Government introduces private rented sector reforms

18th May 2023 Consumer Collections |

The Government has announced new private rented sector reforms. The Renters’ (Reform) Bill, introduced to Parliament will abolish section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions which will empower renters to challenge poor landlords without fear of losing their home. The new Bill also protects over two million landlords, making it easier for them to recover properties when…

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Six in ten financial advisers concerned 100% mortgages could create a repayment crisis

Six in ten Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) are concerned 100% mortgages could create a repayment crisis according to research by Opinium. The insights agency revealed that nearly two-thirds of IFAs (66%) who receive mortgage requests are concerned about the risks associated with 100% mortgages. Over three fifths of IFAs (63%) worry about 100% mortgages because…

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Average monthly rent outside London now more than £1,000 per month

The average monthly rent outside London has now risen to more than £1,000 per calendar month (pcm) according to research by Hamptons with tenants typically paying 25% on top of what they were paying at start of pandemic. The research found that April 2023 marked a significant milestone in the rental market, as the average…

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One in five struggling with bills and credit repayments

17th May 2023 Banking and Loans | #regulation

Around one in five adults are struggling with bills and credit repayments, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The analysis shows that the number of people burdened by these financial challenges has increased from around 7.8m (15%) in May 2022 to 10.9m (21%) in January 2023. The number of adults who missed bills or…

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Third of landlords intend to sell this year

16th May 2023 Consumer Collections | #rents

Figures from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) have indicated that about 35% of landlords are planning to sell a property this year, with many forced out of the market by rising mortgage costs, higher taxes and increased regulation. There are about 2.75m landlords in the UK, down 3.5% in the past year, research shows.…

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Rate rises to cost mortgage holders £12bn in extra payments

The Resolution Foundation says the Bank of England’s decision to hike rates to 4.5% will mostly impact young families. The Foundation notes that the Bank of England’s decision to combat high inflation by raising interest rates for the twelfth consecutive time to 4.5 per cent last Thursday – a rise of over four percentage points…

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700,000 households estimated to have missed rent or mortgage payments in April

An estimated 700,000 households missed a housing payment in the last month, new Which? research suggests, as the consumer champion calls on essential businesses to do more to support people through the cost of living crisis. Missed housing payments were particularly high among renters – with one in 20 (5.2%) renters surveyed missing a payment…

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Second charge mortgage volumes fall by 10%

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that second charge mortgage new business volumes fell by 10% in March 2023. Commenting on the latest new business figures for the second charge mortgage market, Fiona Hoyle, Director of Consumer & Mortgage Finance and Inclusion at the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), said…

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Consumers battle to manage credit card finances

Latest data from FICO on UK credit card trends has illustrated the financial balancing act many consumers are facing. Average card spend has increased month-on-month and year-on-year. Higher prices for day-to-day purchases will be reflected in this increase. UK consumers are also paying off less of their outstanding balance, indicating the squeeze on personal budgets.…

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Third of homeowners struggling with mortgage cost increases

Nearly a third of homeowners (30%) are struggling to cover the increased cost of borrowing having seen the monthly cost of their mortgage increase by hundreds of pounds a month following interest rate rises, according to new research by Barrows and Forrester. The survey of 2,304 current homeowners with a mortgage found that 57% have…

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Banks see increase in defaults

Data from the Bank of England shows that banks and building societies have seen an increase in defaults. In the three months to February, lenders said that default rates on secured loans to households, such as mortgages, and unsecured loans, such as credit cards, increased and are expected to increase further in the next three…

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Second charge mortgage levels fall by 10%

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that second charge mortgage new business volumes fell by 10% in February 2023 Commenting on the latest new business figures for the second charge mortgage market, Fiona Hoyle, Director of Consumer & Mortgage Finance and Inclusion at the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), said:…

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Government extends mortgage support for benefit claimants

The Government has announced an extension to its mortgage support for benefit claimants. The new change will mean that an additional 200,000 Universal Credit claimants will be able to access quicker support with their mortgage.  The move will mean support for Mortgage Interest loan scheme extended to 200,000 additional Universal Credit claimants in efforts to…

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