The Last Taboo

You've clearly not been keeping abreast[1] of current trends in female
fashion.


[1] Pun intended.
--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8 BOTAFOT#3 SbS#2 UKRMMA#13 DFV#8 SKA#2 IBB#10
`\\ | //'
`\|/`
`

 

3% subsidy? Not sure I understand that. Are mortgage interest rates in
the UK more than that then?

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8 BOTAFOT#3 SbS#2 UKRMMA#13 DFV#8 SKA#2 IBB#10
`\\ | //'
`\|/`
`

 

Halifax standard variable rate is 7.50%

You'd do well to pick up anything much under 6% nowadays.

 

I'm on a higher salary than everyone apart from the directors but that
isn't due to me lying on my CV, it's because they were told my another
employee that more than one of our customers was actively trying to
recruit me.

I'd been keeping my trap shut about it because I don't believe in
getting an increase by threatening to leave but one of our biggest
customers told another of our supervisors that I'd be working for them
next outage season. The biggest laugh was that they hadn't even
approached me at that point and I hate people that assume they can buy
me.

 

Two words - currency risk. You have seen what the GBP/whatever exchange
rates have been up to lately?

 

Yes, but for half the rate of interest, I'd have thought it well
worthwhile.

Then again, I'd never have thought it do-able when I lived in the UK,
so...

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8 BOTAFOT#3 SbS#2 UKRMMA#13 DFV#8 SKA#2 IBB#10
`\\ | //'
`\|/`
`

 

I CBA to fire up a spreadsheet at the moment (not to mention digging out
the necessary maths stuff) but the risk is surprisingly high, especially
if you're expecting the pound to fall.

Don't forget that half the rate of interest are roughly 3%, then we have
the currency exchange loading that you're have to pay for the
conversion, plus associated bank fees etc. This is of course assuming
that you'd have to send the money somewhere outside the UK, but still.

The spread on the foreign exchange alone can be 2%, depending on who you
are using for your transfer. As a colleague of mine just found out. If
you're going with a specialised currency broker, call it .5%. And that's
one thing you can't get out of even if there is no exchange rate
fluctuation.

Of course if the pound gains against the other currency then you may be
quids in but I can't see that happen at the moment.

 

Do the maths.

 

Wasn't there a flurry of forrin banks trying to do this a few years ago
?

 

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:14:01 +0000, in

Not sure I really understand enough about it, TBH, although Timo's
post perhaps helps, but it was definitely worthwhile us taking out a
Swiss Franc mortgage when we bought our French house. Of course, the
fact that we're earning in that currency might have had something to
do with it.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8 BOTAFOT#3 SbS#2 UKRMMA#13 DFV#8 SKA#2 IBB#10
`\\ | //'
`\|/`
`

 

It most certainly has, because you've just eliminated the currency risk
- the Euro amount gets converted into Francs *once*, and then you pay it
off in the currency that you are being paid in. No currency
fluctuations or other fun in that respect.

However if you're, say, paid in GBP and your mortgage is in EUR, you'll
be exposed to the currency fluctuations each and every month. That may
well wreak havoc with your budgeting.

 

There'll be very little in it. Generally, interest rates in two
countries differ by what the exchange rate between them is expected to
do - and if at any time they don't then a whole lot of dealing takes
place until they do. You have to be very canny to catch such a moment.
Most of us aren't.

 

Heh all rather nice!

 

you slightly misunderstand (because I didn't provide all the
information).

This person worked for our Change Management department, who get paid
job-title-for-job-title more than their equivalents in IT (for
absolutely no good reason whatsoever).

 

actually i'm permie and have been for too damn long.

 

OIC.

 

Ah I see.
Corporate bollocks then.