News & Insight

Council tax bills are on their way up again from April, but if you’re worried about rising household bills, remortgaging could help reduce your outgoings. ...

Good traffic links and nearby scenic walks are top of homebuyers’ wish lists, according to new L&C research, with takeaway delivery services and access to Uber cabs a much lower priority. ...

Joining forces with friends may be the only way some first-time buyers can afford to get onto the property ladder, but it’s important to weigh up all the pros and cons of co-owning a home first. ...

Over 400,000 first-time buyers have been given a leg up onto the property ladder by one or more of the government’s Help to Buy schemes over the past five years. ...

There are just a few weeks to go before the new 2019-20 tax year begins on 6th April, when landlords will see further reductions in the amount of tax relief they can claim. ...

Here’s our rundown of the top financial goals you’ll need to focus on and some of the ways you might be able to reach them....

The competition runs from 10am 01/03/2019 until midnight 31/03/2019. Entries received after this time will not be put forward for the draw. The prize draw is open to residents of the UK aged 18 or over, excluding employees or agencies of London & Country Mortgages, MoneySuperMarket or their respective group companies or families or anyone else connected to the Prize Draw....

Political and economic uncertainty has failed to dent first-time buyers’ enthusiasm, latest UK Finance figures show, with numbers reaching a 12-year high in 2018. ...

Both the Times and Financial Times reported this weekend on recent figures from UK Finance, which show an increase in the number of mortgages given to First Time Buyers last year. ...

Japanese knotweed, the intrusive superweed which strikes fear into the hearts of homeowners, could be under control in 21 years thanks to tighter mortgage lending criteria. ...

It might not be a very romantic question, but would you stay in a relationship to get a foot on the property ladder? Two salaries can make it much easier to qualify for better mortgage deals and help to meet lenders’ affordability tests. But is it worth it?...

There were around 785,000 first-time buyers in England last year, according to the latest English Housing Survey, with many helped by the Bank of Mum and Dad. ...

100% mortgages have hit the headlines recently with the launch of Lloyds Bank’s new ‘Lend a Hand’ scheme, but can homebuyers really purchase a property with no deposit? ...

Thinking about a new kitchen or adding an extension to your property in 2019? If so, you can’t start planning soon enough. ...

Millions of homeowners will be mortgage-free later than they expected, according to new L&C research, but there are plenty of things you can do to pay off what you owe sooner. ...

As uncertainty over Brexit continues, the financial press looked this weekend at the impact on the housing market and consumer confidence. ...

Landlords racing to beat the self-assessment deadline on 31st January must for the first time factor in cuts to mortgage interest rate relief when completing their tax returns. ...

Around 140,000 homeowners who are stuck paying high interest rate mortgages could soon find it easier to move to cheaper deals, under plans announced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). ...

Growing numbers of first-time buyers are getting onto the property ladder, new figures show, helped by low mortgage rates and government schemes such as Help to Buy. ...

The savings homeowners can make by remortgaging have reached their highest level in 11 years, according to new research. ...

The financial press reported this weekend on plans by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to change affordability rules for ‘mortgage prisoners’. ...

House prices rose at their slowest pace for nearly six years in December, according to Nationwide’s latest house price index, with ongoing Brexit uncertainty taking its toll. ...

January is often the month when many of us decide to sort out our finances, and reviewing your mortgage should be top of the list. ...

Your mortgage is likely to be your biggest monthly outgoing, so it’s a great place to start if you’re looking to cut costs. Here’s our rundown of some of the mortgage resolutions you might want to consider making. ...

Young people whose parents have property wealth are nearly three times more likely to get onto the property ladder by the age of 30 than those whose parents don’t own a home. ...

1. The competition runs from 10am 10/01/2019 until midnight 11/02/2019. Entries received after this time will not be put forward for the draw. 2. The prize draw is open to residents of the UK aged 18 or over, excluding employees or agencies of London & Country Mortgages, MoneySuperMarket or their respective group companies or families or anyone else connected to the Prize Draw. 3. Contestants must Like and Share our competition post, like the L&C Facebook page and post a comment, or Like ...

So-called ‘supersized’ mortgages have hit the headlines following the launch of a new mortgage enabling professionals to borrow up to six times their salary. ...

One in five (22%) first-time buyers is hoping their parents will cough up more than half the funds they need to get onto the property ladder, according to recent research. ...

Is moving house one of your New Year’s resolutions? If so, check out our list of do’s and don’ts to get your home ready for viewing and see if you can get the best possible price. ...

Want to get in touch with us over Christmas? No problem, here’s when we’ll be available for you to give us a call: ...

Landlords who are concerned about higher mortgage costs if interest rates rise have a wider range of fixed rate options to choose from following the launch of a new range of 10-year fixes. ...

Smart meters are gradually being installed in homes across the UK, putting an end to estimated bills and allowing us to see exactly how much energy we’re using. ...

One in five mortgage holders, equivalent to three million people, believe they will still be paying off their mortgage beyond the age of 65, according to new L&C research. ...

L&C will be taking part in the first ever Mortgage Sleep Out on Friday 30th November to help highlight the issue of homelessness across the UK. ...

Nearly two-thirds of people trying to move up the property ladder say they’re finding it harder than it was to buy their first home. ...

House prices ticked up in October, according to Halifax, supported by the limited supply of properties available for sale, low mortgage rates and a strong jobs market. ...

Thousands of first-time buyers every year manage to get onto the property ladder with help from their parents, but not everyone is lucky enough to have financial support from family. ...

Fixed rate mortgages have proved hugely popular in recent years, but with increasingly attractive variable rate deals on offer, is it time for borrowers to consider other options? ...

The Bank of England voted unanimously to keep the base rate at 0.75% in November, the third consecutive month it has left rates unchanged. ...

L&C recently ran a study to find out the real world value of video game properties. You might be surprised to find out that more people Google ‘How to buy a house in Skyrim’ than ‘How to buy a house in London, Paris, or even New York! So what could this mean in reality? We’ve put together a comparison so you can figure out whether you’d be hanging out in Hyrule or slumming it in Fallout 4’s Home Plate....

Landlords should be incentivised to sell to tenants at a discount under a new scheme proposed by conservative think-tank the Centre for Policy Studies. ...

First-time buyers who are currently renting could find it easier to get onto the property ladder now that rental payment information will be included on their credit reports. ...

First-time buyer numbers in August reached their highest level since June last year, with a total of 35,500 mortgages completed. ...

The 2018 Autumn Budget included a range of measures focused on the housing market. Here’s our rundown of the changes. ...

The Chancellor Philip Hammond will unveil his Autumn Budget on October 29th, with many speculating that he could announce a range of measures affecting the property market. ...

Tenants living in shared houses could face steeper rents following the introduction of new legislation which requires their landlords to hold a license. ...

Customers who remain loyal to their financial providers are losing out on more than £4bn a year, equivalent to almost £900 per household, according to Citizens Advice. ...

Lenders are urging the government to clarify the future of the Help to Buy scheme, warning that major changes could risk “significant market disruption.” ...

The number of self-employed people in the UK continues to grow, but getting a mortgage if you work for yourself isn’t always straightforward. ...

The challenges of achieving home ownership were highlighted once again this weekend, with the Financial Times reporting on recent figures published by the Office of National Statistics. ...

Halifax’s latest house price index showed that the quarterly rate of growth held steady in September, although the month-on-month change revealed a drop. ...

Growing numbers of lenders are launching Help to Buy mortgages, increasing the options available to buyers of new build properties. ...

The Guardian highlighted further changes for landlords this week, as new rules for ‘Houses in Multiple Occupation’ (HMO’s) come into force. ...

When inflation rises or falls, it can have a significant impact on mortgage rates because the Bank of England uses the rate of inflation to help it decide whether the base rate should go up or down. Here’s what you need to know. ...

To help people identify whether they could be at risk, Public Health England is urging adults to take a free online test to find out their ‘heart age’. ...

The Sunday Times reported this week that, despite last month’s increase in the Bank of England base rate, a number of big name lenders have cut their rates in recent weeks. ...

1. The competition runs from 8am 28/09/2018 until midnight 31/10/2018. Entries received after this time will not be put forward for the draw. ...

Tens of thousands of landlords may have to apply for a licence to rent out their property as a ‘house in multiple occupation’ (HMO) once new government rules are introduced on October 1. ...

It is a decade since investment bank Lehman Brothers went bust, triggering a global financial crisis which resulted in widespread changes to the UK mortgage market. ...

Around one in five parents and grandparents aged over 55 accept a lower standard of living to help family onto the housing ladder, according to research. ...

This year’s Gas Safety Week, which runs from September 17-23, aims to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. ...

Longer term 5 and 10-year fixed rate mortgages are becoming increasingly popular, as borrowers seek to protect themselves from further interest rate rises. ...

The Bank of England today voted to keep the base rate unchanged at 0.75%. ...

This weekend’s financial press looked at the future of Help to Buy, with experts sharing their views on whether the Government scheme should be amended, extended or scrapped beyond its current end date of 2021. ...

Gross mortgage lending reached £24.6bn in July, according to latest figures from trade body UK Finance, its highest level since March 2016. ...

UK house prices fell at their sharpest rate for six years in August, according to Nationwide’s latest monthly House Price Index, bringing the average cost of a home to £214,745....

Households will have to start switching to LED lightbulbs from next month, when a ban on the production of halogen bulbs comes into effect across Europe. ...

The Bank of England has increased base rate by 0.25% to 0.75%. Here’s our rundown of how lenders are reacting to the rise, so you can see whether yours has increased its Standard Variable Rate. ...

Over 16,000 homebuyers have made mortgage applications using L&C’s online Mortgage Finder service since June last year, borrowing more than £3bn. ...

First-time buyers who are currently renting and finding it difficult to get a mortgage could soon receive a helping hand from new technology designed to help them boost their credit scores. ...

The Financial Times reported this weekend on the increase in the number of Retirement Interest Only (RIO) mortgages coming onto the market, as lender confidence in this type of product grows. ...

If you've played video games in the last ten years, you've probably purchased some virtual property at some point. How much is yours worth in real money?...

Despite changes to stamp duty designed to help those struggling to get onto the property ladder, more than 2m first-time buyers aren’t sure whether they will benefit from the new rules. ...

House prices picked up last month, according to Nationwide’s latest house price index, with annual growth up from 2% in June to 2.5% in July. ...

Nearly 60 mortgage lenders have pledged to help up to 10,000 ‘mortgage prisoners’ trapped on their existing deals. ...

Short-term holiday lets are becoming increasingly popular as a way for landlords to generate an income, but it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons carefully first. ...

As expected, the weekend’s financial news focused primarily on last week’s decision by the Bank of England to increase the base rate for only the second time in a decade. ...

The Bank of England has raised the base rate to 0.75%, meaning higher monthly mortgage costs for millions of homeowners on variable rate deals. ...

Fixed mortgage rates remain at historic lows, with five-year rates available below 2% in May 2018. You don’t have to fix your rate for five years though to benefit from a low rate. Deals usually range from two years up to 10 years or longer, so you can pick a term to suit your needs. ...

Clydesdale Bank has become the latest lender to introduce a new range of mortgages specifically for professionals. ...

With recent figures indicating subdued wage growth and inflation, some experts believe that next month’s anticipated base rate increase is no longer a certainty. ...

We are delighted to announce the winners of our latest ‘refer a friend’ competition. From thousands of entries Natalie, and the person who referred her, were randomly selected, winning their mortgages paid for six months by L & C Mortgages. ...

L&C picked up three awards at the What Mortgage Awards on July 18, winning Best Mortgage Broker (over 40 advisers), Best Online Mortgage Broker and Best Broker Customer Service. ...

The gap between the best fixed rate mortgage deals and lenders’ standard variable rates has widened substantially over the past nine years, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). ...

The desire for home ownership was a talking point in this weekend’s press, following recent research by Barclays which revealed that more than 60% of First Time Buyers view buying a home as a greater sign of commitment than marriage. ...

Renters would be able to stay in their homes for at least three years under new government proposals aimed at giving both them and landlords more security. ...

Homeowners with only a limited amount of equity now have a greater choice of remortgage options, with lenders including Virgin Money, Tesco and Atom Bank improving their offerings at this end of the market. ...

There was some good news for landlords this weekend, with the Times reporting on a significant increase in the number of deals available within the Buy to Let market over the last two years, particularly for first time landlords. ...

L&C scooped two awards at the prestigious 2018 British Mortgage Awards held last week in London. ...

UK house prices in June grew at their slowest rate since 2013, according to latest figures from Nationwide. ...

Whilst first-time buyers often rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad to help with their deposits, those planning their next move also depend on their support, according to the latest ‘Second Steppers’ report from Lloyds Bank. ...

Competition in the mortgage market has been heating up recently, with new figures revealing the ever-shrinking margin between average 2 and 5 year fixed rates. ...

First-time buyers who manage to get onto the property ladder could save an average of more than £2,200 a year compared to renting, with buying now cheaper than renting in all areas of the UK. ...

The Sunday Times looked this weekend at the new style Retirement Interest Only mortgages (RIOs), which have been launched in recent week. ...

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has voted by 6-3 to leave the base rate at 0.5% in June, the seventh month since the last change. ...

Older homeowners can now have a mortgage for longer, thanks to new deals designed to meet growing demand for borrowing into retirement. ...

More than 40,000 homeowners remortgaged in April, according to latest figures from trade body UK Finance, up 36% compared to the same month last year. ...

Recent figures have revealed that the Bank of Mum and Dad lent over £6.5 billion in 2017 to help their children get on to the property ladder. ...

Interest rates could be kept on hold for longer in the event of a “disorderly” Brexit, according to the Governor of the Bank of England....

Yorkshire Building Society has launched a range of new two and five-year fixed rate mortgage deals aimed only at first-time buyers with a Help to Buy ISA. ...