Tesco Bank announces it is halting new lending
The bank announced today (Tuesday) that it had ceased new mortgage lending and was actively exploring options to sell its existing portfolio, which has total lending balances of £3.7 billion.
Chief executive Gerry Mallon blamed recent challenging market conditions and said the move was part of a strategic decision to "focus on serving a broader range of customers in more specific areas".
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Hide Ad"We have therefore chosen to cease lending to new customers and announce our intention to explore a sale of our portfolio," he said.
"Our priority in any sale is to complete a commercially acceptable transaction with a purchaser who will continue to serve our customers well."
The bank warned there was no certainty of a transaction, nor of the terms which might be attached to it.
Tesco Bank has offered mortgages since 2012 and currently serves in excess of 23,000 customers. Customers are able to collect Clubcard points when repaying their loans.
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Hide AdThe shift comes after PA revealed this month that Tesco Bank has quietly dropped its travel insurance offer, following the likes of John Lewis.
The bank is also set to slash the interest rate on its current account from three per cent to one per cent next month.