In the news

Adam Stiles, managing director at Helix Financial Partners, said: “Some registrations at the Land Registry are already taking 12-24 months. These delays are having a meaningful impact on property transactions to the detriment of everyone involved. Adding in strikes will not only exacerbate an already arduous and frustrating situation, it will create huge problems in the run-up to the stamp duty changes in April.”

“A strike by members of the Land Registry could cause “huge problems in the run-up to the stamp duty changes in April”, Helix Financial Partners managing director, Adam Stiles, has warned. Stiles’s comments follow civil servants at the Land Registry, who are members of the Public and Commercial Union, voting to strike after being ordered to attend the office for three days a week”

Adam Stiles, Managing Director at mortgage advisor Helix Financial Partners, said some registrations at the Land Registry are already taking a year to two years. These delays are having a meaningful impact on property transactions to the detriment of everyone involved.”

“Adam Stiles, Managing Director at Helix Financial Partners, said: “Swap rates have risen sharply this week, possibly spooked by the rumour mill and rhetoric coming out of the Treasury for the upcoming Budget, the conflict in the Middle East, and unexpected economic data released in the US recently. Time will always tell with these things but for now, we don’t expect to see many lenders decreasing rates any further for the time being on certain products.”

“Adam Stiles managing director at Helix Financial Partners pointed out that Skipton Building Society is already offering a sub-3% product transfer mortgage at 2.89% – although it comes with a hefty 3% fee and is up to 60% loan-to-value. However, we are only likely to see sub-3% rates at lower loan-to-values. We don’t expect to see them widespread at higher loan-to-values until we have a few more rate cuts, which is possible by mid-2025.”

Adam Stiles, Managing Director at Helix Financial Partners, told Newspage: “Andrew Bailey hinting at rate cuts coming sooner is excellent news for the mortgage and property industry and a clear signal to lenders to follow suit with rate cuts. We’d expect to see swap rates drop on the back of this hint with lenders dropping rates further as this is how they price fixed rates. A November rate cut looks extremely likely now, which will lower tracker rates.”

Adam Stiles, managing director at Helix Financial Partners said: “Whatever can speed up the planning process to greenlight consent will be very welcome, however this initiative doesn’t solve the real issue. “The real issue is that the entire planning system needs large investment and we need training and recruitment for planning officers. “This is a great initiative but the devil will be in the detail and, as always with these things, beware the unintended consequences.

Adam Stiles, Managing Director at Helix Financial Partners sees the challenges self-employed mortgage candidates going through as “very sad.” Stiles says, “Self-employment should be celebrated and not penalised. Anyone thinking or considering switching from self-employed to employed purely to secure a mortgage should always seek professional advice as there are a number of ways to approach self-employed income and many lenders view it differently,” he says.

Adam Stiles, Managing Director at Helix Financial Partners, told Newspage: “We wouldn’t expect to see another Bank of England rate drop this year, but we hope to see lenders adjust their variables rates quickly.”