http://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/default.aspxen-gbMon, 14 Dec 2009 10:13:44 GMThttp://www.teletext.co.uk/images/Logo64x64.gifhttp://www.teletext.co.ukProperty asking prices fell for the second month in a row during November as the market suffered its traditional seasonal slowdown.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~4/veKB75ZhIbU" height="1" width="1"/>
The 2.2% drop left the average property put up for sale in England and Wales in the four weeks to December 5 nearly £5,000 cheaper at £221,463, according to property website Rightmove.

All areas saw a fall in prices except East Anglia where they rose 0.5%.

]]>8e40f327f3901a5f276070d79198c35ehttp://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~3/veKB75ZhIbU/House+sellers+drop+prices.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/8e40f327f3901a5f276070d79198c35e/House+sellers+drop+prices.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/8e40f327f3901a5f276070d79198c35e/House+sellers+drop+prices.aspxCompanies are employing "worrying tactics" to get workers to transfer out of final-salary pension schemes, the Pensions Regulator has warned.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~4/LH3M3L8P1RM" height="1" width="1"/>
It called for greater scrutiny of the incentives offered to transfer out of the schemes, warning that it was rarely in members' interests to do so.

The impact of the downturn on final-salary pension deficits has seen employers review schemes they offer.

]]>b5bcf4d7bce36ba1ad8a7e3fd46848d7http://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~3/LH3M3L8P1RM/Warning+over+pension+transfer.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/b5bcf4d7bce36ba1ad8a7e3fd46848d7/Warning+over+pension+transfer.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/b5bcf4d7bce36ba1ad8a7e3fd46848d7/Warning+over+pension+transfer.aspxEight out of 10 defined-benefit pension schemes still face a shortfall despite an improvement in funding in November, Pension Protection Fund figures show.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~4/gla0lCEhSHo" height="1" width="1"/>
These schemes collectively faced a funding black hole of £132.9bn.

]]>a930a99a80b6229801c2526f7d2bdeb2http://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~3/gla0lCEhSHo/Defined+benefit+shortfall.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/a930a99a80b6229801c2526f7d2bdeb2/Defined+benefit+shortfall.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/a930a99a80b6229801c2526f7d2bdeb2/Defined+benefit+shortfall.aspxBuilding societies are offering 40% of all best-buy mortgages, despite the problems that have hit the sector, says<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~4/_uUec_LgRdw" height="1" width="1"/>website realpricecomparison.com.

Mutual lenders have been hit hard by the credit crunch, which has triggered a wave of consolidation and seen them lose mortgage market share.

They are particularly strong on fixed-rate products, offering eight of the 10 best two-year fixed deals at 75% LTV.

]]>5819ab510f4607a587f49ceeb556d4afhttp://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~3/_uUec_LgRdw/Mutuals+offer+mortgage+value.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/5819ab510f4607a587f49ceeb556d4af/Mutuals+offer+mortgage+value.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/5819ab510f4607a587f49ceeb556d4af/Mutuals+offer+mortgage+value.aspxSignificant numbers of consumers have become reliant on using costly credit, the Office of Fair Trading claims.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~4/qcrX8YkY7Sw" height="1" width="1"/>
The OFT said the majority of people understand products, such as pay-day loans, home credit and pawnbroking are expensive, but some value the speed at which they can provide funds.

Some 26% of people who use such products told the OFT they used home credit on a continuous basis.

]]>1880c5236a83fa8be456070572427ee5http://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~3/qcrX8YkY7Sw/Hooked+on+fast+credit.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/1880c5236a83fa8be456070572427ee5/Hooked+on+fast+credit.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/1880c5236a83fa8be456070572427ee5/Hooked+on+fast+credit.aspxHouse prices rose for a fifth month in a row in November as a supply shortage continued to prop up the UK market.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~4/-Wep-XyHhx8" height="1" width="1"/>
The average cost of a home rose by 1.4% during the month to stand at £167,664, the highest level since October 2008, according to mortgage lender Halifax.

But the group warned the prospects for the property market depend on the health of the economy. It expects prices to remain flat in 2010.

]]>9825b1bd966f620bb4e738770d5b2087http://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~3/-Wep-XyHhx8/House+prices+rise+14.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/9825b1bd966f620bb4e738770d5b2087/House+prices+rise+14.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/9825b1bd966f620bb4e738770d5b2087/House+prices+rise+14.aspxThe &#163;5 note is set for a New Year comeback across UK cash machines after the Bank of England said it will campaign to increase its circulation.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~4/PeXQtC8uGBE" height="1" width="1"/>
The Bank plans to urge the UK's retail banks to increase the availability of £5 notes in their ATMs.

The number of £5 notes in supply has risen in the last two years from around £1bn to £1.3bn. The Bank believes there is strong public demand for the fiver.

]]>6d47ad70a70641e94ac14032109045a2http://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/news/finance/moneynews/~3/PeXQtC8uGBE/Bank+campaigns+for+fiver.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/6d47ad70a70641e94ac14032109045a2/Bank+campaigns+for+fiver.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/personalfinance/moneynews/6d47ad70a70641e94ac14032109045a2/Bank+campaigns+for+fiver.aspx