f**king Banks!!!!!!!!!!!&#

[Norman Verona]

Andy, I sympathise. A friend who has an engineering business has been hanging on by his fingertips. All the staff have had to go, he and his partner have taken pay cuts so much so they are now on tax credits. The banks won't lift a finger to help, but he kept up the repayments on the loans, even though he's sold most of the equipment they were for.

He was really down a few months ago but now has some work and a bit of an order book. It's keeping him going. If he survives he will have to rebuild the business.

As you say, it's the good ones that are getting hurt because the banks lent to people who clearly couldn't repay the loans/mortgages they so easily committed to.

But, of course, the sales staff (I think they call them managers nowadays) got there bonus's up front so that's OK then.

Must be a wrench to have to sell the car, but hang on in there and it will come good. One thing about these recessions is that the weakly run businesses go to the wall leaving the stronger to survive and prosper.

We have no real competition left in our sector, only the big boys. We are doing very well but it's all down to very hard work and not big loans for flashy offices and cars.

[brianm]

I'm with them two above as well, I need at least 10% interest on my savings so I can retire next year, so lets make the ******' borrowers pay      

Certainly with you on that one Paul, but 10%?You can still get 4.5 if you trust the Indian Bank, but last year it was 7.8. I could be in deep dodah if they go down, and this is from someone who had money in both Nothern rock and Icesave, I know how to pick 'em

I feel quite pleased having got myself into retirement nice and early with a fair funding available, it took 38 years of dam hard work and running old bangers, did'nt get the 1st Westy 'till I was 45, so don't want to make any more sacrifices.

I think the real financial crisis is going to hit when the mortgage rates rocket again. I feel sorry for this younger generation that has been brought up in a society that acepts credit/debt  as the norm.

Divorce rates and repossesions will hit record levels.

Sorry Banman, my rant is of no use to you, but we have one thing in commom, the hatred of individual banks, I find myself changing them like my socks (at least twice a year)

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

Hyah Briam, yep i've got a bit in ICICI as well  

The days of loyalty have long gone, chase the interest rates as much as you can, even if it means shuffling bits of dosh around on a regular basis.

Nanas I was not having a dig, but in the early days of my mortgage the only holiday we got was a week in a caravan in Rhyl