CML calls for reform in Northern Ireland

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has called for a Barker style of review of the housing market in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the Council of Mortgage Lenders' lunch at the Belfast Hilton, the trade body's deputy director general, Peter Williams says: " In Northern Ireland there is a case for a Barker style review to ensure supply is right."

He went on to say that only between half and two thirds of necessary housing is being built.

However, others at the lunch said Northern Ireland was all 'reviewed out' with the market having faced one review after the other over the last few years.

Over the Financial Services Authority's call to maximise the length of KFIs to five pages Williams says: "No-one wants to produce endless pages, but the backdrop is if 50% of consumers don’t know what 50% is what are they are going to do with a KFI?

There were also calls from the NI co-ownership housing association to assist in developing products to help first-time buyers to get on housing ladder.