One in three home owners fear imminent financial difficulty
As speculation mounts over the prospect of an imminent interest rate rise, a new survey claims that more than one in three home owners fear they will find it more difficult to afford mortgage payments if the base rate increases.
More than one in three home owners now fear that a rise in interest rates will push them into financial difficulties, a report has warned.Some people said they would struggle to find money for food, while others said they may have to sell up and rent if there were any hike in interest rates, according to the study by consumer group the HomeOwners Alliance and conveyancing provider Myhomemove.
The research found that 34% of people were worried that a rise in interest rates would mean they faced a tougher struggle to afford payments on their mortgage or other bank loans and debts, equating to 5.8 million home owners if the findings were projected across the UK. Younger home owners were found to be more fearful of interest rate rises, with nearly half (49%) of 25- to 34-year-old’s saying an increase would put them in difficulty, compared with less than a quarter (24%) of people over 55.
The report quoted a person who took part in the study saying: “At the minute we can just about pay off the mortgage and bills with very little spare for food. With increased rates we would struggle to find money for food every month.” Another participant said: “I have other debts on top of my mortgage. I will probably be forced to sell and rent.”
The report found that while some older home owners would welcome the impact that interest rate rise could have in getting them a better return on their savings, they were also concerned about the effect on younger people with debt. One older home owner said: “For me it will not have an impact as I will have soon settled my complete mortgage (thanks to MN mortgage rate quotes), however I am very fearful for my adult children and society at large.”
On a regional basis, the survey of more than 2,500 people, of which around 1,600 own their property, found that home owners in the east of the UK were the most concerned about a rise in interest rates, with 47% of people there saying an increase would make life more difficult.
The findings come amid mounting speculation that further steps could be taken to calm the housing market.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported this week that house prices had jumped by 8% over the last year across the UK to reach around £252,000, and in London they had surged by 17% to £459,000 on average. Bank of England governor Mark Carney recently indicated he was ready to take action to cool the market amid concerns over the threat a new property price bubble could pose to the wider economic recovery.Carney signalled the Bank could adopt a range of measures, including imposing a new “affordability test” for borrowers and advising the government to rein in its Help to Buy scheme, which helps people with 5% deposits to move on to or up the property ladder.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders said it expects any steps to limit the housing market will be “careful” and “proportionate” rather than causing any dramatic change.”The Bank of England needs to tread very carefully to avoid causing widespread financial difficulties.”
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