Loans & Credit
Spotlight: Loans
Loan providers have received much criticism recently as personal loan rates have been rising, even though the Bank of England base rate is at a record low of 0.5 per cent. Marks & Spencer Money's decision to cut its loan rate is therefore welcome news.
Inside Loans & Credit
Ten tips to avoid crafty credit card tricks
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
This month, the government unveiled plans to crackdown on credit card companies and help give consumers a fairer deal. But what can you do to protect your pocket in the meantime?
Big credit-card shake-up could hit you in the pocket
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Watch for hidden perils, warns Chiara Cavaglieri
Beginner's Guide To: Credit card order of payments
Saturday, 31 October 2009
The government has announced a new consultation into credit cards, proposing a raft of measures designed to "clean up the industry" and bring an end to practices it deems unfair.
Spotlight: AA Credit Card
Saturday, 31 October 2009
It's not only cards with 0 per cent offers on purchases that are popular in the run-up to Christmas. Cards that reward you for spending are a great option for those who pay off their credit card bill each month. And The AA has joined the reward card club.
Money Insider: Regulator pushes affordability tests for loans
Saturday, 24 October 2009
The Financial Services Authority this week unveiled a raft of new proposals as part of its much-anticipated Mortgage Market Review. The additional burden of red tape from the regulator has been criticised by some as too little too late; however there are elements within the 118-page review that look positive.
Money Insider: Rate cuts open up loans market
Saturday, 17 October 2009
There are more signs that competition in the mortgage market is growing. Following rate reductions last week from Abbey, Woolwich and Northern Rock, First Direct has now launched two new keenly priced base-rate tracker mortgages.
Spotlight: Islamic Bank of Britain deposit account
Saturday, 17 October 2009
With inflation at a five-year low, there seems little chance of interest rates rising any time soon. In fact, the Centre for Economic and Business Research expects the base rate to remain at 0.5 per cent until 2011. Savers looking to maximise returns in this low-rate environment may be attracted to a fixed rate account as this is where the highest returns are to be had.
Spotlight: Sainsbury's Credit Card
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Activity in the credit card market is warming up as we start to think about those all-important Christmas shopping purchases.
These dangerous debt managers must be reined in
Sunday, 20 September 2009
A clampdown on dodgy debt-management firms looks likely after the Government published a consultation document on Friday, questioning whether the firms need to be regulated. "Taking tough, swift action against firms which fail to operate within the rules and which provide sub-standard services to consumers with problem debt remains a high priority," said the Ministry of Justice.
Julian Knight: Penalised for checking your credit? That's not fair
Sunday, 13 September 2009
I have always found it an injustice that those who look to shop around for a loan, credit card or mortgage actually risk damaging their credit rating in the process. It goes like this – each time a potential lender checks out your credit file it leaves a trace. If the consumer is turned down – for whatever reason – the trace turns into a great big muddy mark and, in these straitened lending times, this can be enough to bar the individual from accessing credit elsewhere.
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