Back in the day, my parents did everything with the Trustee Savings Bank (TSB), their mortgage, car loans, insurance – I remember my first TSB young savers pass book which came with a (now a collector’s item) Globe TSB Money Box. There was no internet or broker for “shopping around,” they didn’t need to, they had trust!
In 1995, TSB merged with Lloyds and they became Lloyds TSB. In 2009 Lloyds acquired HBOS, (Halifax & Bank of Scotland) and together they became “The Lloyds Banking Group,” dropping the TSB name altogether. Somewhere down the line we had the credit crunch and we all developed a loathing of banks, whom we no longer trusted.
Fast forward a few years and (although retaining a large stake), at the end of 2014, Lloyds put TSB up for sale on the Stock Exchange, as a stand alone bank. Not a bad move, the brand emerges relatively unscathed from the financial crisis.
As an Independent Mortgage Broker, I am a massive fan of new lenders joining the UK mortgage market, it keeps the other banks awake and forces competition. More competition = better deals for you and me!
TSB haven’t disappointed. They smashed into the mortgage market with an incredible 1.49% 2 year fixed rate mortgage for borrowers with a 60% deposit. If you can’t quite stretch to that, a 20% deposit will get you 2.29% fixed for 2 years!
Pretty good rates to kick off with, but as we now live in the 21st century, I would advise anyone looking for a mortgage to find themselves a good independent mortgage adviser and do all the shopping around you need!
Homebuying reform to cut homebuying times by around four weeks, and save first-time buyers around £650, says the government.
Buying your first home is a huge milestone, but it can also be a complex process. There are several factors a first-time buyer should consider before making an offer on a property, including understanding the difference between leasehold and freehold and checking council tax bands.
We’ve detailed some questions you can ask your estate agent to help you make an informed decision.
Yesterday
Here are the lowest fixed mortgage rates of the week, available to first-time buyers, home movers, buy-to-let, and those remortgaging.
Call us for more information: 01628 507477 or email: team@mortgagerequired.com.
3 days ago
Remortgaging means switching to a new mortgage deal. This will either be with your current lender or a new one.
Getting advice and moving to a new deal when the time is right can mean lower monthly mortgage payments, better interest rates, or releasing equity from your property.
Here are some signs it may be time to remortgage.
According to Nationwide Building Society’s latest House Price Index, house prices dropped 0.6% month on month in May – the first monthly decline this year.
19 May 2026
Research from Lloyds identifies the most affordable areas in the UK for first-time buyers to be able to get onto the property ladder.
On Wednesday, 13th May, King Charles delivered his speech at the House of Lords, outlining the government’s plans for the upcoming year.
Here is a summary of the housing and energy/environment points.
From 18th May 2026, Halifax (part of Lloyds Banking Group) is launching a ‘£5k Deposit mortgage’ to help first-time buyers get onto the property ladder sooner.