thunderbird900

About a month ago there was a report in the Mail on Sunday about a scheme by HSBC aimed at first time buyers who had qualifications or were graduates. In other words, borrowers who were a safe bet to lend money to and would have increased earnings in the future. The headline was something like "How I now own my first property". Down to the nitty gritty. First of all it was a 100% mortgage. He therefore paid no deposit but borrowed the full amount from the lender. Secondly, it was an interest only mortgage. Thirdly, it was low start deferred mortgage. The full interest was not charged in the first years, but rolled up to be added on at a later date. Words fail me! I was going to contact the newspaper to ask for them to comment on this disgraceful reporting. Then I thought was is the bloody point? Let these idiots stew in their own misfortune.

Hello Hollow. The time limit or time barring as it is called is very confusing. The best site I have found to explain all this, particulary Legal & General, is www.uk-endowment-mortgages.com/time-barring/index.htm The Financial Services Authority have stated that once the red warning shortfall letter is sent out the complainant has three years to respond. However, it seems some companies are imposing very strict time criteria. In your case it seems L & G are not imposing these time limits. With regards to Ogri, plus ca change!

Hello Hollow, Once you lodge your complaint the life assurance companies have to respond within a short specified time I think it is a maximum of three weeks. Other contributors please advise. To put your picture in your posts follow avatar instructions.They are on your home page. By the way, who is peter perfect? The avatar is Ogri, my hero.

Apom, what about a Rocket Three???

This is exactly what has happened with the last two properties I have viewed. When it came to talking price both sellers were absolutely matter of fact. They would not drop the price below x. Usually a max of £5,000 below asking price. Otherwise they both said the property would be rented out. Good thinking up to a point. What happens if they can't rent it out or the grosss yield is less than the mortgage? Plus the liability of having two mortgages in the current economic climate. I would love things to turn and these pompous prats to be bitten in the bum.

What was that punk record from the 70's called?... GORDON IS A MORON

Am I missing something with these tv auction programmes? Are the auction houses charities because they never seem to take off their percentage from the final profit. IE: The antique piss pot sold for 50 quid, you made 50 quid. That prat with the Terry Thomas gap in his teeth and dicky bow tie should be auctioned off!

Hello Hollow. Sorry, I should have mentioned that the consumers association in UK goes under the name of Which? Go to Google. Type in endowment compensation consumers association. Go to the third heading down -Which. Click on make a complaint. Click on complaint letter generation. Click on online letter generator. Fill in your personal details. At most it should only take you about ten minutes or so to complete. The life complanies are under obligation to reply within a period I think of two weeks. Let me know how you get on.

As reported in the Daily Telegraph a few weeks ago the death toll on French roads has increased dramatically this year. France as good as shuts down in August, and the rush to the coast results in this month traditionally being the most dangerous time to drive in France. Last month 560 people died on French roads, a 7% increase from last year. In other words an average of 18 people a day died as a result of road traffic accidents in France in July. That figure is terrible.

Hello Hollow. Thanks for your kind words. I will accept your offer of a beer as long as it's not Castlemaine xxxx! With regards to you cashing in your endowment. Your first port of call must be the provider, Legal & General, to give you a surrender value on the policy. Then compare it with the best offer from a traded endowment company. With regards to complaining to L&G about being mis-sold the policy. Prepare for a possible battle. Some life companies are known to be obstructive when dealing with claims. If they send you a financial questionnaire DO fill it in. It will be worth it in the long run. DO not use one of those no win no fee companies to file for compensation. They normally charge a minimum of 25% of the total payout. A complete rip off. It is very easy to do it yourself. Good luck!

Charlie, I remember that well. The News at Ten would announce the latest job cuts and redundancies regularly as if they were football results. Remember also the endless "Green shoots of recovery" phrase that seemed to be the mantra of the Tories in the early 90's as they seemed to be wishing their way out of recession.

George, I entirely agree with you. The only real selling point of the flats is that they are only 12 minutes away from Kings Cross by tube. That's it. The hoardings talk of Ashburton Grove as a regeneration zone. I think they have their work cut out. The season ticket offer is a nonsense. If anyone can afford, or is mad enough to buy a one bed flat for just under a quarter of a million pounds they would easily be able to get a season ticket through the normal channels. Arsenal keep telling everyone how big a waiting list there is for these tickets. It's one thing to put your name down on a list. Wait till the club contacts them and asks to see the colour of their money. Over a thousand quid a year. They will disappear into the night. Arsenal are now effectively owned by the banks. With a current debt of £300 plus million pounds, just servicing the debt will cost a fortune, let alone paying the money back. I think the football world has gone completely mad.

If you want to sell on your endowment go to Google and type traded endowments, the take your pick. Normally only policies sold before 1990 are acceptable, and they need to be with profits, not unit linked. If you want to make a complaint about mis selling go to the Consumers Association website. They have tailored made letters. All you need to do is type in your personal information. Their site is excellent for advice on endowments.

Walking to Highbury tonight on the way to the match I saw large hoardings outside the new ground. Galliard homes are advertising new flats for sale before they are even built. 1 bed from £225,000 and upwards. Then underneath is written a guarantee of 6.29% net return up to 2010 and beyond. Plus a guaranteed Arsenal season ticket. You might be guaranteed the ticket, but you still have to pay for it. Now I am a simple soul so my question is this. How on earth can a builder/developer guarantee this type of return for the next five years? What happens if half the flats don't sell or they are not rented out? What happens if there is a major recession? What really pees me off is that the flats are advertised soley as investments, not somewhere affordable for people to buy and actually live in. Mind you a one bed flat at that price and you would need to be really stupid to be tempted anyway. Your thoughts please.

Cprulesok. Leeds won the game at Highbury in May 1965 3-0. Incidentally the game at Elland on the 13th November 1965 was watched by 39,373 spectators. Only a diference of 34 odd thousand! Leeds won that one as well 2-0.

Are they not called Inside Track? Smug superior commercials that should be banned.

I have to agree with the above post, even though I go regularly to Highbury. The number of people leaving a game early is crazy. You don't leave a film or the theatre early. Why pay top money to see your team and then leave 5 minutes before the end. I love it when a goal is scored in the last minute. Also I find this kissing the shirt moronic. Arsenal till I die and all that nonsense. It is only a football team, not life and death, whatever Bill Shankley once said. Usually the people most fervent have never even been to a game. The worst is when you see some overweight forty something wearing a replica shirt. Do they realise how stupid they look or are they brain dead? I see these examples throughout the season.

Old Misery, good point. I started watching the Arsenal in the mid 60's. Standing admission cost two shillings (10 pence) for schoolboys and four shillings (20 pence). This was on a par with a cinema ticket. Now it costs me £40 per match, averaged out for my season ticket at Highbury. I have serious reservations about the cost of the new stadium, and whether it will be full at every game. I remember 60,000 plus crowds when there was standing. However, those were the big games. The average attendance, even when they won the double in 1971 was around the 40,000. In those days lots of people went to Spurs one week and Arsenal the next. Some did'nt even support either team, they just wanted to see a football match. Fast forward to 2005 and we have idiot Ashley Cole saying he is a wage slave because he was only earning one million pounds a year. I will repeat that, one million pounds per year. Now move across London and we have Chelsea plyers earning double that sum. Throw in crap 100% polyester shirts at 45 quid a throw and I think the World has gone mad. And I'm contributing to it!!! No I have'nt got a replica shirt. What has this got to do with house prices? Lots, in my book. I mentioned in a post some months ago to watch Match of the Day and see the gaps in the attendances. Now I think it is coming to a screen near you. Throw in higher oil prices and utility bills and we are seeing the purse being squeezed ever dry. The knock on effect IS hitting house prices. People just have not got the money any more and we are seeing a fundamental shift in both public spending and how much people will pay for any old 3 bed semi. By the way, they were NOT the good old days. The facilities were rubbish at all grounds. Toilets and catering were a disgrace, and how Bradford and Hillsborough did not happen sooner is a real mystery. On 5th May 1966, just before the World Cup, Arsenal played Leeds United at Highbury. Just 4,554 spectators went to this First Division game. Who says it won't happen again?

Chavettes knickers. Did'nt know thay wore any!

With regards to the lovely expats forum. I have read some of their threads and replies and I consider they deserve everything they get. They consistently criticise buyers who dare to lower their offer. They encourage their fellow sellers to hide fish, rotten eggs etc under the floorboards. I have even seen them suggest taking out subscriptions to sex magazines or flooding the new occupants with junk mail. Bunch of whingeing self pitying idiots. All they do is moan, my house won't sell, or my estate agent says it is worth this much and he can't be wrong. It's pathetic. Send them Karma, I'd rather stick a red hot poker up them where the sun don't shine.

OK, Own up! Who is Peter Peper's mate Paddy??? I nearly died laughing!

Horace, admit it, your real name is Richard Head.

Frugalista, Excellent post.

Bill Gates, aka Bruno, is talking nonsense. He posted a similar thread on the main board and was shot down in flames. Welwyn Garden City is a tidy sleepy sort of place. The town centre is clean, neat flowebeds and fountains. Very little criminal activity or chavs. I cannot understand for the life of me what Bruno is ranting on about. As for the prices... The West Side is expensive. Elsewhere there is good quality ex council properties at affordable prices. Bruno, keep taking the medication.

Stalkerism, Chuz, you just made that word up!