Mortgages

Mortgage lenders are no more likely to mis-sell to consumers than brokers, FSA chief executive Hector Sants says.

Dear Mr Bakie, thank you for your email of 28 May regarding dual pricing in the mortgage market.

Lloyds TSB is to take on Northern Rock's fixed-rate customers under a new three-year partnership.

The mortgage cost-to-earnings ratio for a first-time buyer has reached 34.5%, exceeding the previous peak in 1990 of 34.1%, according to Hometrack.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has released details of its guiding principles on sale and rent back schemes, which will form the core of its forthcoming Code of Practice.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has written to the Government to ask its views on a possible reform of the state safety net for borrowers.

Richard Brown has become acting chairman of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), after previous chairman Stephen Crawshaw, also former chief executive of Bradford & Bingley, stepped down on health grounds.

Borrowers coming off their initial deal period can compare their existing deal and any new offers from their lender with others on the open market, thanks to a new service launched by mform.

Insynergi has created a formal compliance co-operative with well-known compliance specialists Bill Warren and Stephen Atkins.

Cherry, an online portal and forum for mortgage intermediaries, is planning to establish an adviser body to promote the benefits of mortgage advice to consumers.