When should you turn the heating on..................

The temperature is dropping again, and many of us are reaching for our cosy jumpers and winter duvets while we try to put off switching on the heating. Energy prices aren't quite as high as they have been but the cost of living crisis continues to bite and we are all keen to...


Hope for mortgage rate cuts after bank decision............

Mortgage rates should fall following the Bank of England's decision to keep its key interest rate on hold, brokers say. So far the response has been muted, with the Nationwide the only major lender to reduce mortgage rates since the Bank's announcement was made...


Mortgage rates are falling but don't celebrate yet!...........

Mortgage rates, which recently touched a 15-year high, have cast a long shadow over the finances of potential buyers. It is the same for existing homeowners, about 1.5 million of whom will see their current mortgage deal expire by the end of next year. Many will have...


ULEZ scrappage scheme extended for all Londoners.............

Eligibility for a scrappage scheme has been extended to more people ahead of the expansion the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) to all of London. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said all Londoners will be able to access up to £2,000 to replace non-compliant cars...


Interest rates highest for 15 years...............

Interest rates will stay higher for longer, the Bank of England has said for the first time, in an effort to battle soaring price rises. The Bank revealed the tactic to try and curb the rising cost of living as it raised rates again to 5.25% from 5%. Borrowing costs...


Mortgage rates fall for first time in two months............

Mortgage rates have fallen for the first time in two months following better-than-expected inflation figures. Rates on both two and five-year fixed deals have dropped on hopes that the Bank of England may not raise interest rates as much as previously thought. The rate of...


Average 5 year fixed rate mortgage rises above 6%...........

A typical five-year fixed mortgage deal now has an interest rate of more than 6%. It comes after the Bank of England raised interest rates to a 15-year high of 5% last month, as it tries to bring down inflation. Mortgage lenders have been increasing rates and withdrawing deals...


Rising interest rates hit mortgage payments..............

Rising interest rates means people looking to remortgage their homes will pay an average £2,900 a year more from 2024, a think tank has said. The Resolution Foundation predicts the average two-year fixed rate deal will hit 6.25% later this year, leaving the UK in a "...


Renter's Reform Bill introduced to Parliament......................

The government has introduced the Renter's (Reform) Bill today.  These "once-in-a-generation" reforms aim to deliver "safer, fairer, and higher quality homes". The Bill has been published as a House of Commons paper. The second reading - where MPs will debate the general...


When will interest rates start to fall?..............

The Bank of England has now raised interest rates 12 times in a row to a near 15-year high, but its latest outlook suggests the possibility of at least one further rate rise next month. The new forecast from the Bank outlines the foothills of economic recovery starting...


Surprise rise in house prices..................

UK house prices rose by 0.5% in April after seven consecutive months of falls, according to the Nationwide building society. Economists had been expecting average prices to decrease during the month. Prices had been falling since August last year, after Liz Truss's...


What do the EPC regulations mean for landlords?....................

If you’re a landlord, there are several reasons why you not only need an EPC (energy performance certificate), but should also take note of your rating. Even if you own your own home and don’t rent it out, the significance of an EPC still stands, though different...


What does the budget mean for you?..................

Taxation and wages   Cap on  amount workers can accumulate in pensions savings over their lifetime before having to pay extra tax (currently £1.07m) to be abolished Tax-free yearly allowance for pension pot to rise from £40,000 to £60,000 - having...


Rental market threatened by rising mortgage costs...............

Research compiled by BVA-BDRC for the National Residential Landlords Association has found that 63% of landlords have a buy-to-let mortgage on at least one property. Of this group, 29% plan to re-mortgage at least one property over the course of the next year. The NRLA warns...