Are Banks running scared

Is it me or has anyone noticed since the Northern Rock chaos of a few months ago Banks panicking.... ....speaking to a friend today who has had their overdraft stopped, ie they have no money, and she was telling me another friend of hers has had her mortgage reduced by a different bank.
And reading the paper it seems lots more people are being refused credit/credit cards.
A friend of a friend who works for a mortgage brookers who has just said that from 5pm tonight the Bank of Ireland has withdrawn from the sub prime mortgage market, given a large Buy To Let company withdrew from the market the other day......I wonder if banks are tightening their belts or what....any speculation at all from anyone. ?

Karen

i think so....both me and my sis who have very good credit scores etc (having both been financila advisers - sis still is!) both got refused cards for balance transfers...

so something is up....

less adverts from banks aswell ... i hate to say it but i think the rates are gonna go up ALOT but not from BoE...

Yes, they're definitely getting windy. I think it's something to do with the fact that Northern Rock had another Company which owned all the mortgage side of things or something like that, and that was a bank, and it's also something to do with the Government lending loads to that side of the Northern Rock. Oh dear, I'm getting windy now for Mum's investments!!!!

Ah well looks like I may end up back in my car then if the rates go up too much!
Becky