N&P rate extended

NATIONAL & Provincial Building Society this week has extended its one-year fixed-rate mortgage of 1.85 per cent to first-time borrowers and cut the amount of deposit needed from 25 to 10 per cent of purchase price. There is a pounds 200 arrangement fee.

Lloyds Bank is launching one-year mortgage discounts for first-time buyers, of up to 4.75 per cent off the current variable rate of 7.74 per cent on loans over pounds 60,000, with a loan to value of 95 per cent.

For loans below pounds 60,000, the discount drops to 3.75 per cent off the variable rate. First-time buyers' mortgages must be backed by a Black Horse policy.