Interest rates in the UK has been frozen once again at their all-time low of 0.5%, following the Bank of England’s decision not to cut them further.
It was widely expected that the Bank would slash rates to boost economic growth already slowing before Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. However, the nine-member monetary policy committee yesterday decided that a cut was not necessary at the present time.
This decision came despite the fact that latest figures indicate that the UK economy slowed during the end of the second quarter of the year.
Mortgage rates
Now, it looks likely that rates could be cut in August. Presently, mortgage borrowing costs will remain fairly consistent, particularly with tracker mortgage deals which will automatically marry-up with the fall in interest rates.
Buy-to-let landlords with fixed mortgages would have not benefitted from this cut until their deal has expired.
Even if there is a cut in interest rates during the next month, this could not be passed on in full by mortgage providers.
David Whittaker, managing director of Mortgages for Business, noted, ‘lenders may even be keen to sustain current rates, or increase pricing in order to regain recent months’ lost margins.’[1]
Whittaker also said that there is a strong core of sustainable low loan to value lending to property investors, including buy-to-let landlords, who are not likely to heighten instability.
Welcome
The decision to hold interest rates at 0.5% whilst waiting for the full impact of the Brexit vote has been welcomed by Simon Checkley, managing director of Private Finance.
Checkley said, ‘we fully support today’s decision by the MPC to hold the Bank Rate at 0.5% whilst it waits for the longer term impacts of the EU Referendum result to become clearer.’[1]
‘We anticipate a further review in August once the new economic forecasts are published where we would expect the committee to cut rates by as much as 50bp, achieving a zero percent interest rate, which would be in line with Mark Carney’s most recent comments about the need for the implementation of monetary easing over the summer,’ he continued.[1]
Interest rates held at 0.5%
Buy-to-let growth
Stuart Law, CEO at Assetz Property, feels that there will be continued growth in the buy-to-let sector. This is due to the fact investors can get roughly three-times as much income as they could get from a bank account.
Law said, ‘Buy-to-let landlords investing in Northern property in particular will continue to thrive as the market appears to be remaining stable post-Brexit. Prices continue to be modest versus the South, while gross yields are reaching up to 8.5% on average, compared to just 3.5% in the capital.’[1]
‘Amid these current times of uncertainty and unanticipated outcomes, we expect investors to concentrate on investing for yields as the small dividends from the stock market do not really compensate for fluctuating share price risks.’[1]
[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/7/bank-of-england-slash-interest-rates-to-shore-up-economy