‘Mortgage mayhem’: Deal lifespans hit record low as interest rate cut hopes dim Property Borrowers have been left in a “mortgage maze” after lenders frantically pulled deals due to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East leading to the lowest average shelf-life on record. The average mortgage was on the market for just eight days in March – the lowest since records began in November 2011. This marks a [...]
Mood has shifted on housing market as rates rattle demand Property High mortgage rates are unlikely to deflate immediately even if the Iran ceasefire holds, property experts have warned, as rising rates stifle demand for houses. The number of Brits enquiring to buy a new home fell even further in March, down from negative 29 per cent in February to minus 39 per cent last month, [...]
‘Mortgage mayhem’: Banks’ rates soar past 5.5 per cent amid Iran war volatility Banking The UK mortgage market has been flipped upside down with Brits facing higher prices to borrow in the short-term as the Iran war rattles the economy. The average five-year fixed deal for a homeowner has spiked to 5.54 per cent this morning, up from 4.95 per cent at the start of March, according to financial [...]
Mortgage deals shrink by a fifth since outbreak of Iran war March 23, 2026 The number of mortgage deals on offer for homeowners have shrunk by nearly a fifth since war broke out in Iran just over three weeks ago. Just shy of 1,500 fewer residential mortgages were available on Monday morning, compared with March 9, amounting to a contraction of 19.5 per cent. According to financial information platform [...]
Housing market struggles for momentum as Iran war looms March 12, 2026 The UK housing market is struggling for momentum as uncertainty caused by the Iran war prompts banks to hike mortgage rates and pull deals. New buyer inquiries weakened in February as 26 per cent of property professionals reported a fall in interest, up from 15 per cent in January, according to the Royal Institution of [...]
Mortgage lenders pull deals at fastest pace since mini-Budget March 11, 2026 Mortgage lenders are pulling deals at the fastest rate since Liz Truss infamous mini-Budget amid growing agitation around the economic consequences of the Iran war. Nearly 500 homeowner mortgages have disappeared from the market in mere days, according to finanical information platform Moneyfacts, as average mortgage rates breeze past the five per cent mark. Moneyfacts [...]
Barclays joins run of mortgage rate hikes in blow to borrowers March 9, 2026 Barclays has become the latest in a flurry of mortgage lenders to hike their rates amid mounting fears the Bank of England will keep the base interest rates higher for longer following the war in the Middle East. The blue-chip banking giant has slapped a 0.1 per cent increase on rates on a selection of [...]
‘And so it begins’ – Mortgage lenders kick rates back up amid Middle East crisis March 5, 2026 A number of mortgage lenders are kicking the their rates back up, with more expected to follow, as market conditions remain volatile due to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East. HSBC UK has said it will increase some of its mortgage rates for first-time buyers, movers and re-mortgagers and the UK’s largest building society, [...]
Ask the expert: Should I pay into an ISA, pension or overpay my mortgage? January 28, 2026 Fidelity personal finance specialist Marianna Hunt helps a saver decide where to place their capital as interest rates fall. Q: In light of current interest rate expectations, is it better to pay down my mortgage, pay into my pension or invest in an ISA? I have a £350,000 property with a £200,000 mortgage at 4 [...]
What does the Bank’s rate decision mean for your finances? November 6, 2025 UK households who were hoping for a rate cut today may be disappointed after the Bank of England held interest rates at four per cent. The decision came amid concerns surrounding high inflation ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ crunch Budget later this month. Governor Andrew Bailey, who had the deciding vote, said he would “prefer [...]