Money Links For 24th Oct 2006
October 25th, 2006 | POSTED BY ROB
- Friends Provident launches Protected Investment Portfolio Bond
The Friends Provident Protected Investment Portfolio Bond has been launched to provide cautious investors peace of mind. - Wealthy homeowners and renters ‘risking ID fraud’
Those most likely to become victims of ID fraud are the wealthiest homeowners as well as people renting accommodation, new research has discovered. - BSA reports mortgage lending rise
5 billion in September 2006 according to the Building Societies Association (BSA). - Spam emails on the rise says uSwitch
Millions of home computers are being attacked every day in the UK by potentially harmful junk emails, according to price comparison website uSwitch. - Britannia launches two new mortgages
Britannia Building Society is offering customers two new mortgages to add to their existing product range. - Zurich Adaptable Life Plan commences
Zurich has launched a planning solution for inheritance tax (IHT) following recent research that shows the average house price in London now exceeds the IHT threshold. - Standard Life Select Freestyle ISA launched
The Standard Life Select Freestyle ISA has been introduced, aimed at new Freestyle Mortgage customers. - General launch exclusive mortgages
General mortgage club has teamed up with Woolwich to offer customers two exclusive mortgage deals. - Women to fund partners’ retirement
When it comes to retirement, one in 12 British men are expecting their wife to provide the income says Zurich. - Small businesses at risk says Bank of Scotland
Small businesses in the UK are facing potentially disastrous consequences due to not implementing contingency procedures in the event of an emergency, says Bank of Scotland. - Nationwide launches Guaranteed Equity Bond
Nationwide Guaranteed Equity Bond (GEB) has been introduced to add to the building society’s existing range of bonds. - UCB self-cert tracker introduced
A self-certified three-year tracker product has been launched by specialist intermediary lender UCB Home Loans for a limited time only. - Young people ‘failing to set up pensions’
Graduates could be risking half of their pension total if they delay their contributions until the age of 30, according to HSBC. - Number of people looking for property rises
The number of people seeking to purchase a new property continues to rise according to research undertaken by UK property portal, propertyfinder.com. - Churchill Insurance warns of firework ‘peril’
Bonfire night is proving to be a very costly time for insurers as over a million homes in the UK are damaged by fireworks says Churchill Insurance. - Free-to-use ATMs for Post Office
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and NatWest have joined forces with the Post Office to offer customers free-to-use cash machines. - Abbey Guaranteed Commercial Property Bond introduced
Abbey has launched its Guaranteed Commercial Property Bond along with three other products to add to its bond portfolio. - Britons ‘choosing property over pensions’
Half of UK homeowners are shunning pension contributions and are instead banking on profits from their property, according to research. - Leeds two-year fixed-rate postal bond introduced
The Leeds two-year fixed-rate postal bond has been launched and offers customers a market-leading interest rate. - Brits keep silent on money, says first direct
Only a minority of people confide in their best friends about their money troubles, according to new research undertaken by first direct. - Claimants pin hope on ombudsman
Tens of thousands of Equitable Life policyholders have left the life assurer following the compromise settlement agreed in 2002. But there are still around 50,000 Equitable policyholders who have no option but to remain with Equitable. - A glimpse into the future
The winners of the FT/ABN Amro competition to dream up "the financial product or service of the future" were presented with their prizes at the FT’s offices this week. - Wealthy investors urged to consider affordable flats
Disused banks and flats above shops might not be as glamourous an investment prospect as a villa on the Cote-d’Azure but buying into the development of these types of buildings has attractive tax perks for wealthy investors. - Load ‘em up and take hold of the readies
If you make a claim on your home insurance policy or step off a flight to find your luggage has not arrived with you, you may now find that you are reimbursed with a pre-paid card rather than cash or a cheque. - Borrowers set up home in never-never land
First-time buyers and cash-strapped home owners are scrambling to take out interest-only mortgages that could leave them facing financial ruin or forced to trade down the property ladder to pay off their mortgage. - Ombudsman gets tough on banks over unfair charges
Bank customers who complain about unfair charges are getting record levels of compensation, in a growing sign of banks’ willingness to settle claims. - Taxpayers in the dark over the legality of some schemes
Taxpayers could face years of backdated charges because HM Revenue & Customs is failing to indicate whether or not certain disclosed tax-efficient schemes are legitimate. - Cash-strapped home-hunters get toeholds on property ladder
Many people who rent the house they live in do not do so out of choice. They see rent as dead money and would prefer to own their home and pay their own mortgage rather than pay the landlord’s. - Clear appeal of ‘the purest form of trading’
Private investors are set to enjoy cheaper equity trading as increasing numbers of stockbrokers offer a direct route straight to the order book of the London Stock Exchange. - Burgeoning debt industry loses its allure
If you watch television, listen to the radio or are an habitual reader of tabloid newspapers, you have seen or heard the advertisements. Sinking in debt? Clear your debts in three to five years. - Cash release schemes may make comeback
Home reversion plans, which used to be a popular way for homeowners to release cash from their property, could be set for a comeback as formal regulation of these schemes next April is likely to give them some much-needed respectability. - Bad habits can lead to a healthy income
Healthy individuals face shrinking pension incomes as the increased popularity of enhanced annuities, which offer better deals to people likely to die younger, is piling further pressure on to already low standard rates. - UK managers follow US model to offer high returns
There is a type of equity fund that is hugely popular in the US but has yet to take off in a big way in the UK. Known as a covered call fund, it combinestraditional equity investments with derivatives to generate higher levels of income. - Investors go in one door and out the other
Savvy institutional investors are pulling out of the UK commercial property market in droves just as record numbers of private investors are piling in. - Buyers flock to spread the cost of a home loan
More and more first-time buyers are willing to shelve their differences and share their living space for a more affordable step on to the property ladder. According to lenders, record numbers of 20 and 30-somethings are pooling their funds and taking out
