EU to agree new mortgage lending rules
The EU is expected to agree common rules on mortgage lending today in an effort to avoid a repeat of property bubbles that helped to fuel the Eurozone debt crisis.
The legislation will force all lenders in Europe to check the credit worthiness of potential customers and their ability to repay.
The rules will also make it illegal for those carrying out credit checks to have their pay linked to the number of mortgages they approve - a practice that has been blamed for encouraging irresponsible lending in the past.
The rules also increase consumer protection by making it harder for lenders to seize homes from borrowers who fail to keep up with repayments.
