Mortgages

The number of properties taken into possession by mortgage lenders rose to 5,630 in the second half of 2005, while there were a record 20,461 individual insolvencies in the final quarter.

Customers who want to make an endowment claim now have online help from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Mortgages Plc's new conveyancing service has been criticised as potentially being open to abuse by both brokers and solicitors.

Property websites that have a sole relationship with an estate agent have been reclassified as estate agents under guidance published by the Office of Fair Trade (OFT)

Net lending to individuals was £9.6bn in December, in line with the figure for November and £0.8bn higher than the previous six-month average, according to the latest figures from the Bank of England.

The Mortgage Times Group has revealed it will be the founding member of a new packager association.

House prices increased by 1.4% in January bringing the annual growth rate to 4.4%, according to the latest Nationwide house price report.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has expressed "serious concern" to the government over whether home information packs (Hips) will be implemented on time and the risks of making over-optimistic assumptions about their market impact.

This year could be "the year of regulation and enforcement" Michael Coogan, director general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), has warned.

First time buyers now have to save for five years to get enough money to join the property ladder, claims the Halifax.