First-time buyers hit by mortgage crunch

LONDON (Reuters) - Tougher lending terms have forced first-time home buyers to put down average deposits of 13 percent in April, the highest level in more than three years, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said on Thursday.

The CML said those buying their first home -- among the worst hit by a credit crunch that has forced banks to increase borrowing rates and tighten criteria -- were now taking out loans for 3.3 times their income, down from 3.35 in March.

Mortgage lenders have withdrawn thousands of products and raised rates in recent months as their own costs jump. First-time buyers have dwindled as a result, with the number of loans slightly higher in April but still close to record lows.

Across the board, however, rising costs forced more borrowers to seek fixed-rate deals, with the proportion rising to 59 percent of loans in April, the highest since December last year, from 54 percent in March.

"There has been a resurgence of fixed-rate lending as borrowers are seeking certainty. This trend is likely to continue as the anticipation of future Bank (of England) base rate cuts has diminished," CML director general Michael Coogan said.

The CML had said last month that lending volumes increased marginally in April, though activity remained weaker than a year ago. It said on Thursday that gross lending increased by 8 percent to a revised 26.1 billion pounds.

(Reporting by Clara Ferreira-Marques; Editing by Erica Billingham)