Professional Adviser www.professionaladviser.com Three fund managers guilty of £7m sovereign wealth fraud <img alt="Three fund managers guilty of £7m sovereign wealth fraud" src="https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/635f4db/a708dc40-e859-45bc-b422-d21cd0f29cfd/7/Fraud-185x114.jpg" /> <p><!--summary start--> Three fund managers have been sentenced for a large-scale fraud at Southwark Crown Court today (20 February), which added up to losses of $8.45m (£7.06m) meant for the people of Libya. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/635f4db/a708dc40-e859-45bc-b422-d21cd0f29cfd/7/Fraud-185x114.jpg https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4076386/fund-managers-guilty-gbp7m-sovereign-wealth-fraud https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4076386/fund-managers-guilty-gbp7m-sovereign-wealth-fraud https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4076386/fund-managers-guilty-gbp7m-sovereign-wealth-fraud Tue, 21 Feb 2023 11:47:44 +0000 Help to Buy ISA 'a popular warm-up act for LISA' <p><!--summary start--> The help to buy ISA has proved to be popular among savers, as more than 62,000 homes were purchased since its launch, with £54m in bonuses being paid out by the scheme. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/3012469/help-isa-supported-60k-property-completions https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/3012469/help-isa-supported-60k-property-completions Thu, 22 Jun 2017 11:17:00 +0000 Help to buy scheme to close this year, Treasury confirms <p><!--summary start--> Chancellor Philip Hammond is to close the former government's help to buy scheme by the end of this year, saying it had "achieved its purpose". <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2472574/help-scheme-close-treasury-confirms https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2472574/help-scheme-close-treasury-confirms Fri, 30 Sep 2016 07:16:36 +0000 Labour makes first-time buyer stamp duty pledge <p><!--summary start--> Labour would make first-time buyers exempt from stamp duty for purchases under £300,000, Ed Miliband is due to announce. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2405777/labour-makes-buyer-stamp-duty-pledge https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2405777/labour-makes-buyer-stamp-duty-pledge Mon, 27 Apr 2015 07:31:00 +0000 Stamp duty revenues 'soar to £8bn record high' <p><!--summary start--> The housing market recovery helped stamp duty revenues soar by a fifth in 2014-2015 to a record high of £8bn, according to research. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2399281/stamp-duty-revenues-soar-gbp8bn-record https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2399281/stamp-duty-revenues-soar-gbp8bn-record Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:42:42 +0000 FCA may restrict lenders' ability to alter mortgage terms <p><!--summary start--> The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) may restrict the changes lenders can make to mortgage contracts after assessing the fairness of the existing regulations. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2353934/fca-restrict-lenders-ability-alter-mortgage-terms https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2353934/fca-restrict-lenders-ability-alter-mortgage-terms Mon, 7 Jul 2014 11:47:56 +0000 Govt may 'pare back' Help to Buy after Carney's warning <p><!--summary start--> The government may "pare back" its Help to Buy scheme if the Bank of England (BoE) believes it threatens the UK's economic recovery, Nick Clegg has said. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2345382/govt-pare-help-carneys-warning https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2345382/govt-pare-help-carneys-warning Sun, 18 May 2014 22:51:36 +0000 Economists heap pressure on Osborne over Help to Buy <p><!--summary start--> Prominent economists have added to calls for the government to pull back from the mortgage guarantee element of its Help to Buy initiative, arguing it is no longer needed. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2344098/economists-heap-pressure-osborne-help https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2344098/economists-heap-pressure-osborne-help Mon, 12 May 2014 07:44:59 +0000 Four things to tell clients about the new mortgage lending rules <p><!--summary start--> New mortgage lending rules come into force at the end of the month. Here, Professional Adviser affiliate title, Your Money, assesses how they will affect existing and future homeowners... <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2340704/-tell-clients-about-mortgage-lending-rules https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2340704/-tell-clients-about-mortgage-lending-rules Thu, 17 Apr 2014 17:35:07 +0000 Santander cuts adviser fees for longer-term mortgages <p><!--summary start--> Santander is updating its quality-based fee structure, including extending the assessment to loan terms of five years or more, resulting in lower adviser fees. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2321368/santander-cuts-adviser-fees-term-mortgages https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2321368/santander-cuts-adviser-fees-term-mortgages Tue, 7 Jan 2014 11:41:04 +0000 Quick Quiz of the week's news <p><!--summary start--> How much do you remember from the last seven days in financial services? <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2320954/quick-quiz-weeks-news https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2320954/quick-quiz-weeks-news Fri, 3 Jan 2014 16:22:54 +0000 Mutuals mortgage lending doubles in 2013 while arrears fall <p><!--summary start--> Mutuals and building societies have doubled their net mortgage lending over the last year, figures from the Building Societies Association (BSA) show. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2320889/mutuals-mortgage-lending-doubles-2013-arrears-fall https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2320889/mutuals-mortgage-lending-doubles-2013-arrears-fall Fri, 3 Jan 2014 11:43:31 +0000 Cable: Govt should reconsider Help to Buy <p><!--summary start--> The government should reconsider its Help to Buy housing scheme, according to business secretary Vince Cable, who spoke of a "raging housing boom' in London and South East England. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2320382/cable-govt-reconsider-help https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2320382/cable-govt-reconsider-help Mon, 23 Dec 2013 07:43:12 +0000 CML: No evidence of housing boom <p><!--summary start--> The mortgage market is experiencing "strong upwards momentum" and gross lending may top £200bn for the first time in seven years in 2015, but there is little evidence of a housing boom developing, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2318015/cml-evidence-housing-boom https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2318015/cml-evidence-housing-boom Tue, 10 Dec 2013 07:20:09 +0000 BoE to turn off Funding for Lending tap for mortgages <p><!--summary start--> The mortgage aspect of the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) is to be discontinued in light of improved market conditions. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2309874/boe-funding-lending-tap-mortgages https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2309874/boe-funding-lending-tap-mortgages Thu, 28 Nov 2013 13:50:00 +0000 RBS Intermediary Partners relaunches on Monday <p><!--summary start--> RBS Intermediary Partners is to return to the mortgage market on Monday, the group has announced. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2309376/rbs-intermediary-partners-relaunches-monday https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2309376/rbs-intermediary-partners-relaunches-monday Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:32:00 +0000 Stamp duty threatens to pervert Help to Buy effect - CML <p><!--summary start--> The government is undermining its own Help to Buy scheme by imposing a large tax burden on first-time buyers, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has argued. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2305288/stamp-duty-threatens-pervert-help-effect-cml https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2305288/stamp-duty-threatens-pervert-help-effect-cml Wed, 6 Nov 2013 10:34:00 +0000 UK house prices 5.8% higher than a year ago - Nationwide <p><!--summary start--> UK house prices are now 5.8% higher than this time a year ago, according to Nationwide, but are still 7% off their 2007 peak. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2304060/uk-house-prices-58-ago-nationwide https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2304060/uk-house-prices-58-ago-nationwide Thu, 31 Oct 2013 07:42:00 +0000 Quarter of brokers report surge in Help to Buy enquiries <p><!--summary start--> Mortgage advisers are reporting a rise in Help to Buy enquiries, despite the fact they are unable to places cases yet. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2299891/quarter-brokers-report-surge-help-enquiries https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2299891/quarter-brokers-report-surge-help-enquiries Thu, 10 Oct 2013 14:20:00 +0000 MPs' stark warning on day of Help to Buy launch <p><!--summary start--> The government's popular Help to Buy mortgage scheme could threaten financial stability if it is mismanaged, a group of MPs has warned. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2299194/mps-stark-warning-day-help-launch https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2299194/mps-stark-warning-day-help-launch Tue, 8 Oct 2013 07:46:53 +0000 Govt brings forward Help to Buy launch date <p><!--summary start--> The second part of the Help to Buy scheme will be available from next week after the Government brought forward the launch date by three months. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2297447/govt-brings-forward-help-launch-date https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2297447/govt-brings-forward-help-launch-date Mon, 30 Sep 2013 07:40:00 +0000 Ed Balls: Help to Buy will squeeze out first-time buyers <p><!--summary start--> Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has warned the government's Help to Buy scheme will make it harder for would-be first-time buyers to get onto the housing ladder. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2296400/ed-balls-help-squeeze-buyers https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2296400/ed-balls-help-squeeze-buyers Tue, 24 Sep 2013 07:35:00 +0000 Quarter of homebuyers 'paying at least £7k stamp duty' <p><!--summary start--> More than a quarter of home-buyers in England and Wales are now paying stamp duty at the higher rates of 3% or more, research suggests. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2287062/quarter-homebuyers-paying-gbp7k-stamp-duty https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2287062/quarter-homebuyers-paying-gbp7k-stamp-duty Tue, 6 Aug 2013 09:50:00 +0000 HSBC launches 'all-time low' 1.49% mortgage <p><!--summary start--> HSBC has launched the lowest ever fixed rate mortgage seen in the UK mortgage market with a 1.49% headline rate product. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2286557/hsbc-launches-alltime-low-149-mortgage https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2286557/hsbc-launches-alltime-low-149-mortgage Fri, 2 Aug 2013 10:20:00 +0000 Lloyds returns to profit; eyes orphaned IFA clients <p><!--summary start--> Lloyds Banking Group is back in the black after announcing a profit before tax of £2.1bn for the six months to the end of June - and said it is on course to target IFA clients orphaned by the Retail Distribution Review (RDR). <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2286166/lloyds-returns-profit-eyes-orphaned-ifa-clients https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2286166/lloyds-returns-profit-eyes-orphaned-ifa-clients Thu, 1 Aug 2013 07:49:00 +0000 Home sales data hints at full-blown recovery <p><!--summary start--> The housing market revival witnessed in recent months may soon become a full-scale recovery, figures obtained by a property survey suggest. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2273992/home-sales-hints-fullblown-recovery https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2273992/home-sales-hints-fullblown-recovery Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:15:00 +0000 Older first-time buyers locked out of Help to Buy <p><!--summary start--> Housing minister Mark Prisk has acknowledged older first-time buyers may miss out on the government's Help to Buy scheme. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2270397/-firsttime-buyers-locked-help https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2270397/-firsttime-buyers-locked-help Fri, 24 May 2013 09:30:00 +0000 Are you ready to become a landlord? <p><!--summary start--> A guide for people considering a move into the buy-to-let market. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2269748/-ready-landlord https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2269748/-ready-landlord Wed, 22 May 2013 10:30:54 +0000 Help to Buy could fuel house price bubble <p><!--summary start--> Help to Buy could push first-time buyer house prices up 20% to more than £150,000 by the end of 2015, a financial consultancy has warned. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2266390/help-fuel-house-price-bubble https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2266390/help-fuel-house-price-bubble Tue, 7 May 2013 12:18:06 +0000 Thousands of interest-only mortgage borrowers face funding shortfall <p><!--summary start--> Hundreds of thousands of interest-only mortgage borrowers whose deals mature before 2020 are likely to face a funding shortfall, according to estimates produced for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2265530/thousands-interestonly-mortgage-borrowers-funding-shortfall https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2265530/thousands-interestonly-mortgage-borrowers-funding-shortfall Thu, 2 May 2013 08:01:00 +0000 Halifax to pay Stamp Duty bill for first-time buyers <p><!--summary start--> Halifax's mortgage adviser arm, Halifax Intermediaries, is set to pay the full Stamp Duty bill for first time buyers purchasing homes worth up to £250,000. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2265113/halifax-pay-stamp-duty-firsttime-buyers https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2265113/halifax-pay-stamp-duty-firsttime-buyers Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:50:33 +0000 House prices rise biggest in three years <p><!--summary start--> House prices in England and Wales rose by 0.3% in March, the largest month-on-month increase since March 2010, figures suggest. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2257068/house-price-rise-biggest https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2257068/house-price-rise-biggest Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:20:00 +0000 CBI demands £1.25bn Budget boost to housing market <p><!--summary start--> The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged the Chancellor to make house building and home finance the main plank of his upcoming Budget in order to boost confidence in the economy. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2253746/cbi-demands-gbp125bn-budget-boost-housing-market https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2253746/cbi-demands-gbp125bn-budget-boost-housing-market Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:35:00 +0000 Brokers' five biggest bugbears <p><!--summary start--> It's Emma Mason's job, as business development manager at Blacks Connect, to visit mortgage intermediaries on a regular basis. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2250492/brokers-biggest-bugbears https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2250492/brokers-biggest-bugbears Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:35:26 +0000 AMI expects bumper year for mortgage advisers <p><!--summary start--> The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) said it expects advisers' share of the mortgage market to increase markedly this year as a raft of changes boost their prospects. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2242553/mortgage-advisers-gbp12bn-extra-business-2013 https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2242553/mortgage-advisers-gbp12bn-extra-business-2013 Fri, 8 Feb 2013 11:22:00 +0000 Mortgage lender Accord cuts rates in ten-day sale <p><!--summary start--> Accord Mortgages has launched a ten-day sale on six of its mortgage products. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2236373/accord-cuts-rates-tenday-sale https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2236373/accord-cuts-rates-tenday-sale Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:30:00 +0000 MMR: right policy, wrong time <p><!--summary start--> Keith Green, from consultants Navigant, assesses the Financial Service Authority's (FSA's) final rules for mortgage sellers... <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/opinion/2221053/mmr-policy-wrong https://www.professionaladviser.com/opinion/2221053/mmr-policy-wrong Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:10:00 +0000 The final MMR rules: condensed <p><!--summary start--> They have been several years in the making, but today the Financial Services Authority (FSA) published its final rules for mortgage sellers following the Mortgage Market Review (MMR). <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2219748/-final-mmr-rulescondensed https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2219748/-final-mmr-rulescondensed Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:17:00 +0000 FSA: mortgage rules will return 'common sense' to market <p><!--summary start--> The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has published final rules on mortgage selling, convinced they will "put common sense at the heart of the market" and prevent borrowers taking out unaffordable deals. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2219725/fsa-mortgage-rules-return-common-sense-market https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2219725/fsa-mortgage-rules-return-common-sense-market Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:27:14 +0000