Mortgage lenders ruse to block rate cuts

Banks may use the small print in mortgage contracts to prevent borrowers benefiting from future interest rate cuts by the Bank of England. Experts warned yesterday that little-known clauses mean the interest rate paid by borrowers may not fall when the Bank’s rate drops. Last week the Bank cut rates by 1.5 percentage points to 3 per cent. But many bank giants did not cut their rates until ordered to do so by the Prime Minister. With interest rates predicted to fall as low as zero, millions of cash-strapped homeowners are hoping their bills will be slashed. But the small print means they may not.