New research shows financial branch closures are piling the pressure on local high streets with nearly half (46%) of shop owners interviewed admitting that losing a local bank in the past three years has had a negative impact on their business.

For Chloe Mayes and her partner Jordan Fisher, purchasing their first home was a great experience and they were keen to ensure that happened again when it came to remortgaging their property as their fixed-term came to an end.

Our mortgage expert talks about starting to plan for the possibility of mortgage interest rate rises.

Stamp Duty Land Tax is a tax you pay when you buy a house costing more than £125,000. Everyone has to pay it, whether you’re a first time buyer or moving up the housing ladder. The stamp duty rate and the amount you pay varies according to the price of the property.

The Nottingham announces new sponsorship deal with The Nottingham Panthers Ice Hockey Club

Today we announce our annual results and are proud to say that in 2017 we showed further strong retail growth and record mortgage lending. We also opened seven new branches and began trading in Norfolk for the first time in the society’s history.

Following the Bank of England’s decision on 2nd November 2017 to increase the base rate from 0.25% to 0.50%, we are currently reviewing any impact this will have on our mortgage and savings customers.

We believe people can more confidently look to get their foot on the first rung of the property ladder following the announcement that stamp duty has been removed for first-time buyers purchasing homes costing £300,000 or less.

Mortgage customers on variable rates are being urged to take sound advice that could lead to major savings. Call 0344 481 0013, visit a branch or go to thenottingham.com/mortgages

You’ll get a wide range of single income mortgage options by using a mortgage broker, such as those at Nottingham Mortgage Services, who can search over 50 lenders.