August 2009 - Product Reviews

Remortgage - House prices up by 6.7 % since the start of the year

House prices up by 6.7 % since the start of the year House prices have started to recover some of the large losses suffered since the market peak of summer 2007. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) published its latest housing survey showing that the overall property market has ... More

Unsecured Loans - Ministers warn banks to increase the amount of loans to businesses

Ministers warn banks to increase the amount of loans to businesses Politicians are lining up to throw further criticism at the banks after it was announced by the Bank of England that lending to firms fell by a record amount in the second quarter. Lending to non financial firms dropped by ... More

Unsecured Loans - Provident Financial announce 1st half rise in profits of 4%

Provident Financial announce 1st half rise in profits of 4% Provident Financial, best known for its doorstep lending activities, reported an increase in profits of 3.5% to £53.1m in the six months trading period to the end of June. Provident Financial has 2.1 million customers, or 4.3% of the ... More

Debt Consolidation - Becoming free of debt is getting easier

Becoming free of debt is getting easier Getting into debt was never easier than during the past 20 years. There was a surplus competition ready to lend, companies and the public were positive and the financial outlook for everyone was strong. As the economy boomed, inflation was conquered and ... More

New Mortgages - Recovery looming in the housing market

Recovery looming in the housing market There is further evidence of a recovery in the UK housing market following the publication by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) of statistics which show a further upturn in confidence amongst their members that prices are expected increase ... More

Debt Consolidation - Investors urged to get out of onshore investment bonds

Investors urged to get out of onshore investment bonds Onshore investment bonds are losing their appeal as new tax rules for high income earners are being analysed. The Chancellor has recently announced new rules for the taxation of Britons earning £150,000 on the yearly gains from such ... More

Remortgage - Borrowers in the United Kingdom targeted by the Bank of China

Borrowers in the United Kingdom targeted by the Bank of China With the mortgage market just starting to show signs of life, there is a further interesting development in that the Bank of China, the third largest bank in the world, is seeking to increase its footprint in the UK. Whilst the ... More

Credit Cards - Muted sales seen by the high street in July

Muted sales seen by the high street in July With 291,000 businesses turning over £265 billion per year with 3 million people, the UK retail industry is one of the largest employers in the private sector. Its fortunes, or otherwise, are an important indicator as to the health of the economy and ... More

Homeowner Loans - Big upturn in US house sales, is it a sign the credit crunch is easing

Big upturn in US house sales, is it a sign the credit crunch is easing The National Association of Realtors has recently reported that the number of pending house sales has risen for the fifth consecutive month. This is the longest trend in the number of sales since July 2003. The Pending ... More

Homeowner Loans - OFT affected by £250,000 fraud

OFT affected by £250,000 fraud It seems that no one is immune from fraud these days. It was recently revealed that the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the government body set up to protect the interests of the consumer, was duped for £1/4 million over a two year period by a member of staff. The ... More

Debt Consolidation - All the facts about bankruptcy

All the facts about bankruptcy Being made, or declaring yourself bankrupt is pretty much the end of the line in terms of debt management. It should not be considered before all other options for clearing your debt have been explored, especially an Individual Voluntary arrangement (IVA). An IVA ... More

Unsecured Loans - Unsecured lending, the facts

Unsecured lending, the facts An unsecured loan is a contractual agreement where you agree to repay the capital and interest of the amount borrowed on set dates for a set period of time. The lender does not seek additional security ion the form of a charge over your home or any other assets that... More

Remortgage - New mortgage products available

New mortgage products available The mortgage market in the UK has undergone a significant change following the financial crisis and subsequent recession. The fall out from the meltdown is a significant reduction in the number of providers as well as a strong drive towards over careful lending ... More

Unsecured Loans - Is it time to sell your antiques?

Is it time to sell your antiques? Recession brings opportunities in many varying forms. With interest rates low and the stock markets volatile behaviour putting many investors off, there may be an opportunity to cash in on peoples desire for tangible possessions that grow in value. The ... More

Travel - Richard Branson to rescue Australian airline

Richard Branson to rescue Australian airline Virgin Blue, the Australian budget airliner part owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Group, has announced that they expect to lose between A$160m and A$165m dollars in the current years trading period ending in June. It appears that the short haul ... More

Unsecured Loans - Unemployed duped by fake job vacancies

Unemployed duped by fake job vacancies Callous fraudsters have sunk to new lows by preying on the unemployed. Recent scams have been uncovered where a number of fake job advertisements for well paid roles have been placed in newspapers and on websites in the hope of attracting applicants and ... More

Vehicle Loans - Virtual vehicle scams on the increase

Virtual vehicle scams on the increase Recessions always lead to an increase in crime. Whether it is petty offences such as muggings or bag snatches or serious fraud and burglary, the financial necessity the few often forces them to prey on the majority of law abiding citizens - which ... More

Remortgage - Remortgage options becoming more tempting

Remortgage options becoming more tempting The recent round of banking results gives some indication that the worst may be over in the financial markets. This is good news for borrowers as it means that access to loans and mortgages could start to get easier as the recession shows signs of ... More

Insurance - £730m worth of fraudulent claims in 2008

Insurance provides us with a financial backstop when catastrophe calls – even if it is a small bump in the car or a glass of red wine over the carpet. But it seems that recessionary times drive bad behaviour with the total amount of undetected fraudulent claims against insurance companies rising ... More

Remortgage - New mortgages on the increase as house prices are still rising

New mortgages on the increase as house prices are still rising The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has recently issued statistics from its members that show a dramatic 17% rise in the mortgage lending in June 2009. The amount lent was £12.3bn – up from £10.5bn in May. However, mortgage ... More

Unsecured Loans - Unemployment rises to 2.38 million

Unemployment rises to 2.38 million The recession is biting hard in terms of unemployment. Recent statistics released by the government show that unemployment is rising at its fastest rate ever recorded. Many expect the total number of unemployed persons in the UK to reach 3 million before the ... More

Remortgage - 20 billion overspend revealed by the Treasury

20 billion overspend revealed by the Treasury Public finances are in a mess. Well, that is the non technical term for the pickle that we now seem to find ourselves in after the greatest banking rescue in history combined with the deepest recession since the 1930's. Government overspending on... More

Unsecured Loans - Credit crunch results in rise in bag snatches and muggings

Credit crunch results in rise in bag snatches and muggings A recent snap shot crime survey commissioned by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has shown that more than 90% of retailers have experienced a higher level of crime over the past 12 months, with 80% believing that the cause has been ... More

Remortgage - 80% LTV offered by Black Horse

80% LTV offered by Black Horse The banks really are in a pickle. They are being forced by the regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to hold more capital in case of losses and yet are being 'encouraged' by the government to increase lending to businesses and consumers. These two ... More

Remortgage - Is it time to get back on the property ladder

Is it time to get back on the property ladder House prices appear to have stabilised and even started to gain some of their value lost over the past two years. So appears to be the picture of the latest house price surveys that have shown small monthly increases in value for the last four ... More

Debt Consolidation - Relieve the stress of debt with a professional debt plan

Relieve the stress of debt with a professional debt plan Experiencing financial problems can be embarrassing. It can be a bit like going to the doctor with a personal problem - something you try to avoid until it's simply vital that it is resolved. It infers that you have lost control of your ... More

Remortgage - 5.99 fixed rate mortgaged launched with Abbey

5.99 fixed rate mortgaged launched with Abbey It is almost like being back in the old days. New mortgage offers are being announced almost every day as the market scrambles itself back from the edge of oblivion to something approaching the very minimum of what could be described as ... More

Unsecured Loans - Lending on the increase, is it the right time to apply for a loan or finance

Lending on the increase, is it the right time to apply for a loan or finance The worst ravages of the financial meltdown appear to be behind us. Or so it seems with the optimistic reviews of the recent UK and US banking results that have recently been announced. The worst appears to be over but... More

Debt Consolidation - There is a way to avoid bankruptcy

There is a way to avoid bankruptcy There is a danger that if you start to have problems with debt that you automatically think that the only solution is bankruptcy. As consumer lending has grown over the last 30 years, so has the legal environment surrounding financial services and there are a ... More

Debt Consolidation - IVA, what does it mean

IVA, what does it mean Many people are struggling with debt as a result of a change in circumstances due to the recession. Loss of a job, breakup of a long term relationship or the onset of a long term illness can all have a devastating impact on family finances. A once comfortable lifestyle ... More

Unsecured Loans - The myths over blacklisting

The myths over blacklisting Many people believe that there is a creditors blacklist and that consumers placed on this list will not be able to borrow. The reality is that there is no blacklist in existence and it is merely the credit history of borrowers that prevents them from obtaining new ... More

Unsecured Loans - What is bad credit

What is bad credit Have you been refused credit? If you have it may be because you are deemed to be a bad credit risk. But how do you get to be a bad credit risk? There are a number of factors that affect your credit score – and it is a credit score that determines whether you are a bad ... More

Unsecured Loans - Unsecured loans, which is the right one for you

Unsecured loans, which is the right one for you When it comes to getting a loan you need to make sure that you understand all the options available before selecting which type to apply for. There are four basic types of loan; secured, unsecured, fixed rate and variable rate. Understanding ... More

Debt Consolidation - Credit card debts, how to reduce payments

Credit card debts, how to reduce payments Credit cards have helped increase the security and certainty of payment for many years. As consumer protection legislation has developed over the years they also afford users valuable guarantees when purchasing goods and services over £100. As the ... More

Gas and Electricity - Rising cost of living, tips on how to cope through the current credit crunch

Rising cost of living, tips on how to cope through the current credit crunch Few of us will have experienced a recession and credit crunch the likes of the one we are currently ensnared within. The speed and depth of its arrival surprised all and the impact has been devastating for many and ... More

Debt Consolidation - Consolidation Loan or Debt plan, weigh up the options

Consolidation Loan or Debt plan, weigh up the options With the explosion of credit demand has come a range of new tools and terminology. Some new initiatives have also been introduced to help consumers understand the complexity of the products and services they are being offered and new ... More

Debt Consolidation - Top tips on reducing your outgoings

Top tips on reducing your outgoings So you have done all you can to increase the income coming into the family home, now you need to look at ways of reducing the expenditure that drains it so heavily. All expenditure items are worth reviewing as you may be surprised what can be done. Start ... More

Debt Consolidation - Work out your disposable income

Work out your disposable income Most of us have a pretty good idea of what we earn – at least as an annual gross salary amount. But I'll wager that not many people can actually work out their disposable income! Disposable income is what is left from your gross income (usually salary or ... More

Unsecured Loans - How to read your credit file

How to read your credit file Every one of us has a credit file. It contains a history of our borrowings, records relating to any services that we may have taken out or enquired after and details of where we live. As such, it is a complete snapshot with history of how we have moved around and ... More

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