Chris Johns
@chrisbjohns.bsky.social
Economist, podcaster, journalist, curious.
10, 20 or 30 year mortgage gives certainty. But like all financial transactions there is a bet lurking. That bet is that you will be better off rather than doing a variable rate. The bet is that average variable rates will be more than your fix. People like to bet. Cos they are stupid.
November 22, 2025 at 7:01 PM
10, 20 or 30 year mortgage gives certainty. But like all financial transactions there is a bet lurking. That bet is that you will be better off rather than doing a variable rate. The bet is that average variable rates will be more than your fix. People like to bet. Cos they are stupid.
It’s far too long.
November 22, 2025 at 4:42 PM
It’s far too long.
It’s partly historic, partly cultural, part mystery. Those long term mortgages weren’t around when building societies controlled the mortgage market. I guess we just got used to the variable rate thing. We do not have a financially sophisticated population. We exist to be predated upon.
November 22, 2025 at 4:31 PM
It’s partly historic, partly cultural, part mystery. Those long term mortgages weren’t around when building societies controlled the mortgage market. I guess we just got used to the variable rate thing. We do not have a financially sophisticated population. We exist to be predated upon.
Final acknowledgment that he once the coal ran out it would have been kinder to let the place die.
November 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Final acknowledgment that he once the coal ran out it would have been kinder to let the place die.
No, email queries.
November 12, 2025 at 9:24 PM
No, email queries.
I have an accountant friend who says some routine queries are taking over a year to get an answer.
November 12, 2025 at 8:52 PM
I have an accountant friend who says some routine queries are taking over a year to get an answer.
Reposted by Chris Johns
If they try and raise 20bn through 10 such taxes it’s quite likely it ends up being 12 or 15 instead and then we end up back here again raising taxes again next year.
November 8, 2025 at 1:07 PM
If they try and raise 20bn through 10 such taxes it’s quite likely it ends up being 12 or 15 instead and then we end up back here again raising taxes again next year.
Medieval ground rent extortion racket. Also known as leasehold. 10 investors with 1 million properties! No such thing as a risk free investment! Burn the freeholders. Nowhere else in the world does leaseholders
October 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Medieval ground rent extortion racket. Also known as leasehold. 10 investors with 1 million properties! No such thing as a risk free investment! Burn the freeholders. Nowhere else in the world does leaseholders