The best credit card deal right now

By Staff Writer Ruth Jackson May 29, 2009

Ruth Jackson

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• Tesco has extended its introductory 0% on all purchases offer to a year for customers who apply for its clubcard credit-card online. The card also comes with 0% on balance transfers for the first six months.

• Most people who complained about increases in their credit-card interest rates over the past year have won compensation, says Elizabeth Colman in The Sunday Times.

Around 18,000 credit-card complaints were received by the Financial Ombudsman Service in the year to the end of March, with 75% upheld. However, the success rate for specific interest-rate rise complaints was almost 100%. So if you think your credit-card company has put up its rate unfairly, complain.

• Mortgage lending hit an eight-year low in April. Net lending by major banks totalled £3.7bn, the lowest figure since March 2001, says the British Bankers' Association. But the number of mortgages approved for purchases rose slightly to 27,685 last month, the second-highest figure in the past year.

• The Nottingham Building Society's latest bond has "shot to the top" of the best-buy tables, says Miles Brignall in The Guardian. The two-year fixed-rate savings bond pays 4.35% – that's 3.45% after tax for basic-rate taxpayers. Find out more by calling 0845 423 8464, or visit www.thenottingham.com.

• National Savings and Investments has increased the interest rate on its no-notice bonds to 1.7% for balances above £500 and 2% on balances over £25,000. You can invest up to £1m and minimum withdrawals are £500. Visit www.nsandi.com for more details.

• Lloyds TSB has launched a "tempting" mortgage for first-time buyers, says The Observer. The 95% loan-to-value mortgage is fixed for three years at 4.39%. But there is a big catch. In order to get the Lend a Hand deal, buyers will need a friend or relative to put down a 20% deposit for them. This 20% will then sit in a Lloyds TSB savings account earning 3.5% for 42 months.

After that, provided mortgage repayments and rising house prices have brought the loan-to-value ratio below 90%, the money can be withdrawn. Otherwise it has to remain in the account until the ratio falls below 90%.

• Over the past three years 133,985 homes in England have been put in too high a council-tax band, reports The Sunday Telegraph. To find out how you can go about checking your council-tax banding, and whether you can challenge your local council over it, visit moneysavingexpert.com.

• Bargain hunters should sign up to Fixture Ferrets, says The Times. In return for 10p a week, this website will keep you up to date on all the offers available at supermarkets in the UK. It will even send you text alerts about new discounts.

Published in Personal finance | More articles by Ruth Jackson

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