Landlords’ properties are being targeted by criminal gangs as a cover for illegal activity, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA), the leading representative body for private-residential landlords in the UK.

Prime central London prices rose 1.1% in January, the 10th consecutive month of price growth Knight Frank reports.

House prices rose for the seventh consecutive month, but January’s rise was the lowest during this period and was significantly below the 1.1% average over the previous six months.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has banned mortgage intermediary Andrew Emelife for knowingly submitting mortgage applications to lenders that contained false and misleading income information.

The Mortgage Works has unveiled a number of changes to its portfolio, including a new range of Stepped Buy to Let Tracker products, with rates from Bank of England Base Rate + 4.14% (4.64%).

Gross mortgage lending by building societies was £1.8 billion in December, compared to £1.6 billion in November, an increase of 15%. Gross lending for 2009 totaled £18.6 billion compared to £37.5 billion in 2008.

Some Irish mortgage lenders have been accused of punishing their existing customers by offering higher interest rates on mortages than for new customers.