The British Government is launching a revolutionary scheme to unstick the stagnant UK housing market. It intends to underwrite first time buyer mortgages so that they can access the housing market with as little as a 5% deposit.

The scheme is coming under heavy criticism from some quarters, however the majority of UK mortgage lenders have signed up to the new deal. It also means that the British taxpayer is funding the project should the borrowers default. Many banks and building societies currently insist that first-time buyers put down a deposit of 20 percent of the value of their prospective property. However, the Government will now underwrite loans worth up to 95 percent of a property’s value. Housebuilders will also have to pay about three percent of the value of the new property into a fund to help cover the scheme’s liabilities.

The aim is that around 450,000 new homes will be built by 2015. To speed things up, the government is planning to back several building projects that have already begun – called “shovel-ready” projects – but have been put on hold due to funds drying up. At the same time, empty properties will be brought back into residential use and social housing tenants will be able to buy their homes for up to 50 per cent of the market price, with the money raised being spent on creating even more affordable housing.

An offset mortgage calculator is a very handy tool to see in a visual format how effective offset mortgages can be at saving you thousands of pounds in mortgage interest over the shortened life of the mortgage.

An easy to use one can be found here:

http://www.rbs.co.uk/microsites/calculators/offset/default.asp

and quotes for different offset mortgage lenders can be accessed at the link in red below:

http://www.mortgagearrangers.co.uk/offset_mortgage/offset_mortgages.html

“An offset is one of the most hard-working but under utilised products in the mortgage market.”

A quote from a leading mortgage journalist.

It works by offsetting any money you hold in a linked current bank savings account against the mortgage balance before the monthly mortgage interest payments are calculated. This means you pay less mortgage interest each month and because you gain no interest on the savings in the  bank account you also pay no tax on the on the savings.

Its a very tax efficient way of combining mortgage and savings accounts.

For it to work effectively, it is generally accepted that the amount of savings you use to offset must be “significant”

Best to get a free quote and see the benefits for yourself.

Click to get a quote for an offset mortgage

Mortgages with an offset facility attached – Yorkshire Building Society, Leeds Building Society, First Direct, Scottish Widows, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, Woowich, Market Harborough,

It may be easier to use a broker (click above) to get all the quotes in a single format that makes it simple to compare them.

A good offset mortgage calculator can be found here:

http://www.rbs.co.uk/microsites/calculators/offset/default.asp

Equity Release allows homeowners over the age of 55 to release cash from the value of their homes, but still allowing them to live there for as long as they wish. 

    Click Here For More Information on Equity Release in Cheltenham 

Aspire IFA offer ethical confidential Whole of Market Independent Equity Release Advise, we can help you understand all types of Equity Release and we’ll highlight both the pro’s and con’s so you can make an informed choice.

Equity Release can be used to release cash from your main home or even investment property and the funds released can be used for any purpose including topping up your retirement income or home improvements.

Equity Release can be helpful in certain circumstances but is not suitable for everyone.

The value of your estate and therefore any inheritance you may leave will be reduced and your tax position and certain state benefits may be affected.

All our initial discussions and meetings are free – We charge a fee of 0.75% minimum £300 payable only if you complete and the fee can be paid from the Equity Release funds.

Getting public, professional or employers liability insurance when ex offenders previous convictions have to be revealed can be a difficult task and one where a specialist can be of tremendous use.

Clicking the logo on the left will give an instant quote for public liability insurance or enable a call back from a specialist who has many years experience in obtaining insurance cover for difficult cases.

Cover can be obtained for the following occupations:

Steel Erectors
Machine Dismantling
Steel Fabricators
Treefeller and surgeons
Roofer (heat use)
Machinery Installation and servicing contractors
Abseiling Contractors
Shot Blasting
Groundworker – 3 metre depth
Grit Blasters
Drilling Contractors
Scaffolding Contractors
Hydraulic engineers
High Pressure water washing contractor
Fork Lift Truck Servicing
Construction Plant Repairers
Air Conditioning Engineer
Ventilation
Refrigerator Engineers
Pest Controllers
Heating Contractor
Gas fitters
Ductwork Installers
Sprinkler Installer
Pipe Fitters
Removals Contractor (Domestic)
Plumbers
Bolier Services
Steel reinforcing rod installer
Steam Cleaning
Road Sweeping
Pressure Washers
Groundworker -2 metre depth
Asphalt Surface Contractors
Swimming Pool Installation
Swimming Pool Engineers
Timber Treatment Contractors
Roofer (excluding heat)
Agricultural Contractors
Drive Laying
Path, Patio, Drive laying
Property Maintenance
Bathroom Installer
Cladding Contractors
Builders (All Other)
Satellite TV Installer
Lightning Conductor
Aerial Erection
Mastic Sealant Contractors
Kitchen Installers
Fitted Kitchen Installers
Painters and decorators
Playground Equipment Installers
Flooring Contractors
Drain Cleaners
Agricultural Consultants
Timber Decking Contractors
Sign writing and erectors
Shopfitters
Racking and shelving installers
Office Fitters
Fire Surround/Place installation
Vehicle Windscreen Fitters
Shuttering and Formwork
Roughcasters
Roller shutter and door installation
Pebble Dashings
Loft Conversion
Grave Diggers
Glazing
Garage & Shed Erectors
Formwork and shuttering contractors
Fascia Board and Guttering Fitter
Double Glazing Installation
Door & Roller Shutter Installation
Domestic Garage/Shed Erection
Conservatory Installation
Builders (Height Limit)
Washing Machine Repair
Partition Contractors
Locksmiths
Gym Equipment Installers
Fitted Furnitutre Installers
Ceiling Contractors
Beauticians
Window Cleaners
Wheelie bin cleaner
Vending Machine Engineers
Vehicle Audio And Telephone Installation
Vacuum Cleaner Repairer
Upholsterer
Tv and Video Installation and repair
Television Repairer
Telephone Point Installation
Telephone Engineers
Office equipment servicing
Non-Destructive Testers
Monument Masons
Home Laundry and Ironing Service
Function caterers and Sandwich delivery(no airports)
French Polishers
Fencing Contractors(no crash barriers)
Exhibition Stand Erectors
Engravers
Electronic Engineers (including high-tech)
Electrical Contactors/Servicing/Electricians (Non-Industrial)
Dry Stone Waller
Domestic Helps (Excluding nursing & care)
Domestic Appliance repairers (ex. Alarms)
Data Cable Installer (exclude trenching, excavation and groundworking
Cooking Services
Computer Servicing
Coal Merchants and Deliveries
Cleaners
Chimney Sweep
Chef
Caterers
Carpet Fitters
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaing
Car Window Etching
Car Valeters
Cake Makers/Decorator
Blind & Curtain Fitters
Advertising Contractors
Tilers (no roofing)
Taxidermist
Surveyors
Quantity surveyors
Printers
Potters
Picture Framing
Photographers (no aerial work)
Milk Delivery
Manual Handling Instructors
Joiners
Home Sitters
Home Clearance and Rubbish Removal
Health And Safety Adviser
Gardeners
Furniture repair
Fork Lift Truck Training Instructors
Driving Instructor
Dressmaker, Taylors or curtain makers
Draft Proofing Installer
Dog Walkers
Dog Groomers
Curtain & Blind Fitters
Couriers (no motor cycles)
Carpenters
Butlers
Architects
Acoustic Engineers
Taxi Drivers
Sculptors
Plasterers
Loft Insulation
Insulation Contractor
Hod Carriers
Hoarding Erectors
Hairdressers
Damp Proofing Installer
Cavity Wall Insulation
Bricklayers
Artexers
Yoga Instructors
Word Processing
Will Writing
Web Site Design
Underwriting Agency
Translation
Training Consultants
Town Planning
Ticket agency
Theatre and ticket agency
Textile Consultancy
Telex Bureau
Telephone answering service
Telemarketing
Telecommunications Consultancy
Teachers General)
Tax Consultancy
Stockbroker
Statistician
Speech Therapist
Solicitors
Secretarial Services
Script Writing
Screenwriting
Research Consultancy
Reflexologist
Publicity Management
Public Relation Officer
Public Relation Consultancy
Psychotherapist
Psychologist
Psychoanalyst
Psychiatrist
Pilates Instructors
Piano Tuning
Physiotherapist
Physiologist
Pathologist
Paediatrician
Osteopath
Orthopaedic
Optician
Occupational Therapist
Nutritionist
Neurologist
Nail Technician
Music Teacher
Music Publisher
Mortgage Broker
Massage
Marketing/Marketing consultants
Market Research
Manicurist & Prdicurist
Linguistics
Lifestyle Consultant
Licensing Consultancy
Legal
Investment
Interpreter
Interior Designer
Insurance
I.T Consultants
Homeopathy
Home Tutoring
Graphic Designers
Funeral Celebrants
Floral & Plant Arrangers
Fitness Instructors
Financial Advisory Service/Market Trading/Services
Feng Shui Consultant
Editorial Consultancy
Draughtsman
Drama Instructors
Doctor (medical)
Dietician
Desktop Publishing Services
Dentist
Dance Instructors
Counsellor
Conveyancing
Consultant Surgeon
Consultant Engineers
Computer Consulting
Composer
Clerical Services
Chiropodists
Chauffeur
Cartoonist
Cartographer
Canvassers
Bookmakers – On Course
Barrister
Author
Auditing
Artists
Aromatherapist
Arbitrator
Aerobics Instructors (Excluding other sports)
Advertising Consultancy
Advertising Agency
Advertising
Administration
Acupuncturist
Actuary
Actuarial Consultancy
Acountants or Bookkeepers

For an instant quote for professional liability insurance click the logo on the left and fill in your requirements.

Work starts today on the £6,000,000 flood defence programme to try and improve the flood defences that protect Keswick from risk of flooding. No stranger to this event, homes and businesses will find it hard to renew their flood insurance after the Governments goes ahead with its removal of the agreement between itself and the insurance companies to provide insurance cover providing the risk is no greater than a once in 75 years chance of happening.

The agreement expires in June 2013 and the Association of British Insurance will not renew it. What this means to home owners and businesses is that their properties may be worthless in terms of resale value. Who wants to buy a property they can’t insure?

The work in Keswick includes the building of a wall and the felling of tees, but will that be enough to tempt insurers to underwrite the risks involved. Many of the mainstream “well known” household names will decline to become involved as they maintain their market position based on beating their opposition on premiums levels. This means that higher risk properties will simply be refused insurance.

It needs a specilaist flood insurance broker to sift out the companies that will underwrite the risk and offer householders cover.

Carlisle had 1,925 homes flooded in January 2005 and Keswick, Cockermouth and Appleby also suffered with 2,064 properties flooded.

Although flood defences can be successful in holding back rising rivers and tidal surges there is still the risk of surface water flooding that occurs when the storm drains can’t cope with heavy torrential rainstorms, so it might be that some of the work might still be in vain.

The rainstorm season is approaching as the warming sun sends all the winter moisture aloft to build cumulo nimbus rain clouds, and theses are totally unpredictable as to when and where they will dump all that moisture on the unsuspecting towns below.