Pressure from the Government on the Banks is finally starting to pay off. The main mortgage lenders have started to respond to the demand that they should cut their mortgage lending rates. The Nationwide, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Natwest and the Northern Rock will cut their main variable lending rates by the full 1.5% on 1 December. (more…)

The Bradford & Bingley, Co-operative bank and First Direct have today raised the cost of their fixed rate mortgages as Banks find it increasingly difficult to raise finance to fund mortgage deals. The Co-op saw the biggest rise as they increased their rates between 0.7% and 0.9%. The move by these three banks now takes the average cost of a fixed rate mortgage to over 7%. (more…)