Spotlight on: Hitachi personal loans

The deal

This week's lender aiming "to shake up the personal loans market" is the little-known Hitachi Personal Finance.

Good points

The firm is offering loans at a typical 5.4 per cent, but says one in 10 borrowers will qualify for lower rates.

Bad points

Only borrowers with the "best possible" credit history will qualify for the low rates.

Conclusion

There are new loan schemes being launched every week so if you want to borrow to pay for an extension or new car, for instance, it could be a good time to secure an affordable deal. However there's no need to rush. With the Bank of England keeping interest rates at a record low this week, there's little chance of rates rising in the near future. So the good deals should be around for some time.