Mortgages

UK house price inflation was 3.3% in September, up from a nine-year low of 2.8% in August, according to latest figures from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Halifax says there are now more than two million homes in the UK worth more than the IHT threshold.

Gross mortgage lending fell by 3% in October to an estimated £27bn but the market still shows resilience, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

The Financial Services Authority is looking at the use of online financial promotions and will be taking a much tougher line on regulation of the mortgage industry, intermediaries attending this year's Mortgage Business Expo were warned.

Home Information Packs will have to be presented to buyers in the sale of any residential property from 1 June 2007, the government has announced.

Packagers and networks have been warned they need to evolve further if they are to survive in the mortgage industry.

The Financial Service Authority is unlikely to give any more warnings over poor record-keeping in the sub-prime and self-certification mortgage markets, intermediaries attending this year's Mortgage Business Expo have been warned.

The Institute of Financial Services (Ifs) is developing a new stand-alone qualification in commercial mortgages. the Certificate in Commercial Mortgages (CeCM).

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has reported a mixed result following the completion of its research and mystery shopping work on self-certification mortgages.

Mortgage Next has launched a mortgage club to tap into the directly authorised broker market.