affordability

FCA eases mortgage rules to boost affordability and simplify remortgaging

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled a package of reforms designed to streamline...

Lending into retirement and intergenerational mortgages key to tackling affordability crisis

Senior mortgage market figures have called for a shift in lending practices to help...

Skipton lowers income threshold for high LTI mortgages

Skipton Building Society is lowering the minimum income threshold required for borrowers seeking high...

Hamptons downgrades rental growth forecast as demand shifts to sales market

Hamptons has sharply downgraded its rental growth forecast for 2025, projecting that rents across...

The Coventry drops residential rates following stress test revision

Coventry for intermediaries has announced rate reductions across selected residential mortgage products, cutting rates...

The Coventry relaxes stress test to boost borrowing power

Coventry for intermediaries has eased its mortgage stress testing criteria, enabling borrowers to secure...

Affordability crunch: private renters struggling to save as housing costs soar

A growing divide between renters and homeowners is placing mounting pressure on first-time buyer...

UK house prices rise 3.9% as market edges forward after spring lull

UK house prices rose by 3.9% in the 12 months to May 2025, with...

One million homes increase in value by 50% since pandemic

More than one million UK homes have increased in value by 50% or more...

Reeves’ reforms are a welcome boost but the housing market must modernise

Rachel Reeves’ announcement marks a clear shift in housing policy, with measures that could...

Criticism and uncertainty surround launch of Labour’s ‘Freedom to Buy’ mortgage scheme

Rachel Reeves is expected to launch Labour’s Freedom to Buy scheme tomorrow, a permanent...

Cabinet Minister refuses to rule out wealth tax ahead of Autumn Budget

A senior cabinet minister has declined to rule out the introduction of a wealth...

Wimbledon leads global Grand Slam markets on mortgage affordability gains

Wimbledon has not only retained its title as the most expensive property market among...

First-time buyers borrow more but fall behind house price rises

An in-depth analysis of mortgage affordability by Acre has revealed widening regional disparities and...

COMMENT

Harpenden’s expat move could be bigger than the numbers suggest

Harpenden Building Society’s move into expat mortgages this summer has been good news for brokers and borrowers. But I think its importance goes beyond...

We need to wait to get a clearer picture

It's been a week where the political and economic backdrop has moved almost as fast as rates themselves, and it's worth taking stock of...

Leasehold valuation reform: the consultation is asking only half the question

The Government's consultation on leasehold enfranchisement valuation rates is important because it will help determine what leaseholders pay to extend leases or buy freeholds,...

What commonhold will mean for mortgage lenders and brokers

Commonhold is often presented as the straightforward alternative to leasehold. It removes the freeholder, gives flat owners greater control and avoids some familiar problems...

Why you need to know what sits behind the average review score

There’s a funny thing about review scores. The better they are, the less likely we are to question them. If a company is sitting at...

Latest news

Landbay adds 11 tracker products and cuts rates by up to 15bps

Landbay has expanded its buy-to-let tracker range with 11 new products and reduced rates...

Howden expands in North Wales with Wrexham office

Howden has opened its first commercial insurance office in Wrexham as the broker expands...

UK buyers reluctant to compromise despite affordability pressures

UK homebuyers remain committed to purchasing a property but are less willing than buyers...

Keystone trims buy-to-let fixed rates by up to 15bps

Keystone Property Finance has reduced pricing across a number of its buy-to-let mortgage ranges,...

PROFILES