Mortgages

Frustration with lettings agents is the biggest cause of people contacting The Property Ombudsman.

Lloyds Banking Group has hired Peter Curran to head up its intermediary business.

The continuing debate on specialist lenders' arrears management intensified last week, after City Minister Lord Myners called for a crackdown on charges levied by lenders when borrowers fall into mortgage arrears.

The FSA has banned mortgage broker Daniel Esqulant for inflating his income by up to five times on his mortgage applications.

The FSA has secured, for the first time, a bankruptcy order against a former mortgage broker for non-payment of a £129,000 penalty relating to fraud.

The Bank of England has shocked the City by freezing its quantitative easing programme and keeping interest rates on hold.

Banks and building societies are preventing home ownership, according to a poll commissioned by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

Lending criteria stopped tightening in May but lending remains at very low levels, according to the latest data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).

Nationwide is offering a 125% mortgage to help existing customers in negative equity.

Lower property values have pushed the overall value of new lending through equity release plans down 41% from £319m in Q2 2008 to £189m in Q2 2009.