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First mortgage provider raises rates following ECB hike

It is expected that other lenders will soon follow suit following the substantial increase announced by the ECB on Thursday
It is expected that other lenders will soon follow suit following the substantial increase announced by the ECB on Thursday

Non-bank lender, ICS Mortgages, has become the first provider to raise rates following this week's ECB 0.75% hike.

ICS is to increase its fixed and variable rates for owner occupier mortgages by 1%.

The rise will apply to all loan to value bands.

Rates on buy-to-let mortgages will also increase by between 0.7% and 1.25%, depending on the mortgage product and the loan to value band.

Existing borrowers with a fixed rate will see no change to what they are paying.

The changes will take place from 1 December.

In circumstances where applicants have received a fixed rate loan offer from ICS, that offer will remain valid once drawdown is completed by 30 November.

"These rate increases reflect the evolving interest rate environment and the ongoing upward pressure on the cost of financing fixed interest rate products," the company said.

"As a prudent and sustainable lender, ICS Mortgages remains committed to offering competitive mortgages and we will continue to review our position on interest rates on an ongoing basis," it added.

Last month ICS announced it was increasing its fixed rates for new customers by 0.5%, following the last ECB rate increase.

That was the third time this year that the lender had raised its fixed rates after hikes in March and May.

It is expected that other lenders will soon follow suit following the substantial increase announced by the ECB on Thursday.