coolaftershave Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 (edited) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5030820.stm Ange and Steve are desperate: they are about to lose their home. Ange and Steve bought into the home-owning dream. Encouraged by their broker, they borrowed more than they could afford - and when their fixed rate ended they found themselves in real trouble. The lenders are almost wishing borrowers to default because it is more profitable for a lender to fine a borrower who has missed payments We seem to have here the most lax regulatory regime anywhere in the developed western world The bad news begins. I can't beleive the BBC are turning. Looks like they are now going to blame the lenders... not the property price rampers. Its exciting to see this all unfold. What am i going to do when this website looses its purpose? Must rebrand it as a spin cutting site accross a broad range of topics. Any update of Kursty Allsops face yet? Red? Edited June 5, 2006 by coolaftershave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuyingBear Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 There's a lot of Brownites in the Beeb, it's in their interests to keep things ticking along for a while yet. Nothing sinister about that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-FTBer Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Looks like they are now going to blame the lenders... not the property price rampers. Thats cos they are the property rampers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolaftershave Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Thats cos they are the property rampers Yup, he who shouts loudest first and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCUMBAG Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 According to a bloke at work here, it is part of the BBC's remit (because of the unique way the BBC is funded blah blah blah) that they have this sort of thing in their schedule. So they probably have to do this sort of program but put it on at a time when most people who take out loans like this are at work and so will miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xurbia Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 (edited) According to a bloke at work here, it is part of the BBC's remit (because of the unique way the BBC is funded blah blah blah) that they have this sort of thing in their schedule. So they probably have to do this sort of program but put it on at a time when most people who take out loans like this are at work and so will miss it. I gave up watching the BBC after the Hutton Enquiry. I used to think it was the only honest news carrier. After the capitulation to bully Blair it's just another stealth tax. Edited June 5, 2006 by Xurbia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-FTBer Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I gave up watching the BBC after the Hutton Enquiry. I used to think it was the only honest news carrier. After the capitulation to bully Blair it's just another stealth tax. Yep. Why I bother paying is beyond me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HouseDog Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 This looks like a very interesting TV program! --------------------- Britain's streets of debt: Borrowers beware. [ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5030820.stm ] Ange and Steve are desperate: they are about to lose their home. Jeannette Sharratt, meanwhile, has lived under the shadow of repossession for 16 years. Just two of many families across the country fighting to save their homes. Debt has soared in Britain in recent years, and home ownership is a key part of that trend. We owe close to £1 trillion in mortgages alone. But many people are excluded from High Street lenders through their poor credit history, with outstanding debts or country court judgements against them. They turn to companies charging higher interest rates, sometimes 3-4 percentage points above the norm. Ange and Steve bought into the home-owning dream. Encouraged by their broker, they borrowed more than they could afford - and when their fixed rate ended they found themselves in real trouble. "There was a discount of 2% for 11 months which was fine in the beginning and then it jumped back up and that's when the difficulties started kicking in," Steve said. Other less scrupulous lenders charge far higher rates of interest. £100,000 debt Jeannette Sharratt from Blackpool borrowed £2,500 18 years ago from a "sub prime" lender called London North Securities. The firm charged an interest rate of 40%. She ended up with a debt of £100,000. The company wanted her house. Although Jeanette missed a few payments, over 12 years she had repaid £10,000 of interest on a £2,500 loan. "The lenders are almost wishing borrowers to default because it is more profitable for a lender to fine a borrower who has missed payments," says Ahmad Butt, a money adviser at the Citizens Advice Bureau. The stress of fighting for her house took its toll on the whole family. Her son Jamie says now that he couldn't concentrate at school. Jeanette remembers staying inside for days, refusing to go out fearful the company would come and change the locks. She even sold her engagement ring and all her furniture and carpets to try and make the payments. Wiped out Last November a judge finally wiped the Sharratt's debt and threw out the company's bid to repossess their home. A few days later her husband Frank had a stroke and can now do little for himself. "We seem to have here the most lax regulatory regime anywhere in the developed western world," Mr Butt said. New consumer credit legislation is currently going through parliament. It should help prevent people being sold loans that put them at undue risk of defaulting - and then losing their home. Using your home as surety is the easiest way to get a loan. It's the safest bet for the lender - but a huge risk for the average person, a huge risk that many people take to pay for home improvements or simply to consolidate their debts. But if you have trouble making payments and fall into arrears your home could be at stake, and today we are seeing more and more people paying the ultimate price and losing their homes. "Think very, very carefully before you secure any debt on your house," Charlotte Bentham of the Gloucester Money Advice Service, said. Borrowers Beware, the second of five programmes on Britain's Streets of Debt Series, will be broadcast on BBC TV on Tuesday 6 June at 0915 and online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I'm just watching it now, everything said we know already, but i'm dissapointed it was on at such a poor time in the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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