First-time buyer: 'Mortgages are getting cheaper'

Banks in the UK have continued to reduce the amount they lend, in spite of government attempts to reverse the trend.

Latest figures from the Bank of England show that net lending fell by £300m in the first three months of 2013.

But first-time buyer Gemma Kitchener, 30, believes that borrowing costs are coming down for people looking to secure a mortgage.

She recently bought her first home in Bristol with her partner, after more than a year looking at properties.

Their first attempt to buy fell through, but the couple managed to get a cheaper mortgage on the home they eventually purchased.

They believe they would have got an even better deal had they been able to wait longer.