06 April 2001
Ceri Richards, head of housing finance at the Halifax bank, said lenders were sympathetic to the arguments for rent convergence but were concerned that this would take away RSLs' flexibility.
'There is a subtle change in the way banks analyse the sector. We are placing much more stress on exit strategies,' she said. 'The answer will lie in the next few months as to whether it affects risk perception.'
But Richards told the NHF conference that housing associations are still an attractive investment and banks and building societies such as Halifax were 'falling over ourselves' to lend money.
'In the absence of any major upset or loss I believe that will continue,' she added.
PFapr2001
