a clause in their lease which allows for a doubling in ground rent every 10 years. ...

Mortgage lenders began the New Year with a bang, offering a string of rate cuts, the Times reported this weekend. ...

Many people put sorting out their finances at the top of their list of New Year financial resolutions, and reviewing your mortgage can be a great place to start. ...

The Budget introduced a range of measures designed to boost the housing market and improve the supply of new homes in the UK. Here’s our rundown of the changes announced. ...

Here’s how lenders are reacting to the Bank of England’s decision to increase Base Rate. We’ll keep updating this page as news comes in. ...

Much of the focus since the base rate rise last week has been on what impact the increase has on homeowners, but it also has implications for landlords, many of whom have already had to adapt to several other changes this year. ...

Landlords with four or more mortgaged buy-to-let properties can now expect greater scrutiny of their entire portfolio when trying to buy a new property. ...

You’ve found the property you want to buy, but now you need to get it for the right price. We understand that haggling on the property price can be tricky... So here are our top tips to help you buy a property at the best possible price. ...

Predictions for an imminent rise in interest rates continued this weekend, with the Times and Sunday Times warning homeowners sitting on their lender’s Standard Variable Rate not to hold off any longer. ...

Buying a property to let out is very different to buying a property to live in, so if you’re planning to become a landlord, it’s really important to plan properly. ...

As the end of the year approaches, mortgage lenders are keen to secure as much new business as possible, and this weekend’s financial press looked at the current crop of enticing deals. ...

With new lending rules for portfolio landlords coming into force at the end of this month, the Times and Sunday Times looked at the likely impact on borrowers. ...

More changes on the way for landlords.. Landlords who own four or more mortgaged buy-to-let properties can soon expect lenders to look across their whole portfolio if they want to apply for a mortgage on a new property....

The Times focused on the new Buy to Let rules from the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) that will come into force this October. They will affect ‘portfolio landlords’ (those with 4 or more mortgaged properties). Previously, lenders might assess a new mortgage in isolation but will now have to undertake a review of all the client’s assets, liability, tax position, business plan and exit strategy. Buy to Let Mortgage lenders are beginning to announce how they will implement these changes,...

Lenders will have to adopt a more uniform approach to mortgage stress tests, following a clarification of the rules by the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC)....

If you own property you rent out, make sure you aren’t paying more than you need to for your buy to let mortgage....

Less than 2m interest-only mortgages across the UK remain outstanding, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), down from 3.2m in 2012. There are currently 1.9m interest-only loans, with a third of these due to mature in the 2030s. With this type of mortgage, as the name suggests, you only repay the interest on the amount you’ve borrowed each month. The capital must be repaid when the mortgage term ends. Millions of borrowers took out this type of...

May is the 99th month that the Bank of England has kept its base rate at or below 0.50%. Around 2.5 million people have bought their first property since then, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, and will not yet have witnessed base rate moving in the opposite direction. ...

There is a new lender in town, claimed this weekend’s financial press, and it goes by the name of BOMAD. ...

The start of the new tax year on April 6 has ushered in changes to buy-to-let tax relief which gradually restrict the amount of relief landlords can claim on mortgage interest payments. ...

Applying for a mortgage can be tricky, but if you’re a self-employed worker, freelancer or contractor, you could face extra challenges. Here's what you'll need to get a mortgage as a self-employed person... ...

The housing market is a tough nut to crack for first-time buyers, with rising house prices requiring bigger deposits, and tough affordability criteria making it difficult to secure a mortgage. ...

The latest Bank of England data shows the cost of mortgages is beginning to edge up, according to this weekend’s Daily Telegraph, with longer-term fixed rates experiencing the biggest increases. ...

Last year isn’t one any of us are likely to forget in a hurry thanks to Brexit, but amidst all the political turmoil, homebuyers and owners enjoyed some of the lowest mortgage rates ever recorded. ...

Santander has announced it will tighten the rental calculation for landlords from 23rd November. This makes them the first major lender to declare policy changes since the Prudential Regulatory Authority published new requirements in September....

When you apply for a mortgage, lenders will look to your bank statements to help them decide how much you can afford to borrow. Follow these simple steps to boost your mortgage affordability...

In the Autumn Statement, Chancellor George Osborne announced a substantial increase in Stamp Duty...

As announced in the Budget, mortgage interest rate relief is going to be limited to the basic 20% income tax rate: higher and top rate tax payers no longer get full relief.The government has now published the detail of how the change will be phased in here which says in 2017 to 2018 the deduction from property income (as is currently allowed) will be restricted to 75% of finance costs, with the remaining 25% being available as a basic rate ta...

Buy to let applicants are subject to different criteria than someone looking for a residential mortgage. For example, you may need a larger deposit and a higher annual salary, and that’s just the beginning.However for those who find the right mix of property, finance and tenant a buy to let property can provide you with a steady source of income. The average UK rent yield is over 5%, which makes buy to let appear an attractive options with saving...