Archive for February, 2009

Northern Rock resumes lending: Primelocation

Northern Rock has been given the go-ahead by the Government to make £14bn of new mortgage lending available over the next two years. The move could provide an important stimulus to the housing market.
To read the full story go to http://www.primelocation.com/news/northern-rock-resumes-lending/

Affordable housing supply dries up: Primelocation

The supply of new affordable homes has dried up in recent months, with local authorities losing their ability to force developers to provide cheap new homes as part of estates of houses for sale.
For full story go to http://www.primelocation.com/news/affordable-housing-supply-dries-up/

Strengthening co-operatives: blog for New Start

Our discussion paper on the future of co-operatives was launched at the House of Commons on Tuesday (24 February) – and was a great success.
I had been asked by Greening the Earth to write the booklet – The role of the Co-operative Movement in Building a Sustainable Future. This argues that co-ops have played a [...]

Saving Private Finance: Public Finance

The banks have been pulling out of the Private Finance Initiative and the contractors are struggling. As a scheme designed to transfer public sector risk becomes a growing liability, frantic efforts are being made to find new methods of funding
It is not just banks that will need to be bailed out to ensure that the [...]

Questions of Cash: Frozen out of a refund request: The Independent

 
Q. My parents bought a freezer from Comet, which was delivered in December. The old freezer was removed by Comet’s delivery men. They were told to wait 24 hours before switching on the new freezer. They were confident that the food from the old freezer would not thaw by then. But when they went to [...]

Mortgage lenders hold onto rate cuts: Primelocation

Mortgage lenders’ have failed to pass on much of the cut in base rates, with margins between the base rate and lenders’ Standard Variable Rates more than doubling over the last year.
For ful story go to http://www.primelocation.com/news/lenders-hold-onto-rate-cuts/

Northern Ireland rates up 5%: Public Finance

Domestic rates set by Northern Ireland’s district councils are to rise by an average of 5% in 2009/10.  The highest rate increase is 8.52%, agreed by Fermanagh council.  Two district councils – Castlereagh and Larne – are keeping their district rate at last year’s level.  Only six of the 26 councils are not increasing rates [...]

Call to cut VAT on building repairs: Primelocation

The role of the co-operative movement in building a sustainable future: Greening the North

 
Discussion paper
 
The role of the co-operative movement in building a sustainable future
 
Introduction
 
The world is in crisis – in fact a simultaneous crisis on three fronts. The financial system is in turmoil – the so-called ‘credit crunch’. Food prices have accelerated to the point where basic food stuffs are unaffordable in much of the world. And [...]

Tens of thousands face repossession: Primelocation

Half a million homeowners will fall into serious mortgage arrears this year because of the economic crisis, predicts the Council for Mortgage Lenders. There are now expectations that tens of thousands of families will be evicted by banks and building societies this year.
To read the full story go to http://www.primelocation.com/news/property-auctions-to-increase-as-tens-of-thousands-face-repossession/