Will we see corporate activity in the UK mortgage industry?
While the UK banking industry has long been a target for overseas predators with an array of well-known names having been snapped up over the last few years, there is a feeling that the UK mortgage sector could well be the next target. As we covered in one of our earlier posts, mortgage lenders from China, Sweden and Israel to name but a few have now targeted the UK market and are in the process of creating significant trading bases in the country.
While the subject of takeovers and mergers will no doubt rear its head at some stage there is a debate as to whether it makes business sense to acquire businesses or effectively "start from scratch". While many UK mortgage providers have a loyal customer base and a good name in the industry there are also some who have been tainted, potentially forever, during the ongoing recession by the way they have treated their customers. Whether it is best to introduce a new name and a new company to the UK mortgage market or takeover an existing well-developed brand-name is debatable.
However, one thing seems certain, the UK mortgage market is set for a significant change in the short, medium and longer term as overseas companies yet again make a play for one of the central sectors of the UK economy.
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