Mortgage Strategy
Robert Thickett Editorial
-
Joint legal representation option for bridging at Precise
3 Feb 2012
From this Monday Precise Mortgages will allow bridging clients to choose the option of joint legal representation rather than the market norm of separate representation.
-
House prices fell 0.2% in January
1 Feb 2012
UK house prices fell 0.2% in January according to Nationwide’s latest house price index, taking the annual rate of inflation down to 0.6% from 1% in December.
-
The human league
30 January 2012
Some specialist lenders are using the human touch when deciding cases, adding what they call intelligent underwriting to the process, but here our experts debate how effective this approach really is
-
FOS proposes boosting the number of free cases from 3 to 25 in 2013
6 Jan 2012
The Financial Ombudsman Service has today revealed that it’s looking to boost the number of free cases businesses are allowed from three to 25 in 2013 as it prepares to tackle a flood of payment protection insurance complaints over the coming year.
-
Omni Capital snaps up former Tiuta underwriter
6 Jan 2012
Omni Capital has appointed Jack Broadbridge, who was previously underwriting team leader at rival bridging firm Tiuta, as its underwriting case manager.
-
Barclays Capital fined $3m for mis-representing data on sub-prime securitisations
23 Dec 2011
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined Barclays Capital $3m for misrepresenting delinquency data and inadequate supervision on residential sub-prime mortgage securitisations over a three-year period.
-
Lack of houses will prevent significant drop in house prices in 2012
22 Dec 2011
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors says it predicts house prices to fall by 3% in 2012, but says a lack of houses will prevent any significant decline.
-
MMR: Fast-track lives - but brokers must pass on verified income to lenders
19 Dec 2011
Fast-track has not been banned by the Financial Services Authority in its latest Mortgage Market Review consultation paper - but under the new proposals brokers will be required to pass on evidence of a borrower’s income to lenders.
-
MMR: FSA scraps plans for impaired credit buffer
19 Dec 2011
The Financial Services Authority has ditched plans to introduce a buffer for borrowers with an impaired credit history.
-
The FSA gives and takes
19 Dec 2011
So is the latest Mortgage Market Review consultation paper from the Financial Services Authority, which finally arrived today, a lump of coal or a gift to the industry?
-
Shapps and the beanstalk
19 December 2011
Mortgage Strategy’s Christmas story for 2011 is an everyday tale of a minister’s efforts to solve the housing crisis
-
FSA says not enough evidence to bring anyone to court for the collapse of RBS
12 Dec 2011
The Financial Services Authority says there is not sufficient evidence to bring enforcement action against any one member of Royal Bank of Scotland’s senior management team or board which has a reasonable chance of success in Tribunal or court proceedings.
-
Regulator aims to nip Europe's potential AR mis-step in the bud
5 December 2011
The Financial Services Authority says it is working to ensure that the European Commission does not inadvertently prevent the appointed representative model from working in the UK as a result of the mortgage directive.
-
60 seconds with...Sharon Bowles
5 December 2011
Lib Dem MEP and chair of the economic and monetary affairs committee
-
Mr Right
5 December 2011
A few eyebrows were raised when Paul Smee was made director-general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders earlier this year, but he has quickly won enthusiastic support from members and the industry
-
MEP Sharon Bowles warns both Europe and euro could be gone in six months
1 Dec 2011
MEP Sharon Bowles has warned members of the mortgage industry that in six months time there could be no Europe or euro.
-
Julian Harris appoints new head of compliance in wake of £49,000 fine
30 Nov 2011
IFA and mortgage network Julian Harris, whose managing director and founder was this morning fined £49,000 by the Financial Services Authority, has revealed it has employed a new head of compliance.
-
FSA fines and bans network head £49,000 for poor oversight of networks
30 Nov 2011
The Financial Services Authority has fined Julian Harris, the sole proprietor of networks Julian Harris Financial Consultants and the sole shareholder of Julian Harris Mortgages, £49,000.
-
Housing equity withdrawal hits new low in Q2 2011
30 Nov 2011
Data out from the Bank of England shows housing equity withdrawal fell to -9.1bn in Q2 2011, down from -£8.9bn in Q1.
-
B2L boomers
28 November 2011
As buy-to-let sees a rush of new entrants, our industry experts debate whether the sector will be the housing market’s saviour or if this is just the beginning of an unsustainable expansion
-
Martin Gilsenan joins Omni Capital after two month wait
22 Nov 2011
After more than a two month wait Martin Gilsenan, formerly relationship manager at Dragonfly, has finally joined short-term lender Omni Capital as its new director of sales.
-
Future tense
21 November 2011
In our round table discussion this week we get a panel of industry experts to discuss how the mortgage industry can withstand the effects of ongoing economic turmoil and new regulations going into 2012
-
Average price of new-build properties up almost 10% year-on-year
16 Nov 2011
The Department for Communities and Local Government’s latest figures for September shows the average price of new-build properties to be up 8.8% year-on-year.
-
Paul Howard to leave Nationwide at the end of the year
14 Nov 2011
Paul Howard, head of corporate accounts at Nationwide, is set to leave the mutual at the end of the year.
-
60 seconds with...Eric Stoclet
7 November 2011
Eric Stoclet, Chief Executive, Crown Mortgage Management
-
Great By Choice
7 November 2011
Great By Choice is the latest book by Jim Collins, author of the classic corporate self-help book Good To Great.
-
Shawbrook appoints Target to service its commercial mortgage portfolio
3 Nov 2011
Shawbrook Bank has appointed Target Group to manage and service its growing commercial mortgage portfolio.
-
UK GDP could fall by 0.1% in Q4
3 Nov 2011
Economic data firm Markit has warned that UK GDP for Q4 could fall by 0.1% after three of its purchasing managers indices dipped in October.
-
Spanish touch
31 Oct 2011
Miguel Sard, the first Spanish managing director of Abbey for Intermediaries, is determined to keep the lender at the top of the leader board for products and service, and has a few ideas up his sleeve on how to do just that
-
The Fear Index
31 October 2011
The roots of the global economic crash will no doubt be rich fodder for writers for decades to come.
-
Official Expo party set for November 16
25 Oct 2011
Mortgage Business Expo has teamed up with Mortgage Strategy and a number of other media providers to launch the only official Expo Party on Wednesday November 16.
-
Product problems
24 October 2011
When the market downturn hit four years ago, one of the first things to be affected was the sheer variety of products available. High LTV deals are now in short supply and interest-only is restricted among other constraints, all of which have conspired to make it harder for borrowers to get on the housing ladder.
-
Saffron slashes fee on B2L deal by 1%
20 Oct 2011
Saffron Building Society has slashed the fee on its buy-to-let two-year fixed rate exclusive with Brightstar Financial from 3% to 2%.
-
Equity release at Just Retirement rockets by 22% in 2011
11 Oct 2011
Just Retirement’s full year results show equity release advances rocketed by 22% to hit £242m, up from £197.5m in 2010.
-
Wilson's journey
19 September 2011
Since its parent group was bought by Lloyds TSB in 2009, Halifax Intermediaries has gone through many changes, not all which have been embraced by brokers. But its head of sales Ian Wilson says the company welcomes their feedback and is working hard to resolve issues and bring the best products to market
-
60 Seconds With...
12 September 2011
JOHN EASTGATE, SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, SAFFRON BUILDING SOCIETY
-
Near-prime time
12 September 2011
Near-prime is a growing niche which can offer borrowers locked out of the mainstream market a helping hand. But take-up of these products has been low so we ask the experts to shed some light on the sector
-
60 seconds with… Liz Locke
22 August 2011
-
Council evicts tenant after son charged in connection with Clapham Junction riots
12 Aug 2011
Wandsworth has become the first council to evict a council tenant whose son was charged today for their involvement with riots that took place in Clapham Junction on Monday night.
-
The last of the market's once great packager collectives finally closes its doors
1 Aug 2011
The Alliance of Mortgage Packagers and Distributors has announced today that after five years it is finally closing.
-
Has competition finally returned to the UK mortgage market?
28 Jul 2011
The news that Santander UK saw gross mortgage lending fall over the last half year certainly raised a few eyebrows this week.
-
Lender price war pays off as remortgaging rockets by 10% in June
25 Jul 2011
The latest figures from the British Bankers’ Association shows that remortgaging rose by just under 10% in June.
-
Northern Rock introduces cashback and expands porting to all new customers
25 Jul 2011
Northern Rock has introduced a cashback option on selected residential deals and its buy-to-let range. It has also expanded its porting facility to all new customers from today.
-
Cable calls for more QE
25 Jul 2011
The business secretary Vince Cable has called for another round of quantitative easing by the Bank of England to kick start the UK’s recovery.
-
Bolton's 40th Birthday bash slammed as worst gig ever by Girls Aloud member
28 Jun 2011
For many people in the UK mortgage market, as it was famously said of the 60s, if you can remember the boom years then you just weren’t there.
-
Intrinsic appoints regional director
20 Jun 2011
Kevin Burnham, formerly director of key accounts at Uinsure, has joined Intrinsic as regional director.
-
Peter Curran will return to Lloyds' broker role soon
20 June 2011
Peter Curran will shortly return to his previous position as head of intermediary distribution at Lloyds Banking Group following his secondment to Lloyds TSB’s branch network.
-
Media Spotlight: The Concise 48 Laws Of Power
13 June 2011
By Robert Greene
-
Taking cover
13 June 2011
With mortgage volumes flat the focus has shifted to adding insurance to brokers’ targets, but there is concern that creating a pressurised sales environment could lead to clients being sold cover they don’t need or want
-
Royal Wedding and Bank Holidays cause purchase and remortgage numbers to slump in April
1 Jun 2011
The number of loans secured for both purchase and remortgages fell heavily in April to a four month low.
-
Barclays to slash rates for the fourth time in six weeks
1 Jun 2011
Barclays is tomorrow cutting rates on Woolwich fixed and tracker mortgages by up to 0.21, the fourth time that it’s reduced rates over the last six weeks.
-
Bridging association adds two more affiliate lenders
1 Jun 2011
Tiuta and Precise Mortgages havetoday joined the Association of Bridging Professionals as affiliate lenders.
-
Bullish on buy-to-let
23 May 2011
Despite the prospect of competition from a rash of new entrants in the buy-to-let space, Paul Howard, head of corporate accounts at Nationwide, is confident the mutual will hold on to its market share
-
Media Spotlight: Onward
16 May 2011
By Howard Schultz
-
Stonehaven founder joins Aldermore as non-executive director
27 Apr 2011
Jayne Almond, the founder of equity release lender Stonehaven, has joined Aldermore as a non-executive director.
-
NatWest to handle all pre-sale enquiries by instant messaging service
27 Apr 2011
From May 3 NatWest Intermediary Solutions will handle all pre-sale mortgage enquiries by its instant messaging service LiveTALK and they will no longer be dealt with over the phone.
-
TMA to pass on full proc fee from Leeds deals
26 Apr 2011
The Mortgage Alliance will for a limited time pass on the full 0.34% proc fee for any residential or buy-to-let deal from Leeds Building Society.
-
60 seconds with...Matthew Arena
18 April 2011
Managing Director, Brilliant Solutions
-
Media Spotlight: Inside Job
18 April 2011
Directed by Charles Ferguson
-
Full steam ahead
11 April 2011
IMLA members are ready to lend again, seven months after soul searching led to a vote of confidence in its role and value, say John Heron and Tony Ward
-
Countrywide buys Mortgage Intelligence
4 Apr 2011
Countrywide has today announced that it has bought Bournemouth-based network Mortgage Intelligence.
-
Four more senior staff exit Tiuta
4 Apr 2011
Mortgage Strategy understands that bridging lender Tiuta’s head of marketing Stuart Brumhill and head of business development Guy Garrard have both today left the firm.
-
Platform revamps B2L and residential ranges
4 Apr 2011
Platform has relaunched both its buy-to-let and residential mortgage ranges with one-year, two-year and four-year tracker and fixed rate deals available.
-
House sales surge 23% in March
1 Apr 2011
Agency Express’s Property Activity Index for March shows monthly house sales were up 23%.
-
Terry Pritchard resigns from Alt-FS
24 Mar 2011
Terry Pritchard has blamed the long commute from his home on the South Coast to London for his decision to resign as director of distribution at Alt-FS.
-
Coreco goes down apprenticeship route for recruits
21 March 2011
London brokerage Coreco is setting up an apprenticeship scheme in June to attract fresh blood to the broker market.
-
Reinventing the market
21 March 2011
Sharing risk between parents and offspring, tax relief on savings for a deposit, helping first-time sellers and a reworked MIG are just some of the innovations that could kickstart the market
-
Stonehaven comes back to equity release sector
7 March 2011
Stonehaven returned to lending in the equity release market last week, with other providers expected to follow suit this year.
-
Media Spotlight: Wake Up And Change Your Life
7 March 2011
By Duncan Bannatyne
-
Stonehaven returns to lending
4 Mar 2011
Equity release provider Stonehaven began lending again yesterday afternoon following a year’s absence from the market.
-
House prices fall again in February
4 Mar 2011
Halifax’s latest house price index shows the value of homes fell 0.9% in February, on the back of a 0.8% fall in prices in January.
-
NatWest adds 75% LTV B2L deal to core range
2 Mar 2011
NatWest Intermediary Solutions is adding a 75% LTV fixed rate buy-to-let mortgage to its core range tomorrow and refreshing the rates on a number of its other products.
-
More than mortgages
28 February 2011
Since being bought out by Towergate, John Charcol is moving beyond mortgages and aims to take advantage of all its parent has to offer to broaden its services. Managing director Walter Avrili and marketing director Drew Wotherspoon reveal their plans for the new John Charcol
-
Just Retirement sees equity release sales rise 20% year-on-year
14 Feb 2011
Just Retirement says six month group sales grew by 11% year-on-year to £495m driven by a 20% increase in equity release sales.
-
Tiuta offers 0.89% bridging rate
31 Jan 2011
Tiuta is offering a bridging loan rate of 0.89% per calender month for properties within the M25 area.
-
A company man
31 January 2011
One key thing Mike Jones brings to his role of mortgage sales director at Lloyds Banking Group is his long history of working at the lender. And although his background is in branch networks he understands the vital role of brokers in volume distribution
-
FSA opens debate over future product interventions
25 Jan 2011
The Financial Services Authority says it wants a public debate about product intervention and any decision to outright ban products in the future.
-
Platform to allow up to 10 properties for B2L
24 January 2011
Platform is to widen its buy-to-let underwriting criteria at the end of this week, Mortgage Strategy understands.
-
Lib Dem MEP beats George Osborne in global influence stakes
19 Jan 2011
Liberal Democrat MEP Sharon Bowles has been judged to have more clout than the chancellor George Osborne in a poll of the 50 most influential people in global financial regulation over the past 12 months.
-
TMW enhances Prime range
17 Jan 2011
The Mortgage Works has added a number of new products to its Prime range, such as an 18-month fixed rate product starting at 2.14%.
-
86% of DAs upbeat about business volumes in 2011
17 Jan 2011
The Mortgage Alliance’sDistribution Indicator for December found that 86% of directly authorised brokers expected business volumes to rise in 2011.
-
Inflation could edge up to 4% by spring
17 Jan 2011
The Ernst & Young Item Club has predicted that inflation could near 4% by Spring, but it says it’s vital that the Bank of England continues to hold its nerve on interest rates.
-
Standalone range of products from Partnership soon
17 January 2011
Partnership is to launch a range of equity release products in the first half of this year.
-
Cleaning up
10 January 2011
Alan Mathewson, managing director of Abbey for Intermediaries, has put improving service levels and growing direct and broker business firmly in his sights since joining the lender
-
Judges faced tough task in drawing up shortlist for this year's awards
10 January 2011
-
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
23 Dec 2010
From everyone at Mortgage Strategy we’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
-
Leadbay ceases trading
22 Dec 2010
Lead generation firm Leadbay has stopped accepting new business and is seeking a buyer, Mortgage Strategy understands.
-
Lloyds TSB gets advert banned by ASA over PPI claims
22 Dec 2010
Lloyds TSB has successfully challenged a claims firm’s advert on payment protection sales for using out of date data.
-
Mortgage Brain set to buy TrigoldCrystal
20 Dec 2010
Mortgage Brain has today confirmed that it is in discussions with the board of TrigoldCrystal and has agreed terms to buy the business for £6.8m.
-
60 Seconds with...Phil Whitehouse
20 December 2010
-
Media Spotlight: Our favourites of 2010
20 December 2010
-
The mortgage broker's night before Christmas
20 December 2010
It was the night before Christmas, when all through the house,Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.The M&S stockings were hung by the chimney with care,In the hope that Santa Claus soon would be there.
-
Remortgaging fell by a quarter year-on-year in October
10 Dec 2010
Remortgaging fell by a whopping 24% year-on-year in October and house purchases fell by 16%, says the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
-
Shapps criticises MMR paper as a step too far
29 November 2010
GRANT SHAPPS: FSA MUST LEARN FROM MISTAKES
-
The great debate
29 November 2010
Industry experts discuss this year’s big issues from MMR, funding, remortgages to buy-to-let and look at the potential pitfalls and opportunities 2011 may hold
-
Grant Shapps brands MMR “a step too far”
26 Nov 2010
Housing minister Grant Shapps has branded the Financial Services Authority’s Mortgage Market Review paper a “step too far.”
-
Colin Snowdon reveals why he left Aldermore
25 Nov 2010
Colin Snowdon has revealed why he has quit as chief executive of Aldermore’s residential mortgage lending.
-
Abbey for Intermediaries looking to enter B2L market
15 Nov 2010
Abbey for Intermediaries is looking at entering the buy-to-let market in 2011 with products aimed at non-professional landlords.
-
Abbey plans products for non-professional landlords
15 November 2010
ALAN MATHEWSON: KEEN TO SUPPORT B2L SECTOR IN 2011
-
Guernsey firm to provide funds for equity release deal
15 November 2010
The home reversion market is to get a boost with the launch of a product with a £150m funding line.
-
Arrears and repossessions fall in Q3
11 Nov 2010
The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ latest figures show repossessions fell by 5% and there were 2,100 less properties in arrears.
-
72% of would-be buyers are against shared equity
10 Nov 2010
Research from Halifax shows that 72% of would-be house buyers would not consider a shared equity or shared ownership scheme.
-
Platform launches new B2L range
10 Nov 2010
Platform has launched a new buy-to-let range with rates including a sub-5% four-year fixed rate at 60% LTV.
-
Safe&Secure launch online lead tracking at Expo
10 Nov 2010
Safe&Secure Insurance is launching an online lead tracking system for its users at today’s Mortgage Business Expo at the Olypmia in London.
-
OFT urges FSA to monitor whether capital rules will deter new entrants
08 November 2010
ALAN CLEARY: FSA FOCUS IS ON FIRMS’ STABILITY
-
Gary Hoffman steps down as CEO of Northern Rock
4 Nov 2010
Gary Hoffman, chief executive officer of Northern Rock, has stepped down with immediate effect to take on the role of CEO at NBNK Investments.
-
Ex-Freehold boss takes job at Borro.com
1 Nov 2010
Paul Brett, the former head of packager association Freehold, has been made business development director at Borro.com.
-
New network officially launches today
1 Nov 2010
Stonebridge Group has officially changed its permissions today to become the mortgage market’s newest network.
-
Media Spotlight: Hacking Work
01 November 2010
By Bill Jensen and Josh Klein
-
Stonebridge turns into traditional AR network
01 November 2010
RICHARD ADAMS, NETWORK WILL PROMOTE BRAND
-
Precise expands its distribution
28 Oct 2010
Hot on the heels of its official authorisation by the Financial Services Authority earlier this week Precise Mortgages has expanded its list of distributors and launched its Autumn buy-to-let product range.
-
House prices fell by 0.7% in October
28 Oct 2010
Nationwide Building Society’s latest house price index shows that property values fell by 0.7% in October, with the average house price now standing at £164,381.
-
Redefining standards
25 October 2010
An increasing number of previously mainstream borrowers are now being relabelled non-standard due to tougher criteria, but it isn’t easy for specialist lenders to cater for such clients with funding still a major hurdle
-
Forging ahead
18 October 2010
Since the merger of Sesame and Bankhall, PMS managing director John Cupis has increased its market share and adviser base. He talks about the hurdles he faces, future plans for the group and lenders’ support for higher LTV lending
-
FSA gains new consumer redress powers
12 Oct 2010
The Financial Services Authority has been granted new powers to directly push for redress from rogue firms for consumers and to publish enforcement actions earlier.
-
Grave concerns
11 October 2010
There are fears that interest-only will struggle for survival if the MMR proposals become law, with the CML leading the charge against them. But some in the industry believe it’s right to restrict the product
-
Media spotlight: Cognitive Surplus
4 October 2010
By Clay Shirky
-
Aldermore extends B2L range
30 Sep 2010
Aldermore has extended its buy-to-let range as it looks to fill the gap left by Lloyds Banking Groups’ decision to reduce its market share.
-
MMR is not the right medicine
27 September 2010
A Mortgage Strategy round table, sponsored by Abbey for Intermediaries, debated the Mortgage Market Review proposals and concluded that the abolition of fast-track and self-cert will cause the industry and consumers an almighty headache
-
MPC says growing need for further QE
22 Sep 2010
Minutes for September’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting show some members now feel the probability of further quantitative easing to stimulate the economy has increased.
-
ASA bans conveyancing advert
22 Sep 2010
The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that an online advert from yourconveyancingservices.com was misleading.
-
Nationwide's system to offer 24/7 case tracking
13 September 2010
IAN ANDREW SYSTEM WILL BE SLICKER
-
HSBC fails to break into top five lender league
13 September 2010
HSBC has not ranked in the top five largest mortgage lenders of 2009 and remains in seventh position for the second year running.
-
Housing activity down in August, says NAEA
9 Sep 2010
Activity in the housing market fell in August but the National Association of Estate Agents says that housing stock remains level.
-
Top five lenders accounted for 82% of all lending in 2009
8 Sep 2010
The Council of Mortgage Lenders has revealed that the five largest lenders accounted for 82% of all lending activity during 2009.
-
Media spotlight: Linchpin
6 September 2010
By Seth Godin
-
Blair warns against ''too heavy'' regulation of financial sector
2 Sep 2010
Tony Blair has warned that too heavy regulation of the financial sector risks flattening it and warns that it would be “a big mistake”.
-
Abbey to cut rates on 80% LTV products
2 Sep 2010
Abbey for Intermediaries is set to cut rates on a selection of its 80% LTV products tomorrow and is also launching a key account exclusive home purchase deal.
-
Master of business
31 Aug 2010
Grenville Turner, chief executive of Countrywide, has a reputation for turning around businesses in tough times. It’s no wonder then that the downturn has not been a hurdle to making the financial arm grow its market share 21 months running
-
Action taken against two brokers for mortgage fraud
31 Aug 2010
The Financial Services Authority has taken action against two mortgage brokers for allowing false and misleading mortgage applications to be made to lenders.
-
Stockton slams Lloyds proc fee rumours as garbage
31 Aug 2010
Nigel Stockton has slammed rumours that his exit from Lloyds Banking Group was due to a change of its strategy to the intermediary market as “total garbage”.
-
Countrywide claims 10% share of broker market
30 August 2010
GRENVILLE TURNER OUTPERFORMING THE MARKET IS KEY
-
Adverse market conditions force SLS to shut shop
30 August 2010
Savills Lending Solutions blamed market forces as it officially closed its doors on Friday.
-
Market forces blamed as Savills axes SLS
27 Aug 2010
Market conditions were blamed for Savills’ decision to close its specialist-lending unit Savills Lending Solution last week.
-
£150,000 Fine to adviser is one of the FSA's biggest
23 August 2010
MARGARET COLE, DIRECTORS MUST ACT WITH INTEGRITY
-
Lenders warned to take out MIGs
23 August 2010
ANGEL MAS: LENDERS ARE NOT PRUDENT
-
Media Spotlight: Our Iceberg Is Melting
23 August 2010
By John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber
-
FSA ban five advisers and imposes largest fine of £150K for insurance fraud
17 Aug 2010
The Financial Services Authority has banned five individuals for failings in relation to insurance fraud and imposed one of its largest ever fines of £150,000 for insurance fraud.
-
Media Spotlight: Persuasion
9 August 2010
By James Borg
-
PTFS axes Paaleads from its lead generation panel
3 Aug 2010
Personal Touch Financial Services has axed the Moneysupermarket.com owned Paaleads from its lead generation panel in the wake of its parent group’s negative comments about consumers using brokers to access the best mortgage deals.
-
Cover guys
26 July 2010
Safe&Secure’s Chris Griffin and Jason Berry say their firm aims to make it easy for brokers to sell buildings and contents insurance
-
MMR: Income buffer for sub-prime borrowers
13 Jul 2010
The Financial Services Authority is calling for stricter affordability tests and a disposable income buffer for borrowers with impaired credit as part of a major shakeup of sub-prime.
-
MMR: Lenders to be forced to assess income into retirement
13 Jul 2010
Where the loan term extends into retirement the regulator is now calling for lenders to assess income into retirement to ensure the mortgage remains affordable.
-
MMR: FSA beefs up rules on arrears
13 Jul 2010
The Financial Services Authority has beefed up its rules surrounding arrears after finding a wide difference in the fees firms were charging and many firms unable to even explain why they charged the fees that they did.
-
MMR: FSA reveals the number one toxic product combination
13 Jul 2010
A whopping 42% of borrowers with a credit impaired, self-cert mortgage for debt consolidation at 80% LTV or above are in arrears or repossession, making it the most toxic product combination in the UK.
-
Halifax online system welcomed but brokers fume over direct fees
12 July 2010
Halifax officially launches its online broker system today.
-
Capstone rebrands as Acenden
5 Jul 2010
Capstone, the UK mortgage services division of Lehman Brothers, is today rebranding with a new name Acenden.
-
Capstone rebrands as Acenden and offers services to the wider market
5 July 2010
-
Ascending star
5 July 2010
Capstone emerged intact after the Lehmans collapse and is now moving onwards and upwards, offering a wider range of services to the market as Acenden
-
Media Spotlight: Obliquity
5 July 2010
By John Kay
-
Media Spotlight: Making Strategy Work - Harvard Business Press
21 June 2010
-
FSA chairman welcomes regulatory reforms
16 Jun 2010
Lord Adair Turner, chairman of the Financial Services Authority, says he welcomes the changes outlined by the chancellor George Osborne which will see the FSA scrapped by 2012.
-
Crisis showed combining powers under the FSA didn't work
16 Jun 2010
Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, has tonight admitted that having the Financial Services Authority in charge of prudential regulation and consumer protection “didn’t work in practice”.
-
Hector Sants bags top job at beefed up Bank of England
16 Jun 2010
Hector Sants, outgoing chief executive of the Financial Services Authority, will now stay on at the FSA before transferring to the Bank of England to be its first chief executive of prudential regulation and become deputy governor.
-
FSA fines and bans three brokers
16 Jun 2010
The Financial Services Authority has today banned three mortgage brokers from working in the financial services industry for fraud and fined two of the brokers £294,500 and £120,000.
-
SpicerHaart has another advert upheld
16 Jun 2010
Spicerhaart has had another advert upheld by the Advertising Standards Association, this time breaching its guidelines on truthfulness and substantiation.
-
Average mortgage rate falls to its lowest since December 2009
14 Jun 2010
Countrywide says the average rate of the top 10 most popular mortgages it sold in May fell to 4.37%, the lowest average since December 2009.
-
Openwork wants 4,000 advisers on board by 2012
14 June 2010
Openwork says it is aiming to have 4,000 intermediaries on its books by the time the Retail Distribution Review hits the market at the end of 2012.
-
Nationwide streamlines range and unveils broker exclusives via TMW
14 June 2010
PAUL HOWARD, USEFUL RANGE OF PRODUCTS
-
Nationwide simplifies core range and launches TMW prime
10 Jun 2010
Nationwide has today unveiled a major simplification of its core mortgage range and launched a broker exclusive prime range via The Mortgage Works.
-
Exact appoints legal and compliance director
8 Jun 2010
Exact has appointed Philip Horsfield as its director of legal and compliance.
-
Brown sparked B2L boom, says Lord Lawson
7 June 2010
NIGEL LAWSON: CGT INCREASE IS THE WAY TO
-
60 Seconds with...
31 May 2010
-
Media Spotlight, Who Moved My Cheese? By Dr Spencer Johnson
31 May 2010
-
Media Spotlight: The Alchemy of Voice
24 May 2010
By Stewart Pearce
-
Kensington gets into buy-to-let
17 May 2010
Kensington has expanded its range again with a new suite of products for buy-to-let.
-
All change
10 May 2010
Graham Felstead, head of intermediary channel at the Royal Bank of Scotland, has hit the ground running by rebranding and reshaping the lender’s broker arm
-
Media Spotlight: Third Leaders’ Debate - BBC 1
3 May 2010
-
Media Spotlight: The Unwritten Laws of Finance & Investment
26 April 2010
By Robert Cole
-
Mortgage lending rises in March but FTBs have little to celebrate
26 April 2010
Gross mortgage lending rose 24% in March from £9.3bn in February to £11.5bn, but research shows that lenders are still making life difficult for first-time buyers.
-
Private rental sector will make up 20% of total housing stock by 2021
26 April 2010
JOHN HERON: DRAMATIC CHANGE LIKELY
-
Gross lending up by a quarter in March
19 Apr 2010
Gross lending rose by 24% last month rising from £9.3bn in February to £11.5bn in March, but the first three months of 2010 saw the lowest quarterly total for new business since 2000.
-
GEMHL targets clients with credit blemishes
19 April 2010
MARK SNAPE: MARKET IS RECOVERING
-
GEMHL expands range to help borrowers with limited options
15 Apr 2010
GE Money Home Lending says it’s looking to help borrowers with limited options as it expands its product range, increases its LTVs and reduces its reversionary rates.
-
Investment guru Jon Moulton invests in Largemortgageloans.com
14 Apr 2010
Jon Moulton, the founder of Alchemy Partners and chairman of Better Capital, and two other UK entrepreneurs have taken a major stake in Largemortgageloans.com.
-
Media spotlight: How To Manage Difficult People
12 April 2010
By Alan Fairweather
-
Tomorrow's equity world
12 April 2010
The next generation of equity release customers will demand more flexibility and innovation from providers. This was one of the conclusions of a recent Mortgage Strategy round table sponsored by Hodge Lifetime
-
Define Advice
30 Mar 2010
-
Platform relocates two mortgage service divisions
29 March 2010
Platform Home Loans is relocating some of its mortgage services from London, resulting in 80 staff being given the option of relocating or being made redundant.
-
Platform relocates service divisions
25 Mar 2010
Platform Home Loans is relocating its pre-completion and customer care divisions to two different processing centres operated by parent group Co-operative Financial Services, which could result in 80 staff being made redundant.
-
Guide to Networks - Introduction
22 March 2010
Robert Thickett, Editor, Mortgage Strategy
-
Leader: Drive for definition
22 March 2010
Today Mortgage Strategy is kickstarting a campaign to hammer out a definition of the advice process provided by brokers.
-
Media Spotlight: The Unwritten Laws Of Business
22 March 2010
By WJ King
-
Mortgage fraud losses may total £1.2bn this year
22 March 2010
Experian last week predicted that mortgage fraud losses could hit £1.2bn in 2010.
-
Right network partner can help you grow
22 March 2010
Recent high-profile network failures have highlighted just how important it is for broker firms to choose the right network to partner up with, say Christine Toner and Robert Thickett
-
Peter Charge made head of sales at Tenet Group
19 Mar 2010
Peter Charge has been appointed head of sales at the Leeds-based Tenet Group.
-
Gross lending hits £9.2bn in February
18 Mar 2010
The Council of Mortgage Lenders has revealed that gross mortgage lending hit 9.2bn in February, up from £8.7bn in January.
-
Savills Private Finance breaks even in second half of 2009
18 Mar 2010
Mortgage Strategy understands that Savills Private Finance broke even in the second half of 2009 and that the brokerage is currently on track to book a small profit in 2010.
-
L&G launches two exclusives from Accord
17 Mar 2010
Legal & General Mortgage Club has launched two exclusive fixed rate deals from Accord Mortgages.
-
Over a fifth of adults could be prevented from getting a mortgage
17 Mar 2010
Kensington says over a fifth of the UK adult population could be prevented from getting a mortgage by lenders that operate a rigid automated credit scoring system.
-
MPC voted unanimously for hold on interest rates and QE
17 Mar 2010
The latest minutes for this month’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting shows that its nine members all voted for a hold on the interest rate and quantitative easing.
-
Unemployment falls to 2.45 million
17 Mar 2010
Unemployment for the last quarter fell by 33,000 to 2.45 million, the largest quarterly fall since the three months to July 2007.
-
Consumer appetite for buying a home dips
17 Mar 2010
The Building Societies Association says that only 49% of consumers think now is a good time to buy a property.
-
Linx FS and Complete form strategic partnership
17 Mar 2010
Linx FS and packager Complete Mortgage & Loan Services have formed a strategic partnership.
-
Media Spotlight: Personal Reputation Management
8 March 2010
By Louis Halpern and Roy Murphy
-
Ban brokers from paying referral fees to estate agents, urges OFT
22 February 2010
The Office of Fair Trading is urging the government to ban mortgage brokers from paying referral fees to estate agents.
-
Cleaning up
22 February 2010
Regulation of sale-and-rent-back will go a long way towards washing off many of the troublesome stains that have been plaguing the sector
-
Two ex-HBOS directors leave Lloyds group on same day
8 February 2010
Former HBOS directors Dan Watkins and Jo Dawson both resigned from Lloyds Banking Group last Friday.
-
MoJ calls for minimum level of debt before courts repossess
5 Feb 2010
The Ministry of Justice is looking at ramping up consumer debt safeguards to ensure that only homeowners with a minimum level of debt can have an order to sell their homes made by the courts.
-
Home of Choice adds Bank of China to panel
5 Feb 2010
Home of Choice has extended its product range with the addition of Bank of China to its lending panel.
-
SMS adds Melton Mowbray near prime range
1 Feb 2010
Solent Mortgage Services now offers a near prime range from Melton Mowbray Building Society’s intermediary arm MBS Lending.
-
Mortgage Times capital shortfall totalled almost £1m, FSA reveals
1 February 2010
A capital shortfall of almost £1m has been revealed as the reason behind the Financial Service Authority’s decision to strip Mortgage Times of its permissions just before Christmas.
-
FSCS appoints new chief executive
29 Jan 2010
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has appointed Mark Neale as its new chief executive.
-
FSA reveals it shut Mortgage Times because of £1m capital shortfall
25 Jan 2010
A £971,000 capital shortfall lay at the heart of the Financial Services Authority’s decision to cancel the permissions of failed network The Mortgage Times Group before Christmas.
-
Virtual property service offered as replacement income for HIP
18 Jan 2010
A virtual property service is being touted to home information pack firms to ensure that if the Conservative Party gets in and scraps HIPs, they have a second income stream.
-
Countrywide launches new online property site
18 Jan 2010
Countrywide has today launched a new property website called Propertywide.co.uk.
-
Upcoming election leading regulatory paralysis in UK financial services
15 Jan 2010
Regulation expert Wolters Kluwer Financial Services has warned that confusion over the next general election has meant the UK financial services industry is in danger of slipping into regulatory paralysis.
-
FOS levy to be frozen for next financial year
12 Jan 2010
The Financial Ombudsman Service will freeze its levy for the next financial year despite predicting the number of complaints it deals with will rise to 210,000 in 2010/2011.
-
Move to soften capital blow for mutuals gets a mixed reception
11 January 2010
A report from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision outlines plans to tone down capital adequacy requirements for building societies and cooperatives.Building societies have been unhappy about the capital adequacy rules proposed at international and UK levels because they put the society sector at a disadvantage compared with banks.In a paper issued by the committee on December 17 on the subject of capital adequacy it states that the capital regime should ...
-
Media Spotlight: Fooled By Randomness By Nassim Nicholas Taleb
11 January 2010
-
Amount owed to Network Data ARs still unquantified
23 Dec 2009
Network Data’s administrator Baker Tilly has admitted today that despite spending the bulk of its time assessing the claims of the unsecured creditors of Network Data Limited, the scale of the total amount of claims is still unquantified.
-
Net mortgage lending holds up in November
23 Dec 2009
The British Bankers’ Association says net mortgage lending increased by £3.3bn in November, marginally up on the £3.2bn increase seen in October.
-
The worst Christmas gift for staff and ARs
22 Dec 2009
The collapse of Mortgage Times, as revealed by Mortgage Strategy yesterday, was the end of an era.
-
Network beauty pageant planned for stranded Mortgage Times ARs
22 Dec 2009
A network beauty pageant is being organised to help stranded Mortgage Times appointed representatives find a new network and get trading again as quickly as possible.
-
Mortgage Times placed in administration
21 Dec 2009
Mortgage Strategy understands that Mortgage Times has today gone into administration.
-
FLA calls on government to urgently review non-bank lending markets
21 Dec 2009
The Finance and Leasing Association has urged the government to follow up its Pre-Budget Report proposal to review non-bank lending markets.
-
CBI predicts interest rates will hit 2% by end of 2010
21 Dec 2009
The Confederation of British Industry predicts interest rates will start to rise in spring, hitting 2% by the end of 2010 and then no further rises in 2011.
-
Better broker supervision could protect consumers, says Coogan
21 December 2009
Michael Coogan, director-general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, has said that better supervision of mortgage brokers would remove many of the root causes of consumer detriment.
-
Media Spotlight: Our favourite books of 2009
21 December 2009
-
Regulation and funding the two main threats to brokers in 2010
21 December 2009
-
Gross lending drops 10% in November
18 Dec 2009
The Council of Mortgage Lenders says that gross lending fell 10% in November, with just £12bn completed compared to £13.3bn in October.
-
Unemployment hits 2.49 million
16 Dec 2009
The number of unemployed in the UK increased by 21,000 over the last quarter to hit 2.49 million, the highest figure since the three months to March in 1995.
-
Tory plans to axe FSA could be "unwelcome distraction" warns Coogan
16 Dec 2009
Michael Coogan, director general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, has warned that Conservative plans to “move the regulatory deckchairs” after the next General Election could be an unwelcome distraction.
-
Hodge pulls Flexible Mortgage Option product
16 Dec 2009
Hodge Lifetime has withdrawn its Flexible Mortgage Option in anticipation of the launch of a new product in 2010.
-
Consumers predict 3% house price rise in 2010
16 Dec 2009
A survey of 2,000 people by the Building Societies Association found they expected a 3% house price rise in 2010.
-
UK inflation rises to 1.9%
15 Dec 2009
Data out from the Office for National Statistics shows the Consumer Price Index rose for the second month in a row, from 1.5% in October to 1.9% in November.
-
40% of consumers spend six months weighing up options before contacting adviser
14 Dec 2009
Equity release clients spend over six months researching the available to them before approaching an IFA, new research reveals.
-
Cash sales could be running at 30%, says CML
14 December 2009
The Council of Mortgage Lenders says mortgage-financed house sales may account for only 70% of transactions, with cash buyers making up the rest.
-
CML accuses regulator of simply rehashing Mortgage Code ideas
14 December 2009
-
Yorkshire CEO appointed chairman of FSPP
7 Dec 2009
Iain Cornish, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society, has been appointed the new chairman of the Financial Services Practitioner Panel.
-
Media Spotlight: The Worst-Case Scenario By David Borgenicht and Mark Joyner
07 December 2009
-
Mutuals see net withdrawal of £1.2bn
30 Nov 2009
Mutuals saw a net withdrawal of deposits of £1.2bn in October, the latest figures from the Building Societies Association reveals.
-
Beyond bridging
30 November 2009
Bridging loans specialist Tiuta is looking to explore lending opportunities beyond its core business and new CEO George Patellis will be leading the way, he tells Mortgage Strategy
-
Kensington's return is welcomed
30 November 2009
Kensington’s return to the inter-mediary mortgage market has been welcomed by brokers.
-
Secured industry needs time to adapt to FSA regulation, says AFB
25 Nov 2009
The Association of Finance Brokers has given its support to plans announced today by HM Treasury to extend the scope of Financial Services Authority regulation to include second-charge mortgages, but stresses that more time may be needed for the industry to adapt.
-
Kensington returns to lending
25 Nov 2009
Kensington has today announced that it has returned to lending with a two-year fixed rate product.
-
Clifford launches concierge website
23 November 2009
Consumers will be able to rate their advisers as part of Mortgageforce founder Rob Clifford’s online financial concierge service If I Were You, that launches today.
-
Industry bodies come together to campaign for Stamp Duty reform
23 November 2009
-
PTFS chairman believed to have been suspended
23 November 2009
Mortgage Strategy understands that Personal Touch Financial Services’ chairman Martin Wilson has been suspended pending the result of an internal investigation.
-
SLS sees spike in enquiries for Tiuta B2L product
20 Nov 2009
Savills Lending Solutions has seen three times the usual volume of telephone enquiries as a result of the buy-to-let product that it’s offering from Tiuta.
-
PTFS suspends chairman
19 Nov 2009
Mortgage Strategy understands that Personal Touch Financial Services’ executive Martin Wilson has been suspended pending an internal investigation.
-
Rob Clifford launches financial concierge service
19 Nov 2009
Rob Clifford, the founder of Mortgageforce, has set up a new online financial services concierge service with Paul Gratton, the founder of First Direct and former CEO of online bank Egg.
-
Santander to launch Zero current account for mortgage holders in 2010
19 Nov 2009
Santander is to launch in January 2010 a no fee current account for Abbey mortgage holders.
-
CRS and IERAA form strategic partnership
19 Nov 2009
The Independent Equity Release Advisers Alliance and Charterhouse Retirement Solutions have formed a strategic partnership, with the aim of jointly helping the equity release market grow over the next few years.
-
£283m windfall as EU rules Brits were overcharged in Spain
17 Nov 2009
British property owners in Spain could lay claim to a £283m refund after the European Court of Justice has ruled they were illegally charged by the Spanish government.
-
Cable proposes 10% levy on bank profits
17 Nov 2009
Vince Cable, shadow chancellor for the Liberal Democrats, has proposed creating a new levy on bank profits at a rate of 10%.
-
AMI, CML and BSA get behind Stamp Duty reform campaign
16 Nov 2009
The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries, the Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Building Societies Association have all added their weight to a campaign to spur the government to modernize Stamp Duty.
-
Ipswich launches 85% LTV 2-year fix
16 Nov 2009
Ipswich Building Society has launched at 85% LTV two-year fixed rate at 5.64%.
-
RPS appoints head of operations
16 Nov 2009
Residential Property Solutions has appointed Guy Todd as head of operations.
-
Rivals may be tempted to bid for Enterprise
16 November 2009
-
A&L launches 1.99% tracker
13 Nov 2009
Alliance & Leicester Intermediary Sales has just launched a broker only two year tracker mortgage starting from 1.99%.
-
Private Finance links up with estate agency Strutt & Parker
11 Nov 2009
Independent mortgage adviser Private Finance has linked up with property consultant and estate agency Strutt & Parker.
-
FSA bans brokers for fraud and concealing involvement in firm
11 Nov 2009
The Financial Services Authority has banned Birmingham mortgage broker Mohammed Hanif for obtaining authorisation by giving the Financial Services Authority false information to conceal his involvement in the running of the business.
-
Edge and Enterprise up for sale
11 Nov 2009
Enterprise and its sourcing system Edge have been today formally put up for sale.
-
A fifth of 18 to 24 year olds now unemployed
11 Nov 2009
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 18% of 18 to 24 year olds are now unemployed, the highest figure since records began.
-
FSA approves Exact
11 Nov 2009
Exact has today confirmed that it’s had its application to be regulated by the Financial Services Authority approved.
-
Leeds launches five-year fix at 5.49%
11 Nov 2009
Leeds Building Society has launched a five-year fixed rate mortgage range from 5.49%.
-
PruProtect launches Essentials plan
11 Nov 2009
PruProtect has launched its new online-only Essentials plan which includes life cover only and life with serious illness cover.
-
Exact approved by FSA
11 Nov 2009
Exact has today confirmed that it’s had its application to be regulated by the Financial Services Authority approved.
-
Forex training firm to launch at Expo
9 Nov 2009
Archangel Intermediaries will be launching its new foreign exchange training proposition at the Mortgage Business Expo in London this week.
-
62 Staff face axe at Paymentshield
9 November 2009
Paymentshield is looking to cut its workforce by 20%, with 62 members of staff in consultation.
-
Quarter of all landlords saw no profit in Q3
9 November 2009
A quarter of all landlords either broke even or made a loss in Q3 2009, a survey from BDRC reveals.
-
Fund to help with deposits launched
9 November 2009
A £500m residential property fund has been launched to help first-time buyers stump up the hefty deposits they now need to buy properties.The Investors in Housing Fund is the brainchild of specialist pro-perty investment firm Mill Group. The initiative is called co-investment and is being touted as a new model for home ownership whereby buyers acquire a share of between 25% and 50% of the property with the fund buying the rest.
-
Media Spotlight: The Choice - Michael Buerk interviews Paul Moore, BBC Radio 4
9 November 2009
-
Beacon Homeloans says it's now the UK's 11th biggest lender
5 Nov 2009
Beacon Homeloans has revealed that based on its sales volumes so far in 2009 it estimates that it’s now the UK’s 11th largest lender.
-
Property fund to give FTBs leg-up onto housing ladder
2 Nov 2009
A £500m residential property fund has been launched today that will help first-time buyers stump up the hefty deposit needed to buy their first property.
-
Bucking the trend
2 November 2009
The recession has resulted in huge demand for short-term funding and Eugene Esterkin, managing director of Affirmative Finance, says his firm is reaping the benefits
-
Cupis and Malone take top PMS jobs in Sesame Bankhall revamp
2 November 2009
John Cupis has been made managing director of PMS, with John Malone becoming chairman.
-
Political frustration as probe fails to bring bankers to justice
Lending Strategy 01 November 2009
-
John Cupis to become MD of PMS
30 Oct 2009
John Cupis has been made managing director of PMS with John Malone made chairman.
-
Moneygate partners with Assurant Intermediary
30 Oct 2009
Moneygate Group has partnered up with Assurant Intermediary to give Moneygate’s associated UK financial advisers access to Assurant’s full range of general insurance products.
-
Media Spotlight: Viral Loop - The Power of Pass-it-on By Adam Peneberg
26 October 2009
-
FSA publishes Mortgage Market Review
19 Oct 2009
The Financial Services Authority has today called for self-cert mortgages to be banned, affordability tests on all mortgages and for buy-to-let to be regulated as part of its much anticipated Mortgage Market Review.
-
BSA to put its case for local councils’ billions
19 October 2009
-
Media Spotlight: This Time is Different by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff
19 October 2009
With the dust starting to settle on the financial crisis regulators and governments across the world are looking to tighten up the markets that caused the mess in the first place.
-
Level proc fees thought to be on FSA's agenda
12 October 2009
Rumours are rife that level proc fees and the end of fast-track and self-cert could be on the cards in the regulator’s upcoming Mortgage Market Review.
-
New liquidity regime may cost clients dear
12 October 2009
Higher mortgage rates and lower savings rates will be the result of the regulator’s new liquidity rules, the Building Societies Association has warned.
-
Competition returns to the lending market
12 October 2009
-
Cyprus tops investment league again while Bulgaria loses out
12 October 2009
Cyprus has come top in a 2009 overseas property index that awards countries ratings agency-style investment standards.
-
State aid rules must not force banks to abandon small businesses
9 Oct 2009
The Forum of Private Business is urging the European Commission not to force the UK’s part-nationalised banks to abandon more than two million of their small business customers.
-
Media Spotlight: Keynes - The Return of the Master By Robert Skidelsky
7 Sep 2009
Economist-bashing has become a popular pursuit since the advent of the crash. Numerous critics have called for the profession to bin looking on economics as a science - something akin to describing gravity and other physical laws - and instead apply some of the rules of risk and uncertainty as laid down by John Maynard Keynes.
-
Media Spotlight: Animal Spirits by George Akerlof and Robert Shiller
3 Aug 2009
Animal Spirits by George Akerlof and Robert Shiller takes its title from a phrase coined by John Maynard Keynes in his 1936 book The General Theory Of Employment, Interest And Money to describe the impact of psychology on the economy.
-
Media Spotlight: The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
15 Jun 2009
A sad fact of the credit crunch is that while in hindsight it seems obvious that everything would go belly up the truth is that nobody saw it coming.
-
Media Spotlight: The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson
18 May 2009
As philosopher George Santayana famously put it in his book Reason In Common Sense, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
-
Media Spotlight: Dispatches, Channel 4
5 May 2009
These days, art forms from TV dramas to comics are getting to grips with the credit crunch. Barely a day goes by without a sound bite comparing this crisis with the Great Depression of the 1930s or illustrating the West’s love of mammon.
-
Media Spotlight: Good to Great, Jim Collins
27 Apr 2009
Good to Great is the classic corporate self-help book for firms looking to turn themselves around from just an average firm to a market-leading one.
-
Target Practice
1 Sep 2008
Self-cert mortgages have long been the bete noire of the mortgage industry. Even in the days of self-regulation and the gentlemanly rules of the Mortgage Code Compliance Board, self-cert was looked on by many as a recipe for disaster.
-
Market pioneer
28 Jul 2008
Paul Gratton has been at the vanguard of financial services developments since the 1980s. He helped mastermind the development of telephone and online banking with First Direct and Egg respectively so when he bought the MoneyQuest the industry sat up and paid attention, says Robert Thickett
-
Police call for regulation of 40,000 UK mortgage brokers
5 Mar 2008
A Police report on mortgage fraud has called on the Financial Services Authority to individually register and regulate the estimated 40,000 UK mortgage brokers.
-
A Mortgage Carol
17 Dec 2007
Chancellor Alistair Darling needs to learn some lessons this Christmas. By Robert Thickett (with apologies to Charles Dickens)
-
HIPs sail on as Tories lose Commons vote
21 May 2007
The Conservative Party lost its last-ditch attempt to scupper Home Information Packs after the House of Commons voted against scrapping them last week.
-
Call me wet but I'm no natural sailor
18 Jul 2005
You might think three days of summer sailing along the coast of Britain is a pretty good skive but the intrepid MS news editor found the reality painfully different
