NatWest chair says it is not ‘that difficult’ to buy house in UK

The chair of NatWest has said it is not currently “that difficult” to buy a house in the UK.

Sir Howard Davies said people must “save” to get on the property ladder - as that is the way it has “always been”.

“I don’t think it is that difficult at the moment,” he told BBC’s Today programme on Friday 5 January.

“You have to save, and that is the way it always used to be.”

Sir Howard’s comments sparked backlash from listeners and he later clarified he “did not intend to underplay” the challenges buyers face.

“My comment was meant to reflect that in this context, access to mortgages is less difficult than it has been,” he said in a statement to the BBC.