Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
In a move that may particularly affect first time buyer mortgages, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is proposing stricter affordability tests to vet the customer’s ability to repay, and absolute, documented proof of earnings and income Read More
Tags: First Time Buyer Mortgages, FSA, Mortgage Affordability, Mortgage Repayments, Mortgages
Posted in Mortgage News | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
The Financial Services Authority is urging homebuyers to take qualified, independent financial advice when choosing a mortgage. Good independent financial advice will ensure that mortgage holders get a deal that is affordable, sustainable, and exactly right for them.
Tags: Financial Advice, Financial Planning, FSA, Independent Financial Advice, Mortgages, Remortgages
Posted in Mortgage News | No Comments »
Friday, May 28th, 2010

Plans for a £1m Inheritance Tax threshold are cancelled, leaving Inheritance Tax allowances at previous levels. This leaves consumers exposed to a potential Inheritance Tax liability of 40% on portions of their wealth.
Tags: Critical Illness Insurance, Efficient Tax Planning, FSA, future energy supply, Inheritance Advice, Inheritance and Tax Planning, Inheritance Tax, Insurance Claims, Life Insurance In Trust, Remortgages, Repossessed Spanish Property
Posted in Financial Planning News | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
The Financial Services Authority has warned building societies to further restrain mortgage lending and limit the size of mortgage deals. The move is intended to prevent borrowers from saddling themselves with debt which, while affordable today, could become unsustainable if interest rates were to rise.
Tags: Ethical Investment Funds, Experian, First Time Buyer Mortgages, FSA, Investment Funds, Investment Risk, Investment Strategy, Mortgage Deals, Mortgage Rates, Mortgages, Retirement
Posted in Mortgage News | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
The government is to emphasise the need for financial education with the creation of a new body with a specific brief to educate consumers about financial planning.
The creation of the Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB) was announced in the Financial Services Bill now before parliament and will be staffed by 160 staff drawn mainly from the Financial Capability Division of the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
Tags: CFEB, Consumer Financial Planning Body, Enterprise Investment Schemes, Environment, Experian, Financial Planning, Financial Planning Advice, FSA, Personal Finance Education, Repossessed Spanish Property, Woolworths, Workplace Pensions
Posted in Financial Planning News, Investment News | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
New figures from Aviva reveal why Inheritance Tax (IHT) is one of the most important sources of revenues for the UK taxman. There are currently £2.5 trillion in assets earmarked by parents as inheritances for their children and relatives, the insurer announced this week. This staggering sum is held by two-thirds of over-55s covered by [...]
Tags: Aviva, Best Maxi ISA, Enterprise Investment Schemes, Financial Planning, First Time Buyer Mortgage, First Time Buyer Mortgages, FSA, Fund Portfolio, future energy supply, IHT, IHT Planning, Inheritance Advice, Inheritance and Tax Planning, Inheritance Planning, Inheritance Tax, Insurance Claims, Life Insurance In Trust, Remortgages, Repossessed Spanish Property
Posted in Financial Planning News | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Good mortgage advice will make the mortgage market a safer place to be for consumers, even if that means encouraging homebuyers to be a little more ‘rational’ with regard to what they can afford, according to the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
Tags: Equifax, Experian, Financial Services Authority, FSA, Investment Advice Northern Ireland, Investment Bond, Investment Calculator, Investment Strategy, Mortgage, Mortgage Advice, Mortgage Affordability, Mortgages, Pension Advice Northern Ireland, Retirement, Self-Cert Mortgages
Posted in Mortgage News | No Comments »
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Regulation of the buy to let mortgages sector is to be added to the remit of the Financial Services Authority, in a move announced by the Treasury this week.
The Financial Services Authority is also to regulate third parties who buy mortgages from lenders, to provide additional security to mortgage borrowers.
Tags: Buy to let Mortgages, Equifax, Experian, Financial Planning Review, Financial Services Authority, FSA, Home Mortgage, Investment Management Association, Mortgage Lender, Mortgage Loan, Retirement, Self Employed Income Protection, Unemployment Cover
Posted in Mortgage News | No Comments »
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Self-employed workers have been assured that new proposals by the Financial Services Authority will not block them from obtaining a mortgage.
“The FSA’s proposals on self-cert mortgages will not block access to the market for the self-employed,†said Lesley Titcomb of the FSA this week.
Tags: Equifax, Experian, Financial Services Authority, FSA, Investment Advice Northern Ireland, Investment Management Association, Mortgage, Mortgage Lender, National Savings & Investments, Pension Advice Northern Ireland, Pension Adviser, Repayment Mortgage, Retirement, Self-Cert Mortgages, Self-Certified Mortgage
Posted in Mortgage News | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has declared war on unacceptable practices in mortgage lending, with a £2.8m fine for GMAC-RFC over what it termed ‘unfair treatment of customers’.  GMAC’s failings included “excessive and unfair†arrears charges for missed mortgage payments on loans, repayment plans that did not always consider a customer’s circumstances, and moving to repossess [...]
Tags: Equifax, Experian, Financial Advice Derry, Financial Services Authority, FSA, GMAC, Investec, Investment Bond, Investment Management Association, Investment Strategy, Loans, Mortgage Advice, Mortgage Lender, Mortgages, Retirement
Posted in Mortgage News | No Comments »