Lender Services

UK repossession levels at 4 year low

UK repossession levels at 4 year low

The continued interest rate freeze and a willingness among Lenders to patiently deal with mortgage arrears are thought to be responsible for bringing house repossession levels in Northern Ireland and... Read more

New borrowing shunned in favour of debt repayment

The Bank of England has confirmed that £400million of unsecured loan debt was repaid in the UK in the month of December, the time of year normally associated with excessive... Read more

House repossessions increase by 17 per cent

New data published by the Financial Services Authority shows that house repossessions increased by 17% in the first quarter of 2011. It is the first time the number of repossessions... Read more

Ulster Bank has a 'solid future', chief reassures customers

The head of the Ulster Bank has expressed his confidence that the institution has a "solid future". Coming as solicitors in Northern Ireland deal with a massive rise in cases... Read more

Amendments made to takeover deal

Changes have been made to the takeover terms in the deal between Lloyds TSB and HBOS, but the plan will still go ahead to save the crumbling HBOS.Following the bailout... Read more

Government decision gets mixed response

A decision by the government to extend its deposit guarantee scheme to include a number of foreign-owned banks which have branches in Ireland has been questioned by an expert.Now, Ulster... Read more

Irish government must amend banking plan

The Irish government have been told to amend a recently announced bank guarantee plan as it breaks European Union rules regarding state aid, reports the Irish Times.Neelie Kroes, EU competition... Read more

EU Commission to investigate government pledge

The European Commission has announced it is to investigate whether a decision by the Irish government to guarantee deposits and lending in six of Ireland's banks and building societies is... Read more

Irish government will guarantee six banks and building societies

The Irish government has said it will guarantee all deposits in Irish banks as well as all money borrowed by the banks from other financial institutions, it has been reported.Following... Read more

Supply and affordability "challenges" for borrowers in Northern Ireland

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has said that the greatest challenge facing borrowers in Northern Ireland remains the affordability and supply of housing in the province.Solicitors are unable to... Read more

Growth fund set up for SMEs

One major bank is showing its confidence in Northern Ireland's small businesses by setting up a fund dedicated to providing money to promote growth. Bank of Scotland (Ireland) is to... Read more

Fall of 100% mortgage 'bad for FTBs'

Solicitors are even less likely to see first-time buyers (FTBs) in Belfast and Northern Ireland able to afford a mortgage now that 100 per cent-plus deals are disappearing.With house prices... Read more

Mortgage holders feel 'out-of-control'

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland could be forced to pursue more mortgage holders for debt this year, as many admit that they feel out-of-control of their repayments.According to the... Read more

Professionals offered more in a mortgage

While solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland will see many clients struggling to get onto the property ladder due to high house prices and tighter lending, solicitors themselves are favoured... Read more

Lenders 'still supporting' new buyers

After the global credit crunch has seen mortgage lenders withdrawing some of their products, experts say it may not be the case that solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland will... Read more

Student debt 'won't restrict FTBs'

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland are unlikely to see any drop in the number of students purchasing property, after experts have reassured graduates that owing universities money will not... Read more

More homes for first-time buyers

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland should see more first-time buyers come through their doors after extra money has been made available to build affordable homes.However solicitors are likely to... Read more

Mortgage payments rise by 20%

Clients of solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland will have seen an extra £135 on their monthly mortgage repayments, as borrowing has been shown to cost 20 per cent more... Read more

Joint mortgages offer a helping hand

Solicitors in Northern Ireland could see more people splitting their mortgage between two or more parties, as experts say this may be the only way for first-time buyers to get... Read more

Let-to-buy mortgages 'suit slowing market'

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland could see more people taking out let-to-buy mortgages, as industry experts have claimed they are useful when the housing market is slow.As property prices... Read more

Commercial mortgage 'not only option'

Small businesses buying a commercial property in Northern Ireland should visit their solicitors for advice on funding, as a commercial mortgage is not the only answer, experts have claimed.Northern Ireland... Read more

Housing slowdown 'not helping' FTBs

Although a slowdown in the property market will provide "some opportunities" for buyers, solicitors in Northern Ireland are unlikely to see first-time buyers (FTBs) benefiting, according to experts.Although the choice... Read more

Lenders seek rate cut

Lenders in Britain and Northern Ireland are calling on the Bank of England's monetary policy committee (MPC) to introduce a cut in interest rates. Solicitors in Northern Ireland have seen... Read more

Credit crunch squeezes lending market

Solicitors in Northern Ireland may see fewer clients who are taking out adverse credit mortgages, after lenders have tightened their lending criteria or withdrawn mortgages for those with an impaired... Read more

Buy-to-let 'not as doomed' as thought

Northern Ireland solicitors who worried that landlords would be put off purchasing property due to some analysts predicting a gloomy future for the buy-to-let market may have their fears allayed... Read more

Experts urge mortgage-payers to shop around

Financial advisors have urged people in Britain and Northern Ireland to consider switching their mortgage provider, after a survey revealed that many borrowers had never reviewed their deal.A poll by... Read more

First-time buyers enjoy gap in housing market

Solicitors in Northern Ireland may see a rush of first-time buyers squeezing onto the property ladder, as estate agents claim that the market is prime for new buyers in the... Read more

NI housing market sees battles

The chaotic situation in the province's property market means that Northern Ireland's solicitors will witness an increasing number of people turning to underhand methods to secure the best deals.While during... Read more

Affordable mortgage most important for buyers

The most savvy property buyers that solicitors in Northern Ireland will see will have chosen a mortgage that they can afford, as financial advisers Key Financial Consultants has said this... Read more

Curtailing of mortgages 'won't affect house prices'

Despite the fact that a number of lenders have withdrawn mortgage products from the market, solicitors in Northern Ireland are unlikely to find that their clients report any change in... Read more

Co-buying a solution to the first rung?

Solicitors in Northern Ireland may see an increasing number of strange alliances coming to them for conveyancing services, as co-buying becomes a more popular method for single first-time buyers to... Read more

Self-cert borrowers 'should seek advice'

Self-employed people in Northern Ireland who want to take out a mortgage but have no proof of fixed income could benefit from a self-cert mortgage, but should always visit solicitors... Read more

Buy-to-let investors 'must be mad'

Solicitors in Northern Ireland could see fewer buy-to-let investors, unless they are very wealthy, as the interest rate precludes landlords making a decent profit, experts warn.According to Firstrung, landlords in... Read more

Property developer tempts buyers with free car

Solicitors in Northern Ireland will have noticed a big drop in the number of people buying property in the province, and it appears that property developers are feeling the squeeze... Read more

NI mortgage lending tails off

The number of new mortgages being taken out in Northern Ireland has dropped quite dramatically the BBC reports, which points to the final cooling of the housing market. According to... Read more

Record-breaking rent good news for landlords

Solicitors in Northern Ireland are likely to see more landlords needing legal advice on commercial property as spiralling house prices in the province have forced more people to rent.Belfast solicitors... Read more

Property developers lend buyers a hand

Commercial property developers in Northern Ireland have offered to pay stamp duty and mortgage costs for first-time buyers, as an attempt to get them onto the property ladder.According to the... Read more

Property price stagnation predicted

Solicitors in Northern Ireland may be seeing a few more first-time buyers for conveyancing services, as experts predict that prices in the housing market are likely to stagnate over the... Read more

Buy-to-let gaining strength

Given the fact that property prices in Northern Ireland have continued to remain high, solicitors are more likely to see commercial property investors than new buyers for conveyancing services.According to... Read more

Lending fell by 6% in August

Solicitors may have recently seen less people who were prepared to take out a mortgage, as gross mortgage lending fell by six per cent in Britain and Northern Ireland during... Read more

Buy-to-let mortgages safe as houses

Commercial investors in buy-to-let property in Britain and Northern Ireland should not be affected by a drop in tenant numbers, despite the housing market continuing to cool, experts have said.According... Read more

NI property prices drop

Solicitors may be seeing more first-time buyers needing their services, as property prices in Northern Ireland are no longer in ascension, giving younger buyers a chance to step onto the... Read more

NI housing market still healthy

Experts on the property market in Northern Ireland say they are still confident in "healthy" growth in house prices and have dismissed fears that recent acceleration in prices will lead... Read more

Rate rises push up repossessions

The number of repossessions in Britain and Northern Ireland has increased by 32 per cent since April, according to a new report.The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has revealed... Read more

NI property market hardly cooling

Despite the fact that analysts have predicted a cooling of the property market in Northern Ireland, solicitors will know that clients are still being squeezed, and new research has now... Read more

FTBs spaced out

There is an increasing trend towards first-time buyers (FTBs) purchasing smaller properties in an attempt to get onto the property ladder, research from GE Money Home Lending and the Future... Read more

University cities bolster property prices

Property prices in university towns cities are leading the increase in inflation of Northern Ireland's housing market, with Belfast topping the table for fastest rising prices.With Belfast offering two campuses,... Read more

NI property prices break records again

House prices in Northern Ireland have again gone through the roof, with increases in the cost of buying a home in the province breaking new records.According to a housing survey... Read more

NI grads can't buy homes

Solicitors in Britain and Northern Ireland are unlikely to see graduates for conveyancing services, as research has revealed that more than half of university leavers can not afford to buy... Read more

Property 'still ripe for investment'

Solicitors in Northern Ireland are still likely to see plenty of budding property investors coming to them over the coming months, it has been claimed.New research has suggested that the... Read more

Northern Ireland sees house prices slow

House prices are finally beginning to slow down in Northern Ireland, meaning solicitors may begin to see more first time buyers able to afford properties in the near future.While the... Read more

Rocketing property prices cripple NI incomes

With the housing boom being felt most in Northern Ireland above all other countries in Great Britain, people in the province are feeling the effects on their wallets more than... Read more

First-time buyers forced out of NI market

Solicitors in Northern Ireland are far more likely to see people for remortgaging than they are to have new clients, as the number of first-time buyers in the province is... Read more

NI homebuyers offered fewer mortgages

Despite the thriving housing market in Northern Ireland, where prices are still rocketing and demand is high, people in Northern Ireland have less choice when it comes to mortgages, research... Read more

Northern Ireland mortgage-happy

Homebuyers in Northern Ireland are among the most likely to take out a larger mortgage on their property, according to research by credit reference agency checkmyfile.The province also reports one... Read more

NI property crowds top ten for inflation

Property in Northern Ireland has broken records again, with all of the top ten towns showing the biggest house price inflation annually being located in the province.Halifax's House Price Index... Read more

Seek advice before embarking on buy-to-let

New terms on buy-to-let mortgages could catch first-time borrowers out unless sage advice is sought from solicitors, warn experts.Borrowers taking up new buy-to-let loans on properties in Britain and Northern... Read more

FSA investigates banks' retaliation against complaining customers

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has been forced to step in after two financial service providers shut down accounts of customers who complained about potentially illicit lending fees.Involving two of... Read more