Bank of Ireland increase differential on tracker rates

Bank of Ireland increase differential on tracker rates

10:32 AM, 28th February 2013, About 12 years ago 1862

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The story of the Bank of Ireland decision to increase to the differential (interest rate margin) on  tracker mortgages started on this forum when a professional landlord contacted Property118 within minutes of a letter from Bank of Ireland landing on his door mat. What ensued was outrage from landlords and affected residential mortgage borrowers. The story was quickly picked up by the National Media as it wasn’t just the 13,500 affected borrowers who were worried.

Will this set a precedent for other mortgage lenders to follow?

Property118 reacted by using funds donated to The GOOD Landlords Campaign to underwrite the cost of a barristers opinion on the legality of the Bank of Ireland’s actions. The remainder of this thread,one of the most read and most commented threads of all time on Property118, continues to tell the story as it unfolds.

If you want to skip the story and cut to the chase simply CLICK HERE

Of the 13,500 affected borrowers, 1,200 have had the decision reversed by Bank of Ireland. With additional support and pressure we believe all affected borrowers can and will see justice done.

___________________________________________

Lee, a professional Landlord asks, “help! I have just received a letter from the Bank of Ireland stating they want to increase the differential on my tracker rates.

I have 12 mortgages with the Bank of Ireland previously Bristol and West. I have been on a base rate tracker of 1.75% above base, but now Bank of Ireland are using some fine print claiming they have to recapitalise and saying the ‘new differential will be 4.49%.

How can I fight back?”

The original policy wording seems to be:

6 INTEREST

Charging interest at a tracker rate

(j) Unless we change the differential (if any) under condition 6 (n), we will not change the tracker rate unless the base rate changes.

(m) in condition 6 (n):
– a “positive differential” means a percentage which we add to the base rate to arrive at the tracker rate; and a “negative differential” means a percentage which we subtract from the base rate to arrive at the tracker rate.

(n) We may reduce a positive differential or increase a negative differential at our discretion by giving you not less than seven days written notice. This means that we can change the differential in a way that is favourable to you.

The above seems to indicate that they can reduce the rate in my favour, but not give them the right to increase it. Am I correct?


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Lucy McKenna

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16:05 PM, 3rd February 2014, About 11 years ago

Hi Mark, I am one of the people who just missed joining the original action. I did fill in the interest form at the beginning of September and I was on the list of interested parties. However, the last letter I received from Justin was 17/09/13,
I have not received an email to say that the action was being re opened and telling me what to do, I looked in spam too. I don't need one, but is it possible to check they were all sent as not everyone will still be monitoring this page and it would be a shame if some people slipped through the net.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

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16:09 PM, 3rd February 2014, About 11 years ago

The email was sent from us to all 200,000 subscribers to Property118 so I don't understand why you didn't receive it.

However, a link to the content is here >>> http://www.property118.com/bank-of-ireland-tracker-rate-legal-campaign-fundraising-re-launched/63264/
.

Lucy McKenna

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16:11 PM, 3rd February 2014, About 11 years ago

Wow, quite an emailing. Thanks Mark

Lucy McKenna

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16:18 PM, 3rd February 2014, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "LS " at "03/02/2014 - 16:05":

Sorry Mark, I was looking for an email from Justin,in view of what you say guess they were sent out by 118,

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

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16:22 PM, 3rd February 2014, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "LS " at "03/02/2014 - 16:18":

Yes that's correct 🙂

They were sent to everybody who has ever filled in any type of form on this website 🙂
.

GHH 64

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17:08 PM, 3rd February 2014, About 11 years ago

Colin Childs

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20:30 PM, 3rd February 2014, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "GHH 64" at "03/02/2014 - 17:08":

Shouldn't come as a surprise given the state of the Eire & NI housing markets. Nor the cost of restructuring the banking system. The Irish economy is recovering like the UK's. The overhang of consumer debt being one major issue that isn't yet resolved.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

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11:19 AM, 4th February 2014, About 11 years ago

SECURE FORUM

Unfortunately the IT developer who has been programming our secure forum is still off sick. The programming for the secure forum is 80% complete and when our developer has completed the final bits and pieces and we have completed testing we should be able to get it live within 24 hours. It's very frustrating that he fallen sick now (not just for him) but hopefully he will be feeling better soon soon and the forum will be up and running by the end of this week. Thank you for continued patience.
.

Paul Brindley

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13:46 PM, 4th February 2014, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mark Alexander" at "03/02/2014 - 12:08":

Hi Mark, the MP I am writing to is Sajid David, he's a private secretary in the Treasury. And a top level banker prior to becoming an MP. And as ex-bankers who have joined the government in other countries have been criticised widely for being too lenient with the banks, we may just be able to gain his interest. I have asked him to arrange a face to face meeting with the new head of the FCA. With the leaders of the BofI revolt included. In the meantime, we've teed up the BBC to run this should we not receive the answers we are looking for from the government and FCA. I'm pressing hard. What we could really do with is a few thousand borrowers outside Post Offices at the same time.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

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14:03 PM, 4th February 2014, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Paul Brindley" at "04/02/2014 - 13:46":

Hi Paul

I wish you luck with that because so far none of us have managed to get very much out of Sajid David other than a brush off letter stating that Government has no interest in the commercial pricing models of mortgage lenders.

In excess of a dozen of our members MP's have written to Sajid David to raise concerns on behalf of their constituents and all of the MP's have received the same bland response.

I agree that we need to meet this guy to explain what is actually going on but so far we keep getting stone walled. I sincerely hope that you manage to break through those walls.
.

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