AMI urges government to help home buyers

The government has been called upon to take more action to help people get onto the property ladder.

A new report from the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) has outlined measures that the organisation feels can help stimulate the housing market.

Abolishing stamp duty and home information packs, re-introducing the Mortgage Interest Relief at Source scheme and assisting savers with building up a deposit are among the recommendations made by the body.

Director Robert Sinclair noted that confidence in the homeowner loan market has been “gradually destroyed” in the wake of the credit crunch.

He urged the government to make a “concerted effort … to enable lenders to lend and borrowers to borrow”.

Mr Sinclair also highlighted the need for potential home buyers to seek debt advice if needed, commenting: “Many consumers are unsure of both the options available to them.”

Meanwhile, David Amstell of property website Briffy.com has argued that the housing market remains slow due to mortgages being “quite hard to come by”.

By Jamie Price