Mortgages

The FSA has fined and banned a Bolton-based mortgage and insurance broker after discovering he had no relevant financial qualifications or experience.

The FSA is now an "intrusive, intensive regulator" in the mortgage arena and this should be welcomed, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) says.

Mortgage intermediaries are potentially missing out on a huge £30m home insurance windfall, according to Abbey for Intermediaries.

The number of mortgage products available surpassed 2,500 last week, for the first time since May 2009.

The FSA has banned a Durham-based director of a mortgage broker firm from senior positions in the financial services industry for at least two years.

A London-based mortgage broker has had his approval withdrawn for failing to co-operate with the FSA.

Mortgage fraud accounted for 18% of all reported fraud last year, according to research from accountants and business advisers BDO.

Alexander Hall has said it will be unaffected following a refinancing deal agreed by Foxtons' owner BC Partners which hands a majority stake of the estate agent to its lenders.

Expected healthy growth in US house prices in 2010 bodes well for the UK market, figures suggest.

Millions of UK borrowers will be hit by rising mortgage rates costing up to £1,400 extra a year despite the Bank of England's (BoE) base rate freeze.