Advice and Tools Features

Will the base interest rate cut mean cheap mortgages?

Will you see any benefit from the lower base rate in your monthly mortgage bill? There's a strong chance you won't. There are some 11.8 million mortgages outstanding, worth a collective £2.5 trillion. But it's been estimated that upwards of half of all these mortgages are fixed rate deals of varying durations.

When debt takes over

If you type 'debt problem' into Google the search results list pages of firms offering to solve your debt problems, consolidate your debts, write them off or give you expert advice. But what should you really be doing when faced with problem debt?

Bank charges - what is the battle about?

The OFT (Office of Fair Trading) may have won a High Court legal victory on the ongoing issue of bank charges - but what is the background to this battle, and what does it mean for anyone who has sunk into the red as a result of these hefty fees?

Mortgages - just how much can you borrow?

According to the most recent house price index from Halifax, the price of an average property has increased by 176% in the 10 years since Q1 1998 - with some regions, like Northern Ireland seeing even more unprecedented rises of 271%. As house prices continued their relentless climb upwards, mortgage providers followed suit by upping their income multiples too. R

Bumper returns for savers as banks battle for cash

While borrowers purse-strings are being stretched, savers can take advantage of an array of attractive rates as banks appeal to cash depositors to raise funds. But remember, the Bank of England is slashing the base rate, and restrictions can apply to these accounts, so it pays the check the small print carefully before choosing a home for your cash.