Money News in Brief: Santander Mortgage Rate Rise
by from money.co.uk, 7 months ago

Santander is increasing its SVR mortgage rate tomorrow, Wednesday 3rd October, so if you're a customer you need to make sure you're prepared.

Money News in Brief: Santander Mortgage Rate Rise

Here's what you need to know:

  • The SVR will rise from 4.24% to 4.74%, adding around £26 a month to repayments on a £100,000 mortgage.

  • Santander will have written to you with confirmation of your new monthly repayment if you're affected - if you haven't received anything but think you should have done contact them ASAP.
  • Your repayments will be updated automatically if you pay by direct debit, but if you pay by standing order you'll need to contact your bank to notify them of the change.
  • It's only those on the bank's standard variable mortgage rate that will be affected right now. If you're tied into a fixed rate, tracker, flexible or flexible offset deal your repayments won't change until the end of your mortgage term.

If you're an SVR customer you need to make sure you can afford your new repayments and, if you're going to struggle, contact Santander right away.

You should also check that the deal you're on is still the best, and most affordable that you can get. You can use our action plan: How to get the best remortgage deal to work out whether you should switch.

What else is happening?

The new workplace pension scheme has now officially launched

Thousands of employees of the UK's biggest companies have already been auto-enrolled in the scheme, which will be rolled out for all workers over the age of 22 earning more than £8,105 over the next 5 years in an attempt to get the masses saving for retirement.

New minimum wage rates now apply

If you're paid minimum wage you'll need to make sure your earnings are adjusted accordingly. As of 1st October the minimum wage for workers aged 21 and above rose to £6.19p/hour, a below-inflation increase that adds just 11p an hour to the basic wage. Rates for those aged between 16 and 20 remain the same as last year while the hourly rate for apprentices increased to £2.65 an hour.

Your travel agent now has to give you a certificate that sets out how your holiday is protected

They'll need to produce an ATOL certificate for you whenever you book a package holiday, break that includes a flight plus hotel or car hire, or a flight with any company other than the airline. The ATOL certificate will set out clearly how you are protected in the event of travel company collapse, which company your cover is for and what you're entitled to should the worst happen.

Companies that send spam text messages about reclaiming PPI now face fines of over £250,000

That's thanks to a crackdown by the Information Commissioner's Office. They have already hit two marketing companies with fines of over a quarter of a million pounds and want the public to help them stop more text spammers by reporting unwanted texts to their network provider.

Co-operative Bank is changing the way it incentivises staff to reward customer service as opposed to sales

They are the first High Street bank to revamp their bonus system but it's hoped that an industry-wide change to this effect would reduce the number of mis-selling scandals that result because of pressure placed on branch staff to meet sales targets.

It could soon be easier to sell your home online without an estate agent and save £1,000s

The BIS have proposed an amendment to the Estate Agents Act that would free property portals from legislation that currently forces them to carry out the same checks on independently listed properties that estate agents do.

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