Tesco Bank calls time on mortgage lending

Tesco Bank has raised the sale sign on its mortgage portfolio and is to halt new lending, in a move that is likely to impact some 23,000 customers.

The bank, which has key operations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, said it was actively exploring options to sell its existing portfolio, which has total lending balances of £3.7 billion.

Gerry Mallon, the chief executive of Tesco Bank, said: “In recent years, challenging market conditions have limited profitable growth opportunities. Our focus is on how we best serve Tesco customers and align our re sources effectively to their needs while ensuring that our offer remains sustainable in the long term. To that end, we have made the strategic decision to focus on serving a broader range of customers in more specific areas, which means moving away from our mortgage offer.”

The bank warned there was no certainty of a transaction. Some jobs may be affected.