Inform 11th October 2024

A minimum income requirement of £60,000 applies to single applicants. This rises to £90,000 for joint applicants. There is no minimum income requirement for borrowers with a deposit of 10% or more.

Borrowers are subject to a credit search rather than a credit score and skilled workers can apply for a mortgage with two years remaining on their visa.

Spousal visa income is accepted if the joint applicant has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, an applicable visa or is a British National.

First-time buyer improvements

The building society has upped its maximum LTV from 90% to 95% LTV.

Rates have been cut by up to 20% on 90% and 95% LTV deals across two- and five-year fixed rates.

Borrowers can be self-employed or company directors. Income can be salaried and the society will also accept share of net profits for limited company owners.

Bonuses, commission and overtime are accepted.

Nottingham Building Society

Nottingham Building Society is rebranding!

We’re proud to be a building society, so we’ve brought that bit back into our name. And from now on you’ll see some exciting changes to how we look and sound.

Our new brand is vibrant and distinctive and centres around our promise to invite difference in. We want to be a building society that reflects modern Britain and redefines what being a mutual is all about. Championing inclusivity and fighting against exclusion.

And while the website and portal will look different, the systems remain the same, so it’s very much business as usual. If you do have any questions or issues, you can speak to our intermediary support team or one of our BDMs. Contact details are available on our website.

Leading the way on foreign nationals;

A great example of how we’re designing products to meet the diverse needs of borrowers, is our foreign national mortgages, which launched in May.

While building the range, we put borrowers at the centre of the proposition and carefully designed our criteria to break down the barriers that were excluding so many people.

The result? A mortgage range that ‘fills a gap in the market’ by requiring:

• No minimum time of residency in the UK
• No minimum time remaining on visa
• No minimum income needed
• No UK credit history needed
• And up to 90% LTV

And while the proposition is aimed at one small part of the mortgages market, it clearly shows our passion and commitment to creating innovative solutions.

United Trust Bank

Is it time to help your customers move on?

Maybe their lender just isn’t that into them anymore? Don’t despair! There’s a UTB remortgage just waiting to sweep them off their feet…

Property

• No height limit to flats, ex local authority accepted
• Concrete, steel framed, timber framed, flat roof accepted
• Above or nearby retail/commercial accepted

People

• Employed – 50% bonus, overtime and commission (higher considered on referral)
• Self-employed – latest years accounts used for affordability
• Contractors – day rate x 5 x 48 weeks minus all pre tax deductions

Profile

• Mail order and communications arrears and defaults ignored
• CCJs and Defaults under £300 and over 2 years old ignored
• Missed mortgage payments made within 30 days of due date ignored

Residential mortgages up to 85% LTV in England, Wales and mainland Scotland.

Speak to the mortgage enquiries team to find out more 0207 031 1551 or email at mortgage.enquiries@utbank.co.uk

Metro Bank

JBSP and Maximising Income

Join us for our next ‘Metro Bank Talks…’ webinar series, focusing on our recently enhanced JBSP proposition and income requirements to help with affordability and maximise the income we can use for your customer.

Metro Bank Talks… JBSP and maximising incomes

Tuesday 15 October | 9.30am – 9.45am: Register now

Tuesday 15 October | 2pm – 2.15pm: Register now

Thursday 17 October | 9.30am – 9.45am: Register now

Thursday 17 October | 2pm – 2.15pm: Register now

If you are unable to attend the events above, please feel free to give your BDM a call to book in a meeting – they’d love to hear from you. Find your local BDM here.

Skipton Building Society

Say hello to our new Welcome Home Box!

It’s here! From next week all our new first time buyers and home movers will receive a free moving in gift, packed full of goodies, to help them get settled in.

As well as sweet treats, practical items and more, we’ll also be adding a note thanking your client for choosing us, following your recommendation.

It’s just another little reason to recommend us.

Paymentshield

Legal & General

BQA 2025 entries are now open

Santander for Intermediaries

Have you heard about Edge Home?

A new online service that helps you offer a seamless and stress-free mortgage journey. Providing real-time updates at every stage of your client’s mortgage journey.

Your clients can view and download their mortgage offer anytime, anywhere.

Average time to offer
As of 1 October 2024, our average time to offer year to date was 8 days from when you submit your client’s application. Our service levels page will tell you our current timescales.

Eadge Home page.

The Mortgage Lender

What are your clients really thinking? Go beyond the headlines with real-life insights

If there’s one thing your clients need right now, it’s confidence.

The last nine months have been characterised by change: a new government, the cost-of-living crisis, higher interest rates – and the resulting behaviours that have impacted on lenders, landlords, first time buyers and renters. Not to mention brokers looking to keep on top of change to best advise their diverse client base.

To inspire confidence, we created an extensive research project which aimed to get inside the minds of potential customers. We gathered data and insights and created a well-rounded report to help us discover how we can best deliver to your clients’ true needs.

Download our report today and find out:

• Borrower’s behaviours and attitudes from all walks of life
• How rejection fears are discouraging the self-employed
• The current and future perspectives of buy-to-let landlords

Today’s insights are tomorrow’s opportunities. The scope of findings in our report will help you join the dots between the challenges your clients face and the mortgage solutions we can offer, together.

Download your copy

Market Financial Solutions (MFS)

Commercial Property Training – Accessible Anytime Online

Market Financial Solutions (MFS)’ Commercial Property CPD Training Certification is designed to be a valuable asset for brokers whose clients are actively involved in commercial property investment. This comprehensive course provides brokers with a thorough understanding of the commercial property landscape, covering diverse building classifications, leasing options, valuation methods, legal obligations, and tax considerations that property owners may encounter. Whether you’re starting out in the industry or have experience in the field, it serves as a guide to navigate the nuances of the commercial property market. Enhance your knowledge and gain insights to make more informed decisions.

Earn 1.5 structured CPD hours.

Learning Objectives

• Define and identify commercial properties and how they differ from residential properties.
• Understand ownership structures and leasing options and how to differentiate between each option.
• Learn about regulatory responsibilities such as health and safety, fire safety, data protection, and EPC requirements.
• Highlight investment strategies, financing options, and market considerations.
• Outline tax implications, rates, exemptions, and structuring for Capital Gains Tax, Income Tax, and Stamp Duty.

As always, I would really appreciate your support in promoting this hugely educational Commercial Property training certificate with your members, not only those already operating in this space but also those looking to diversify their businesses into new areas.  If there is anything that you need from a marketing perspective, please just let me know and I’ll be happy to work with you on this. (Links to our Commercial range below purely for information purposes).

Commercial Lending:  Semi-Commercial & Commercial Buy-to-Let Mortgage up to £10m (mfsuk.com)

Generation Home

Introduces fixed fee guarantee to give clients greater peace of mind

Gen H Legal, the independent conveyancer launched by fintech lender Gen H in 2022, has introduced a fixed fee guarantee for failed transactions.

Now, clients are given the option at the start of their transaction to pay an additional £175 plus VAT. If they use this fixed fee guarantee and their transaction goes abortive, they won’t have to pay anything extra for legal fees.

Without the fixed fee guarantee, the client would have to pay a cancellation rate, which is a percentage of the total legal fee based on how far their transaction had reached.

The client will still have to pay for any disbursements incurred on top of the fixed fee guarantee.

A guarantee of this nature isn’t common in conveyancing, leaving many exposed to losses if a transaction can’t complete. It was introduced in September 2024 as a response to customer feedback.

To date, clients have embraced the new fixed fee guarantee, showing that certainty in the conveyancing process is highly valuable.

Since Gen H Legal launched in 2022, the team has redefined the standard for conveyancing in the UK. Gone are the days of radio silent solicitors or jargony communication; Gen H Legal provides proactive, boutique service – all in plain language – chasing up other parties in a transaction to help clients complete as soon as possible.

Together, Gen H and Gen H Legal offer an end-to-end homebuying solution that earns clients access to discounted mortgage rates when they bundle their Gen H mortgage with Gen H Legal conveyancing.

Rebecca de Andrade, Head of Legal Practice at Gen H Legal, said,

“Conveyancing is a necessary part of any property transaction, but it can be costly and feel opaque for clients; the sheer investment required can leave people on edge. The failed transaction fixed fee guarantee is designed to ease some of these worries. We’ll always do everything we can to help our clients complete as quickly as possible – but in the event that something goes sideways, this guarantee could help.”

Hinckley & Rugby Building Society

We now offer fixed-rate Specialist products

For the first time ever we’re now offering fixed-rate Specialist mortgage products

We are pleased to share that we have launched our first fixed-rate mortgage products in our Specialist mortgage range.

Our latest product launch includes two 2-year fixed-rate products and two 5-year fixed-rate products, offering competitive interest rates and maximum loan-to-value (LTV) of up to 90%.

The Specialist range is designed to support borrowers with unusual or complex circumstances, such as those with irregular income, employment, credit imperfections, or those looking to purchase unique types of properties.

The fixed-rate products have been introduced in response to broker demand, demonstrating how closely we work with intermediaries to develop products that cater to a diverse range of financial circumstances. Click below to explore the new product details.

Read the full update here.

e.surv Chartered Surveyors

Effortless Referrals, Speedy Surveys: Partner with Us Today

We understand that the property market is fast-paced, and every second counts. The ability to keep transactions moving swiftly and without unnecessary delays is key to maintaining client satisfaction.

That’s why we’ve built our service around supporting you with a streamlined and efficient survey process, designed to make your job easier and your clients happier.

Here are three ways we support your business and your clients: 

• Easy Online Referral – Save time by quickly referring clients through our online system. No more back and forth phone calls—just a straightforward, simple process.
• Speedy Turnaround times – We know that your clients are eager to move forward with their transactions. That’s why we ensure timely and accurate survey reports so transactions aren’t delayed.
• Reliable communication – Stay informed at every step. Our dedicated Account Managers keep you and your clients updated with progress, ensuring there are no surprises or setbacks.

When you refer your clients to us, you’re not just recommending a surveyor—you’re choosing a partner that shares your commitment to efficiency, reliability, and exceptional client service.

By collaborating with us, you can help your clients make informed decisions with ease, while ensuring transactions run smoothly from start to finish.

Refer a client today.

Zurich

A helping hand for your clients

We want all our customers to have the best possible experience when interacting with us, so we’ve developed our new Helping Hand online form.

Accessible from our customer website, this enables your client’s to tell us quickly, easily, and discreetly, of any communication or accessibility needs they’d like us to be aware of when interacting with them about their Zurich Life protection policy.

From requesting documents in an alternative format, to access to a range of interpreting services like RELAY or SignLive, our new form is designed to help your clients do insurance, their way.

And since there’s no pre-set formula or boxes to tick, it provides the flexibility for customers to tell us in their own words what support they need, so we can do our best to make sure they always receive a great experience.

What’s more, all our online forms offer the additional overlay of live chat support too, meaning we’re always on hand, whenever your client’s need us, whatever channel they choose.

Continue reading.

Teachers Building Society

Clients keen on a new build shared-ownership home?

A new build shared ownership property can be a great option to help your clients take their first steps on the home ownership ladder.

TFI can help – here’s everything you need to know

• Shared Ownership mortgage applications from both teachers and to non teachers welcomed
• For teaching professionals we can lend up to 95% LTV of the share they are buying
• For Non-Teacher lending we can lend up to 90% LTV of the share they are buying
• Our standard fixed rate products (2 or 5 year fixed rate options) are available for shared ownership new build purchase
• We do not currently offer shared ownership variable rate product options
• Shared Ownership TFI Mortgages are available on New Build properties for purchase only
• With the  exception of applicants staircasing to 100% we will not offer shared ownership remortgages.

Full details of our current product range are included in the product guide.

Suffolk Building Society

Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor joins the Clan

This has been on our wish list for some time so we’re ‘amped’* to launch Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor from today, 7 October 2024.

Traditionally viewed as a vehicle for parents to help adult children buy their first home, JBSP can also work the other way, with children using their incomes to boost affordability for older parents, perhaps into retirement.

Our JBSP proposition in a nutshell:

• Available on residential, BTL and expat lending
• 4 applicants, 4 incomes for UK apps
• 2 applicant, 2 incomes for expat apps
• Up to 80% LTV
• Repayment, part and part, or interest only accepted.

If you have any further questions then give our support squad a call on 0330 123 1073 or contact your BDM.

*Gen Z slang for ‘excited’, for those without their own Gen Z!

Aria Finance

How to Spot Second Charge Mortgage Opportunities

Are you confused by second charge mortgages? You’re not alone, we’re here to help demystify them for you.

We frequently hear from brokers that pinpointing the right moment to suggest a second charge can be challenging. Here are some useful indicators that a second charge could be appropriate for your client are:

• Unable to exit their current first charge due to a preferable interest rate or early repayment charges
• Personal circumstances mean an unsecured loan isn’t viable
• The value of loan required is higher than £25,0000, which is the typical limit of an unsecured loan
• The borrower requires funds in 4 – 6 weeks

If you have a case that you think is suitable for a Second Charge Mortgage then feel free to reach out to our team. We’ll guide you or your client through every step, from initial enquiry to completion, ensuring a seamless, positive experience.

Find out more about Second Charge here.