Mortgage Strategy
27 February 2006

  • Tenet pays its respects

    27 Feb 2006

    The Tenet Group has paid its respects to group operations director Sharon Bryant, who was killed in a car accident while on holiday in South Africa recently. Simon Hudson, group chief executive, says: "Sharon worked here for over 15 years and was a big contributor to the success of the company."

  • A bright future on the horizon for sub-prime

    1 Mar 2006

    The latest Datamonitor report predicted a rather gloomy picture for the mortgage market over the next couple of years. The forecast deals with the next five years and predicts a near 13% lift in advances from last year’s £287bn to £324bn by 2010. However, according to the report, the signs of growth will not be seen until 2008, after the industry has ironed out regulation and dealt with the threat of bad debt.

  • A Swift shift of gear

    27 Feb 2006

    With new chief executive John Webster at the helm, brokers can expect to hear much more of the Swift Group by the end of this year, says Barney McCarthy

  • A&L reports strong financial results

    27 Feb 2006

    Alliance & Leicester has reported a good set of financial results for 2005, with all strategic objectives having been met and further growth plans for the future announced.

  • A&L to enter into sub-prime, near-prime, self-cert and B2L

    27 Feb 2006

    Alliance & Leicester has revealed it's planning to enter into sub-prime, near-prime, self-certification and buy-to-let markets later in 2006.

  • Accord will use packagers to boost adverse business

    27 Feb 2006

    Accord Mortgages plans to expand into packager distribution for heavy adverse business because it says many brokers still aren't confident enough to deal with sub-prime on a direct to lender basis.

  • Advantage appointments

    27 Feb 2006

    Advantage Home Loans has appointed two members to its management team. Keith Haynes and Stephen Butler have joined the branded mortgage arranger as mortgage team managers. They will be responsible for managing their own underwriting teams.

  • Advantage offers online premium for e:valuate users

    27 Feb 2006

    Advantage Home Loans has launched an offer so that brokers switched onto the benefits of its sub-prime mortgage sourcing solution e:valuate, can take full advantage of the on-line premium offer until the end of March 2006.

  • AHIPP warns brokers over misleading the public on HIPs

    27 Feb 2006

    Estate agents who have attacked Home Information Packs are seriously misinformed and are in danger of misleading the public they claim to defend, says the Association of Home Information Pack Providers.

  • AHIPP warns brokers over misleading the public on HIPs

    27 Feb 2006

    Estate agents who have attacked Home Information Packs are seriously misinformed and are in danger of misleading the public they claim to defend, says the Association of Home Information Pack Providers.

  • AMI issues factsheet on equity release

    27 Feb 2006

    As Mortgage Strategy's Release it Right campaign gets underway, the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has issued an equity release factsheet to help its members meet regulatory requirements.

  • AMI launches equity release web page

    1 Mar 2006

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has launched a web page for members providing information on equity release products and a good practice factsheet. AMI is keen to keep its members up-to-date with issues surrounding equity release as these are complex products and standards surrounding advice given to consumers on them need to be raised. The results of the work carried out by the Financial Service Authority on lifetime mortgages, published in May 2005, identified ...

  • AMPD adds new member to ranks

    2 Mar 2006

    The Alliance of Mortgage Packagers and Distributors has added a new member to its group.

  • B2L market on the up, says Paragon

    1 Mar 2006

    Paragon Mortgages January buy-to-let index reveals rising rental incomes, property values and rental yields.

  • Banks and building societies top choice for financial advice

    27 Feb 2006

    Banks and building societies are top choice for financial advice with more than 26.4 million adults regarding them as a popular choice for help with their finances, reveals a report.

  • Barclays in mortgage slump

    27 Feb 2006

    Barclays, parent of The Woolwich, last week revealed its mortgage balances slipped 59.6bn in 2005, down 3% from 61.7bn the previous year.

  • BBB to sell BIA to Tenet

    1 Mar 2006

    Berkeley Berry Birch is to go into administration following the proposed sale of network Berkeley Independent Advisors to Tenet Group.

  • Bolton charges 10,000 a day for services

    27 Feb 2006

    Former HBOS executive Michael Bolton is charging 10,000 a day plus VAT for his services as chief executive at MBAC Consulting.

  • Broker wins vouchers for airing his views

    27 Feb 2006

    Steven Yates, mortgage specialist at ABC Finance, has been selected as the winner of Pink Home Loans' ninth 1000 Index prize draw.

  • BrokerMosaic.com offers free software

    1 Mar 2006

    BrokerMosaic.com, the online mortgage community forum servicing the needs of mortgage brokers, is offering free software to any broker who wants to streamline their mortgage client data management in line with Financial Services Authority requirements.

  • Brokers breaching duty by mis-selling, says britishinsurance.com

    28 Feb 2006

    The confidence of payment protection insurance providers has taken another knock following Hiscox's decision to review its professional indemnity cover for brokers selling this product.

  • Brokers' disinterest in HIPs is shocking

    27 Feb 2006

    Over the past few weeks I have been touring the country running a series of intermediary roadshows at which Home Information Packs have been discussed at great length.

  • BSA says leaked papers were misinterpreted

    27 Feb 2006

    Confidential documents passed between board members of the Building Societies Association show societies could be under threat unless laws are changed.

  • Burns-Anderson launches client focused multi-tie solution

    3 Mar 2006

    Burns-Anderson has launched its own breed multi-tie service, in association with AXA, Friends Provident, Legal & General, Scottish Equitable and Standard Life.

  • Cardiff Council joins NLA

    27 Feb 2006

    Cardiff City and County Council has joined the National Landlords Association.

  • Cascading gets a mixed reception

    27 Feb 2006

    Since cascading has become popular with specialist intermediary lenders like GMAC-RFC and, most recently, Accord Mortgages, it has met with a mixed reception.

  • Casemaster adds Cheshire to its panel

    27 Feb 2006

    As a further enhancement to the Casemaster proposition, intermediaries will now be able to submit cases for the Cheshire via its online processing system.

  • CeMAP candidates can now listen and learn with a CD

    27 Feb 2006

    Advisers studying for their Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice qualification can now prepare for their exams using a CD-based audio learning tool.

  • Chelsea lent 2.2bn in 2005

    27 Feb 2006

    Chelsea's gross mortgage lending was 2.2bn in 2005. Its results for 2005 show net mortgage lending was 0.7bn, with mortgage arrears 20% less than the industry average. Profits were up 12% to 50m, group assets were up 9% to 9.7bn and retail savings balances were up 7% to 7.2bn.

  • Chelsea reviews and amends mortgage range

    2 Mar 2006

    The Chelsea has undertaken a full review of its mortgage range, resulting in a more focused range of products available from March 3.

  • CII awards 200 Chartered Financial Planner awards

    3 Mar 2006

    More than 600 advisers have been awarded the Chartered Financial Planner title since its launch in December last year and over 200 will be present to receive their award in person at the Chartered Insurance Institutes first Graduation Ceremony on March 2. The introduction of a professional Chartered title for IFAs is seen as a milestone in the industrys drive to improve the status of financial advice and means that the public will be able to call on the services of suitably qualified ...

  • City Connections offers MPPI products to Mortgage 2000

    27 Feb 2006

    Following the launch of its mortgage payment protection policy, City Connexions has now made the product available to all members of Mortgage 2000s solution for advisors who are taking the directly authorised route but are seeking both independence and support maintaining compliance standards, m2i

  • Clarification

    27 Feb 2006

    In a recent article in Mortgage Strategy MBAC Consulting was described as a subsidiary of the Oakwood Group. In fact, MBAC Consulting is an independent business, wholly owned by the three founding partners, Michael Bolton, Alan Cleary and John Nixon.

  • CML to refund guests after dinner complaints

    27 Feb 2006

    The Council of Mortgage Lenders is to refund its members for tables bought at its annual 2005 dinner, after complaints about the evening.

  • Commercial sector needs new ideas

    27 Feb 2006

    This week I propose to take a brief look at what the future holds for the commercial sector.

  • Competition hots up at the high LTV end

    27 Feb 2006

    We have had many discussions over the past few months regarding the benefits of drawdown options for lifetime mortgages from the likes of Prudential, Just Retirement, Hodge, National Counties and Northern Rock.

  • Complaining about fees will be detrimental to banks' other services

    27 Feb 2006

    From Angela Tanswell-Roberts

  • Could it be that GMAC-RFC wants to sell cover to clients?

    27 Feb 2006

    From Nigel Pamment, Senior mortgage consultant, Inspirational Finanical Management, Huddersfield

  • Council Tax to rise by 4%

    27 Feb 2006

    An analysis of 112 Council Tax setting authorities in England shows the average increase in England will be around 4%.

  • Curriculum Vitae - David Copland

    27 Feb 2006

    I started my real career as a cashier and clerk at Leeds Permanent (now Halifax).

  • Cut costs and retain quality service

    27 Feb 2006

    With competition among lenders becoming ever more intense, there is downward pressure on lending margins. Companies entering the market as well as current incumbents are looking to compete on price to undercut their rivals, particularly for business from brokers.

  • Cutting out treats helps pay off the mortgage

    3 Mar 2006

    Cutting out treats could slash over eight years off mortgage repayments, says CreditExpert.co.uk.

  • Dangers of popular misinformation

    27 Feb 2006

    The use of genetic test results when underwriting insurance policies featured in the consumer press last week. The headline ran: 'Women taking breast cancer test may face insurance ban'.

  • Dashboard Lite launched

    1 Mar 2006

    Dashboard Software, providers of the web-based solution for mortgage intermediaries and packagers, has launched Dashboard Lite, a web-based back office system catering for the smaller mortgage broker and covering the complete client and product cycle from enquiry through to case completion.

  • Dear Delia

    27 Feb 2006

    My client is self-employed with a two-year fixed rate mortgage from a sub-prime lender of 2000,000 on a property valued at 260,000.

  • Debt specialist takes more calls

    27 Feb 2006

    Figures from Citizens Advice Bureau specialist support, a division of CAB partly funded by GMAC-RFC that deals with complex debt cases, show it advised on 43% more calls to its telephone consultancy line in 2005 than in 2004.

  • E-commerce guide for advisers

    27 Feb 2006

    Standard Life has launched the latest of its free Easy Technology Guides for advisers. It focusses on e-commerce marketing.

  • eConveyancer available via Mortgage 2000 link

    2 Mar 2006

    eConveyancer, the online system that enables intermediaries to select and instruct conveyancers on behalf of their clients, is now available via a link on the Mortgage 2000 mortgage sourcing system Encore.

  • eConveyancer reports record growth in 2005

    27 Feb 2006

    eConveyancer, the online system which enables intermediaries to select and instruct conveyancers on behalf of their clients, has reported record growth during the second half of 2005, with the number of instructions being made via its online system increasing by more than 100%. Alan Dring, sales director for eConveyancer, says: The rate at which eConveyancer has been used by intermediaries during the past six months has been phenomenal, but there is plenty more to come. The number ...

  • Enterprise adds Beacon Homeloans to Openwork lender panel

    2 Mar 2006

    Enterprise Group has added Beacon Homeloans to its Openwork lender panel through its bespoke packager, Enterprise Homeloans.

  • Enterprise Finance expands operations

    3 Mar 2006

    Enterprise Finance, the provider of second charge, bridging and commercial loans to brokers, and a part of the Enterprise Group, has expanded its operations at its head offices in North London.

  • Equity release to help the kids

    27 Feb 2006

    Research from Scottish Widows Bank reveals one in five people in retirement plan to release equity from their home to help their children.

  • ERAS joins forces with CETA Insurance

    27 Feb 2006

    Equity Release Advisory Service, the national referral service solution for professional introducers, is to further expand its proposition to promote its services to over 3,000 directly authorised members of general insurance provider, CETA Insurance.

  • EU Structural Funds consultation launched

    28 Feb 2006

    A wide-ranging consultation to identify the top UK priorities for EU Structural Funds spending across the UK from 2007 to 2013 was launched today by Alun Michael, minister of state for industry and the regions.

  • Financially protect yourself from Bird Flu, says britishinsurance.com

    27 Feb 2006

    britishinsurance.com is advising consumers that, with the threat of Bird Flu drawing ever closer, to make sure they are covered by their payment protection policies.

  • First-timers don't contact IFAs

    27 Feb 2006

    Most first-time buyers don't place mortgage advice high on their list of priorities, reveals a study from IFA Promotion.

  • Freedom Lending launches two year fixed range

    27 Feb 2006

    Freedom Lending is launching a range of two year fixed rates on March 1, which are available across its prime mortgage range including full status, self-cert, let-to-buy and buy-to-let.

  • Fresh thinking

    27 Feb 2006

    Competition has intensified as lenders have moved into new markets and this has driven interesting product innovation, says David Copland

  • FSA bans nine firms for RMAR failings

    2 Mar 2006

    The Financial Services Authority has barred nine small firms from carrying out regulated business after they failed to provide any data to enable the regulator to monitor their activities.

  • FSA investigates packaging

    27 Feb 2006

    The Financial Services Authority is putting the packaging sector under the spotlight to address the issue of pure packagers, Mortgage Strategy has learned.

  • FSA says firms need to do more to combat fraud

    27 Feb 2006

    The Financial Service Authoritys fraud governance report reveals larger financial firms, driven by mounting fraud losses, have taken steps to strengthen their fraud management capabilities.

  • FSA shuts down GI firm

    27 Feb 2006

    The Financial Services Authority has cancelled GI firm Xsavi Limited's permission to trade for failing to conduct its business in compliance with proper standards and for having inadequate financial resources.

  • Getting together to Stamp Out SPASU

    27 Feb 2006

    Mortgage Strategy has relaunched its campaign to rid the industry of single premium accident, sickness and unemployment cover.

  • GMAC-RFC hires Mason from BM Solutions

    27 Feb 2006

    GMAC-RFC, the UKs 10th largest mortgage lender, has appointed Helen Mason as corporate account manager.

  • Guides are a big help for small firms

    27 Feb 2006

    Small mortgage and general insurance firms will find the FSA's sector guides useful in accessing and interpreting relevant sections in the main Handbook, says Bill Warren

  • Have your say in our B2L survey

    27 Feb 2006

    A new survey on buy-to-let has been launched by Mortgage Strategy. Log on to www.mortgage-strategy.co.uk and click on the red link at the top of the breaking news section to share your views. The results of the survey will be published next month.

  • Help clients avoid the ultimate way out

    27 Feb 2006

    There can't be many lenders or brokers who didn't wonder how many of their own customers are struggling close to rock bottom after hearing the fate of Ian Beech last week.

  • HIP replacement confirmed

    3 Mar 2006

    The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has confirmed it has reshuffled the Home Information Pack team with Richard McCarthy replacing Cathy Cant as HIPs product leader.

  • HIPs warning

    27 Feb 2006

    CETA is warning brokers that the introduction of Home Information Packs could mark the start of a rapid decline in their business levels if they don't take action now to secure their future business sources.

  • Hiscox denies pulling PI insurance

    27 Feb 2006

    Hiscox has quashed rumours that it has stopped offering professional indemnity cover to brokers who handle single premium payment protection insurance, but admits it is reviewing the sector after criticisms concerning mis-selling and profiteering.

  • HomeBuy deal set for April launch

    27 Feb 2006

    Yvette Cooper, minister for housing and planning, says the Open Market Homebuy product is on track to be available from April, with the accompanying lender product being available in October.

  • House prices fell 0.2% in February, says Nationwide

    28 Feb 2006

    House prices fell by 0.2% in February following a 1.5% increase in January, reveals the Nationwide House Price Report.

  • ifs opens registrations for CeCM

    28 Feb 2006

    The Institute of Financial Services will open registrations for its Certificate in Commercial Mortgages on Wednesday March 1.

  • I'm glad my views on single premiums cause annoyance

    27 Feb 2006

    From Simon Burgess, Managing Director at britishinsurance.com

  • Investors return to the market, says Linden Homes

    27 Feb 2006

    Investors are making a confident return to the housing market this spring as yields stay strong and house prices begin to climb again, reports Linden Homes, who has sold 35% of all its units to investors since the beginning of the year.

  • IP appointments at Easier2move

    27 Feb 2006

    Easier2move has appointed Kevin Dark and Philip Patchett as senior software developers. The decision to expand its IT department is due to the rapid growth Easier2move has seen over the past year.

  • Irish Title and L&E launch legal service for remortgages

    27 Feb 2006

    Irish Title and London & European have together launched a fast-track legal process to accelerate the time taken to complete a remortgage.

  • Kensington launches Kensington Choices

    1 Mar 2006

    Kensington Mortgages, the specialist mortgage lender, has launched a broader product range Kensington Choices, which gives borrowers, brokers and packagers a choice of product features, pricing and access to Kensingtons service.

  • Kensington names top packager

    27 Feb 2006

    Prestbury has been accredited as Kensington Mortgages' number one packager for percentage of day one offers achieved.

  • L&G launches proposal tracking service for protection

    28 Feb 2006

    Building on its existing online business tracking service Legal & General has launched a proposal tracking service for protection products.

  • Labour schemes need streamlining

    27 Feb 2006

    To ensure the success of its home ownership schemes the government should simplify the rules and open them up to all lenders - including those in the sub-prime sector, says Roger Taylor

  • Leads website launched

    27 Feb 2006

    Estateangels.co.uk has joined the lead generation market by launching Mortgage Angels.

  • Learning comes before responsibility

    27 Feb 2006

    In a recent speech to the Corporate Communications Special Interest Group Sir Callum McCarthy, chairman of the Financial Services Authority, said it was up to consumers to take responsibility for digesting information received from providers and advisers.

  • Leeds reveals record lending of 1.7bn

    1 Mar 2006

    Leeds has revealed record full year results for 2005 across all areas of the business, with record mortgage lending of 1.7bn, up from 1.6bn in 2004.

  • Let's ensure our clients have access to all MPPI options

    27 Feb 2006

    From Paul Violet, Sales director TRC UK, Springs, Essex

  • Life insurance products swallowed up by IH

    3 Mar 2006

    Too many people are being sold life insurance products without the adviser closing the circle of advice by failing to put their clients policies into trust, warns Active Wills & Trusts.

  • Live and e.surv offer joint HIP solution

    3 Mar 2006

    The Live Organisation and e.surv have joined forces to ensure delivery of a Home Information Pack solution to their respective customer bases. The industry partnership puts together the conveyancing and property search capabilities of Live, now part of the First Title Group, with the Home Condition Report capacity of e.surv, which will provide access to at least 600 home inspectors nationwide. Rob Sendall, chairman of Live, says: “Between us we now have all the HIP bases ...

  • LMS warns brokers to be prepared for HIPs

    27 Feb 2006

    Brokers could be setting themselves up for a money-losing fall if they are not prepared for the implementation of Home Information Packs, warns conveyancer and HIPs provider LMS.

  • Loose terminology comes under fire

    27 Feb 2006

    Terminology such as 'binding decision in principle' has come under fire for causing confusion and duping customers.

  • Many FTBs are really second-timers

    27 Feb 2006

    Buyers returning to the housing market could comprise up to a fifth of all reported first-time buyers, research from the Council of Mortgage Lenders reveals.

  • Market Harborough reports 68m gross total lending

    27 Feb 2006

    The Market Harborough has reported 68.49m gross total lending in its results for the financial year ending December 31 2005.

  • Market Watch

    27 Feb 2006

    Swaps initially fell last week before edging back up on Wednesday.

  • Marketing Brief

    27 Feb 2006

    Support is critical in the mortgage industry. Kevin Paterson's A-Z review rates the marketing material that lenders issue to help brokers with sales and business development

  • MBNA sqeezes rate tarts with increased fees

    2 Mar 2006

    Thousands of credit card holders wanting to transfer higher balances to MBNA will suffer an additional financial penalty from April 1, warns Moneynet MBNA is to increase its maximum fee for balance transfers from 50 to 75 in an attempt to squeeze card holders who regularly transfer balances. The company is also pushing up the cost of minimum charges for balance transfers, cheque and cash transactions from 2% to 3%. The new fees will also be rolled out against many of the ...

  • Melton scheme will help non-standard clients

    27 Feb 2006

    Melton Mowbray is launching a service for customers seeking a mortgage which falls outside the societys normal lending criteria.

  • MEX buys first GMAC portfolio

    27 Feb 2006

    Mortgage Express last week purchased its first mortgage loan portfolio from GMAC-RFC for 328m.This is the first purchase resulting from an agreement announced in January 2006.

  • MEX contradicts Jowell's plea of ignorance

    3 Mar 2006

    MP Tessa Jowell is likely to have been aware that the 625,000 mortgage on her home had been paid off, despite her claims to the contrary, says Mortgage Express.

  • More clients opt to pay fees

    27 Feb 2006

    The number of consumers opting to pay fees for financial advice is on the rise, research from the Association of Independent Financial Advisers reveals. The study is a follow-up to its August 2005 survey on depolarisation.

  • More consumers borrow 100% LTV, says MAB

    27 Feb 2006

    The Mortgage Advice Bureau has reported a major increase in consumers borrowing 100% or more of LTV of property in 2005.

  • More owners plan to switch deals

    27 Feb 2006

    More home owners plan to switch their mortgages, research from The Homebuyer Show reveals.The number of people considering remortgaging is up by 10% since last year.

  • MORTGAGE EXPO SCOTLAND: Brokers could be forced to act like estate agents

    2 Mar 2006

    Brokers have been warned that the introduction of Home Information Packs in the UK and Property Information Packs in Scotland could lead them to having to supply information in a similar way to estate agents.

  • MORTGAGE EXPO SCOTLAND: Brokers must enter equity release market to secure its future

    2 Mar 2006

    Dean Mirfin, business development director at Key Retirement Solutions, has warned that demand for equity release will wane unless advisers take hold of the market now.

  • MORTGAGE EXPO SCOTLAND: Equity release scandal waiting to happen

    2 Mar 2006

    Speaking at the Mortgage Expo in Scotland, Richard Fox, chief executive at the Society of Mortgage Professionals, says that an equity release scandal is just waiting to happen.

  • MORTGAGE EXPO SCOTLAND: Scotland house prices to rise by 7% in 2006

    2 Mar 2006

    Speaking at the Mortgage Business Expo Scotland, Tim Crawford, group economist at HBOS, says Scotland will see moderate house price growth in the next year of 7%.

  • Mortgage Next adds immediate DIP facility online

    28 Feb 2006

    Mortgage Next has enabled potential appointed representatives to find out if they can become members, via an immediate decision in principle facility which is available online.

  • Mortgage Next offers online DIP facility

    1 Mar 2006

    Mortgage Next Network has enabled potential appointed representatives to find out if they can become members via an immediate decision in principle facility available online.

  • Mortgage Next Partners boosts sales team

    1 Mar 2006

    Mortgage Next Partners, which provides a range of support services to directly authorised mortgage brokers, has boosted the size of its sales team to nine managers.

  • Mortgage Next warns brokers over lender retention strategies

    27 Feb 2006

    Mortgage Next is recommending that mortgage brokers carefully consider the implications of lender retention strategies before taking up offers of fees in return for advising borrowers to stay with their existing lenders.

  • MPLC cyber cafe at Expo shows

    27 Feb 2006

    Mortgages PLC will offer a cyber cafe in the Mortgage Business Expo at Financial Services Scotland on March 2 in Glasgow, and at the Manchester and London Expos this year. The cyber cafe will be on hand for brokers to access its online on demand system via a broadband connection

  • MT launches near prime deals with BM Solutions

    27 Feb 2006

    The Mortgage Times Group has launched two near prime products funded by BM Solutions.

  • MTE plans to be top dog in distribution

    27 Feb 2006

    Mark Lofthouse, chief executive officer of The Mortgage Trading Exchange, has outlined plans to make it the biggest distribution channel in the market by this time next year.

  • N&P mortgages assets rise 7.2%

    27 Feb 2006

    Norwich and Peterborough says its total mortgage assets rose by 7.2% in 2005 to £2,645m, with new mortgage advances of £677m.

  • Nationwide reduces fixed and tracker rates

    3 Mar 2006

    Nationwide is reducing rates on many of its fixed and tracker rate mortgage products by up to 0.15% available from March 3.

  • New tax could stifle housing, says RICS

    1 Mar 2006

    A new land tax proposed by the government may stifle housing and business development and is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of how the property market operates, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

  • Newcastle appoints head of retail sales

    1 Mar 2006

    Newcastle has appointed Bob Mottershead to be head of retail sales. In his new role, Motthershead will have responsibility for overseeing the branch network, Newcastle Financial Services Ltd and the investment division of the societys contact centre. He will also oversee Newcastle Lifetime Mortgages, a new service set up to offer advice and recommendation on equity release and other lifetime mortgage products.Bob has more than 34 years experience in the financial services ...

  • Newcastle launches 100% mortgage to help students

    28 Feb 2006

    From September 2006 universities in England and Northern Ireland will be able to charge tuition fees of up to 3000, a 155% increase on the tuition fees paid by students during the current academic year.

  • Offset deals will gain wider appeal

    27 Feb 2006

    Offset mortgages have become part of the industry landscape over the past five years and most lenders now have some kind of offset deal in their portfolio. Offsets made a big splash at launch, promising to cut the amount of interest paid and the mortgage term, but they have struggled to gain mass appeal.

  • Optoma exclusives

    27 Feb 2006

    Optoma Broker Solutions has launched an exclusive suite of Amber Homeloans adverse products with free valuations.The range offers discounted rates until May 31 2008 starting from 5.06%.

  • Origo gets enough funds to develop standards

    27 Feb 2006

    Origo, the financial services industry standards body, has gained significant funding from 13 lenders - believed to total 125,000 - to establish a mortgage standards framework.The 13 lenders are Abbey, Accord Mortgages, Future Mortgages, GE, GMAC-RFC, Kensington, Money Partners, Mortgage Express, Mortgages PLC, Nationwide, Paragon, Platform and Portman.Large lenders such as Abbey are believed to be paying 16,000, while the smaller specialists pay 7,000 for one year.But the ...

  • Overseas link

    27 Feb 2006

    MacAnthony Realty International has joined forces with The Townends Group to market its overseas property portfolio through the Townends estate agency network.

  • Pink commercial facility enhanced

    27 Feb 2006

    Pink Home Loans has made several improvements to its commercial loans facility to simplify its dealings with enquiries from brokers. It now offers a support desk to make the process easier.

  • PMN members face an uncertain future at BIA

    27 Feb 2006

    Berkeley Berry Birch has hinted that although members of its soon-to-be dissolved Professional Mortgage Network are to be absorbed into its IFA network, it has not yet decided whether they can remain working exclusively as mortgage advisers.

  • polarmortgages.co.uk launches guide to selling homes

    28 Feb 2006

    Specialist mortgage website polarmortgages.co.uk has launched a free guide showing householders how to make the best of their home whether they are looking to sell and get the best price or want to release some equity via a remortgage. The guide offers 55 tips on how to smarten up your home quickly and easily, at a realistic cost. Jason Hulott, business development director at polarmortgages.co.uk, says: The television is now rife with programmes about making more money ...

  • Portman traps Securitas suspect

    27 Feb 2006

    A 41 year old woman was arrested at a Portman branch on Friday in relation to the theft of 50m from a Securitas depot raid in Kent earlier in the week.

  • Prices rise in February

    27 Feb 2006

    House prices have risen 0.4% in February, reveals the latest survey from Hometrack.

  • Principality reveals product changes

    2 Mar 2006

    Principality has revealed a number of changes to its range of products, which will be available from Friday March 3.

  • Productivity is back in the political limelight

    27 Feb 2006

    Lack of good management in both the private and public sectors is one of the reasons the UK lags in the productivity stakes, a report claimed last week. Not only that, but the government has not paid enough attention to addressing the causes of the problem, claimed the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

  • Properties Abroad offers agents 10% commission

    28 Feb 2006

    With property prices in Turkey being the equivalent to Spain in the mid 80s, overseas property estate agency propertiesabroad.com is seeking estate agents, travel agents and IFAs to joint its network selling an array of exquisite properties in one of the worlds fastest growing economies.

  • Puffed out

    27 Feb 2006

    Welsh property prices outperfomed the UK market for the past three years but now the dragon is running out of puff, says Harvey JonesWelsh property prices outperfomed the UK market for the past three years but now the dragon is running out of puff, says Harvey Jones

  • Questions over HIP replacement at ODPM

    2 Mar 2006

    Rumours that there has been a major reshuffle within the HIPs team at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have neither been confirmed nor denied but a statement is expected shortly. Several senior figures in the industry believe that Cathy Cant, HIPs project leader at the ODPM, is being replaced in a reshuffle to spur progress - there is a wide spread belief among lenders that unless progress is made, the June 2007 implementation deadline for the introduction of HIPs will not be made.

  • Readers divided over big spender lenders

    27 Feb 2006

    There was almost an even split last week over the question of whether lenders should spend more on corporate hospitality.

  • Record lending in January reveals MBBG

    28 Feb 2006

    January's gross lending of 14.5bn was the highest January total on record and 25% above the very low January 2005 figure, but only marginally above the total in January two years ago.

  • Remortgage mania

    27 Feb 2006

    The Hamptons best buy mortgage tracker index reveals that with a base rate cut looking unlikely, borrowers are flocking to remortgage and taking advantage of the latest two-year fixed deals.

  • Rents on the rise, says RICS

    27 Feb 2006

    Rents are rising as tenants return to the lettings market, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in its lettings survey.

  • Secured loans are no longer taboo

    27 Feb 2006

    Secured loans are the flavour of the month and there are good reasons intermediaries should consider these loans as a viable option to provide for their clients, says Payam Azadi

  • Skipton recognises top 100 brokers

    2 Mar 2006

    Skipton has launched the Intermediaries Top 100 Club to recognise the industrys most productive brokers.

  • Small brokers need POS systems too

    27 Feb 2006

    The market needs an affordable point-of-sale system to help small brokers stay compliant as this is an area the FSA is likely to focus on in the future, says Frank Eve

  • Someone must act now to stop networks doing FAT deals

    27 Feb 2006

    From Tony Corrigan, Managing director, Classic Network Solutions

  • SPML enhances its fixed and discount rate products

    27 Feb 2006

    Southern Pacific Mortgages has enhanced its fixed and discounted rate products across both its 8 and online ranges.

  • Taylor's Tour...

    27 Feb 2006

    Henry Taylor's day job is running a mortgage broking business in Eastbourne on the south coast of England. When not at the office, he loves taking part in the Seat Cupra Championship

  • Tell Nationwide what you think

    27 Feb 2006

    Nationwide is holding a series of roadshows at which brokers can tell the society how it can give them better service. Taking questions will be Tim Hughes, head of intermediary markets, and other representatives from the society. The roadshows will be held in Glasgow on March 1, Swindon on March 21, Leeds on April 6 and Birmingham on April 25.

  • The Mortgage Mole

    27 Feb 2006

    Extra Help Mole hears that on a recent trip to Rome for the rugby, Chris Pearson, head of national accounts at Halifax, lived up to the Halifax's slogan of "always giving you extra" and showed his keen negotiating skills. When the match finished every taxi in Rome was taken but Chris made a hotel limo driver an offer he couldn't refuse and whisked everyone back to the hotel in a Mercedes S Class.Mutual Interest Mole wrapped up warm for the game of the season last week ...

  • Thinc Destini unveils plans for its future

    27 Feb 2006

    The inaugural Thinc Destini conference called Success Through Respect took place last week in Brighton. 150 managers and key support staff from across the Thinc Destini Group converged on The Grand Hotel, together with leading product providers and partners, to hear the senior management team outline the exciting and ambitious plans for the groups growth during the coming year.

  • This plan is a Pathfinder to nowhere

    27 Feb 2006

    One of the staples of local news is compulsory purchase schemes. What better story than a former war hero being booted out of his house to make way for private sector developers keen to make a fortune from the land?

  • TMB loses 19 more staff members to DB Mortgages

    27 Feb 2006

    The Mortgage Business lost a further 19 members of staff to DB Mortgages last week, Mortgage Strategy can exclusively reveal. This follows the walkout of the 'Fab Four' last September.

  • TMB reveals 2.28bn in gross mortgage lending for 2005

    2 Mar 2006

    HBOS' preliminary results yesterday revealed that The Mortgage Business' contribution to the group amounted to 2.28bn in gross mortgage lending.

  • UK investors appetite for overseas property undimmed

    3 Mar 2006

    UK investors appetite for overseas property is undimmed, despite the Treasurys decision not to allow it to be sheltered in Self Invested Personal Pension, says Conti Financial Services.

  • Value of inherited housing assets set to double

    27 Feb 2006

    Halifax Financial Services estimates that 360bn in today's money of housing assets will pass from one generation to another over the next 15 years, in the largest transfer of housing wealth of its kind recorded in the UK.

  • Vertex Financial Service launches study

    2 Mar 2006

    Vertex Financial Services has launched its fourth annual benchmarking study to UK mortgage lenders to provide an independent overview of the market and an industry benchmark.

  • Vesta to offer euro deals

    27 Feb 2006

    Vesta Money is poised to launch an operation that provides euro mortgages to British-based individuals looking to buy holiday homes in Europe.

  • Victoria Mortgages launches near prime products

    3 Mar 2006

    Victoria Mortgages has launched two near prime three year fixed rate products at 5.69% for 75% LTV and 6.09% for 90% LTV.

  • Wales sees house price slowdown

    27 Feb 2006

    After several years of rampaging house price growth, the Welsh property dragon seems to be finally running out of puff. But to what extent depends on whose figures you believe.

  • Website to ease selling of MPPI

    27 Feb 2006

    Commitments Protection is launching a website to encourage brokers to sell mortgage payment protection insurance.

  • What benefits do the centralised sales forces of multi-brand lenders offer brokers?

    27 Feb 2006

    Clarity and ease of use are just two of the benefits unified lender sales forces bring to intermediaries, say our experts.

  • What should the government do to help first-time buyers?

    27 Feb 2006

    Many first-time buyers are struggling to get on the property ladder. Gordon Brown pledged to build more affordable housing and help first-time buyers in his 2005 pre-Budget report, as well as introducing a shared equity scheme.

  • Whatever next?

    27 Feb 2006

    In the final extract of Stephen Knight's new book, Creator and Trader: A Vision for Growth in the UK Mortgage Market, he looks to the future of the market

  • When a step forward is a step too far

    27 Feb 2006

    I hope regular readers will think my approach to the industry has always been pro-innovation and forward looking. But some innovations are a step too far.

  • When will the FSA crack down?

    27 Feb 2006

    The practice of networks taking on appointed representatives without correct multi-principal agreements will become more prevalent unless the FSA cracks down, says Richard Griffiths

Poll

Should the Financial Conduct Authority be more intrusive than the Financial Services Authority?

Current Issue

Lending Zone
petitions
debate
Define Advice
Advanced search