Docklands News

An estimated 195,000 "mortgage prisoners" are to face rates of over 8% after the Bank of England raised its main rate to 4.25%, the highest level in 14 years. The rates for the standard variable rate mortgages of those unable to remortgage have almost doubled since December 2021, rising from 4.4% to 7.12%. According to Moneyfacts.co.uk, once yesterday's rate increase filters down, this could soon hit 7.37%, an average increase of £386 a year. Andrew Montlake, spokesperson for Coreco mortgages, said: "Mortgage prisoners should not have any further rate increases subjected upon them. They have been paying over the odds for years through no fault of their own. Increasing the rate when it's already up to 8% is, in my view, not justifiable." In total there are 773,000 home owners on standard variable rates who are being hit hard by rapid rate rises, with the majority being people who have reverted to this rate after their fixed-rate deal has ended. 

I (24/03/2023)  

Official figures reveal that the average UK house price increased by 6.3% in the 12 months to January 2023, down from 9.3% in December 2022. The Office for National Statistics found the average UK house price was £290,000 in January 2023, which was £17,000 higher than 12 months earlier. House prices in the capital remain the most expensive of any region in the UK, with the annual increase of 3.2% in January taking the cost of a home to £534,000 on average. Meanwhile, private rental prices in London increased by 4.6% in the 12 months to February 2023, accelerating from a 4.3% rise in the 12 months to January 2023. The average UK house price recorded a monthly fall of 0.6% in January 2023, following a 0.4% drop in December 2022. ONS head of housing market indices, Aimee North said: “Annual house price inflation, measured using final transaction prices, slowed again in January, consistent across all nations and regions. UK rental prices continued to climb, with the strongest growth since records began in 2016. The surge in London's rents remained evident with the highest annual percentage increase in over a decade.” 

Daily Mail (22/03/2023)   Evening Standard (22/03/2023)   The Independent (22/03/2023)  

Figures reveal that house sales fell by nearly a fifth (18%) in February 2023 compared with the same month a year earlier. HM Revenue and Customs found an estimated 90,340 homes were sold in February this year, which was 4% lower than in January 2023. According to HMRC's figures, around 1,116,110 house sales have taken place so far this financial year (April 2022 to February 2023). This compares with 1,263,250 house sales taking place over the same period a year earlier. HMRC also found there were large peaks in housing transactions during March, June and September 2021, caused by increased numbers of taxpayers taking advantage of temporarily increased nil rate bands of stamp duty. HMRC's report said: “Towards the end of last year mortgage and interest rates increased and we are starting to see the impacts of those changes within these statistics. Seasonally adjusted residential property transactions appear depressed, indicating a slowing of the housing market.” 

The Guardian (21/03/2023)   The Independent (21/03/2023)  

New research reveals landlords in London and the south east are facing a 125% increase in monthly mortgage payments, or £574 on average. Martin Stewart, director of London Money, said the firm had monitored its BTL transactions for six months from last September. He said that this would be pressure on renters as landlords sought to recoup their additional costs via rental increases. He warned that this may result in a “displaced work demographic as renters may be forced to relocate to cheaper areas while “many landlords could defer urgent remedial work on properties due to the damaged cashflow”. He added: “Whilst we have seen rates rise across the board for all forms of lending, I think BTL landlords are going to be acutely affected because of the way the market works due to background stress tests".

City AM (20/03/2023)  

Analysis by The Mail on Sunday reveals the interest payments on fixed-term mortgages are set to increase by 55% this year to £500 a month. It also reveals the average cost for fixed-term holders is set to more than double from £322 at the end of last year to £701 a month by 2027. Meanwhile, for the minority of people on tracker mortgages, the increase in monthly interest is even greater as the average monthly repayment is set to rise from £436 to £950 over the next five years. Alice Guy, head of pensions and savings at Interactive Investor, said: “The UK is facing a staggering increase in mortgage costs in a story that is only just beginning to unfold. There are 6.9m UK mortgage-holders who are on fixed deals and, so far, only a few of them have moved on to new higher-rate deals. That means most of the pain is still to come.” 

The Mail on Sunday (19/03/2023)  

Around 10,000 homes are being built in Canning Town and Custom House, just north of the Royal Docks, attracting buyers from across the capital, lured by below-average property prices and the chance to be part of a East London community. The area also has tremendous transport links, with Canning Town on both the Jubilee line and the DLR, and Custom House on the Elizabeth line. A mix of studio, one, two and three-bedroom flats with their own outdoor space and access to impressive amenities are available at Mount Anvil's Queens Cross. Residents there enjoy the use of a Peloton-powered gym, indoor cycling and yoga room, a rooftop running track, a swimming pool, sauna, business lounge and cinema room. Prices begin at £451,000 for a studio apartment. Elsewhere, L&Q at Brunel Street Works offers shared ownership duplexes from £141,250 for a 25% share of the market value of £565,000. Not far away lies Goodluck Hope, a waterfront scheme of flats, lofts and three-bed townhouses. Residents get membership of the onsite 1595 Club, which has a gym, pool, and cinema. From £427,500 for a studio, while the final one-bed shared ownership flat is from £115,000 for 25% of £460,000. Finally, a single one-bedroom apartment is left at Orchard Wharf. The £460,000 price tag buys a 602 sq ft, eight-floor flat, featuring an all-in-one kitchen/living/dining room with high-gloss units and fully fitted appliances, a utility cupboard housing a washer/dryer and a balcony off the bedroom

Metro (13/03/2023)