Building society lending remains subdued

The latest monthly figures from the Building Societies Association (BSA) also reveal that mortgage approvals in January were £0.8bn, a drop compared to £1bn in December. Adrian Coles, director-general of the BSA, said it was evident that activity in the market was subdued. Coles said: "Low activity in the month was expected following the surge of buyers aiming to beat the end of the stamp duty relief in December. The adverse weather conditions experienced at the start of the year have further suppressed market activity." But the BSA said it is not possible to make comparisons with ...