Inform 15th September 2023

• Competitive product range presently priced at new business rates with a reduced completion fee
• Two- and five-year fixed-rate options (Standard, Limited Company and HMO/MUB)
• Less paperwork to complete – No legal work*, application fee or valuation required

* Some alternative options may involve legal fees but if they do, Fleet will pick up the bill.

Please contact the team at Fleet prior to making an application for a Product Transfer to ensure your client is eligible and to discuss other possible options.

I have attached a copy of our new Product Guide which contains details of our product transfer range of products only.

For further information, please visit the Product Transfers page on our website: www.fleetmortgages.co.uk/product-transfers 

At Zurich, we are always looking for ways to make it easier for you to do business with us.

That’s why, when you come to the Life Protection Platform from an external portal, you’ll be able to check the policy selections made so far and add any additional options to the quote to be able to give your client a more accurate quote.

The external portals don’t always have the all the smoker status options available – it’s usually a simple yes or no answer to “do you smoke?”. When it comes to smoking and underwriting, we need a bit more information than that to understand the risk so that we can give you the most accurate quote as quickly as possible.

When you come into the Life Protection Platform from an external portal, you will be able to choose the most accurate smoker status for your client a lot earlier in the quote and apply process to give you the most accurate quote for your client.

We’ve also made improvements to give you more information to understand what is happening to your policies in the pipeline stage.

And don’t forget, the Life Protection Platform helps you manage your clients’ policies all in one place. You can view and manage your policies, applications, commission and documents quicky as well as get a full status update on your clients’ policies and use the pre-application tool to get an indicative underwriting decision before applying using basic information about your client.

Click here to find out more.

Paragon Bank

What’s the impact of the EPC requirements on the PRS?

We know that this is a challenging time for landlords, and with the Government’s proposals to make sure more homes in the private rented sector are energy efficient, we’ve surveyed 1,000 landlords to understand what this means to them.

Key highlights:

• 165% rise in EPC rated A-C properties in PRS within last decade
• 3,742 properties estimated by Government standards to be upgraded per day to meet the new standards
• 54% of landlords are aware that all newly rented properties must have an EPC rating of at least
  C by 2025
• 1 in 5 landlords don’t yet know how they will respond to the proposed new regulations

It’s clear there is still a long way to go to meet the requirements, so raising awareness and making sure you and your clients are informed, will help
with this transition.

Download your copy of the report to find out how those that are aware of the changes plan to adapt their portfolios, the barriers they face and
more information on what the new standards mean.

Download report

Skipton Building Society

Being a broker for FTBs used to be frustrating. But not any more! Skipton are giving your clients plenty of options

There weren’t enough options for First Time Buyers. So, Skipton have done something abut it.

So far this year, Skipton have helped more than 9,000 First Time Buyers become home owners.

For too long there’s been limited options for First Time Buyers, especially those who don’t have a big enough deposit to play with, so Skipton are offering some. That’s because when it comes to helping more people onto the property ladder, they put their money where their mouth is.

From high LTV to longer mortgage terms to shared equity, they’re helping you think outside the box with:

• Track Record Mortgage for renters
• Joint Borrower, Sole Proprietor
• Shared Ownership mortgages
• Up to 40-year mortgage terms
• 95% and above LTV

Explore the possibilities for your First Time Buyers.

If you’d like to know more and add your First Time Buyers to the 9,000+ they’ve already helped in 2023, talk to your dedicated Skipton BDM today.

Our specialist Versatility range is for complex circumstances and this case study shows how we’ve helped where there is an unusual property, debt consolidation and property downsizing involved:

• Remortgage with debt consolidation and capital raising
• Unusual property type – windmill in commercial use 2 days per year
• Interest only with property downsizing at the end of the 6 year term

We worked with a mortgage broker on a remortgage application from joint borrowers who owned a property attached to a windmill. The remortgage was at 30% Loan to Value and the applicants were looking to consolidate credit card borrowing and raise money for home improvements.

The application was on an interest only basis with property downsizing as the repayment strategy at the end of the 6 year term as there was enough equity in the property to meet the minimum requirement for downsizing.

A restrictive covenant meant that the windmill must be open to the public 2 days per year and although unusual, we were happy to accept the restriction.

A common sense approach
If you’ve got a case on your desk that requires a common sense approach to lending then please pick up the phone to our Broker Support team on 01623 676360 or visit https://www.mansfieldbs.co.uk/intermediaries/.

While stats tell us more homes are being listed for rent, other stats tell us that more rental properties are being sold.

So what to make of all of this, and how does it affect landlords currently on the job?

Well first of all, while stats tell us A story, they don’t tell us the WHOLE story.

In the same week in the same publication we saw a headline: ‘Why are more landlords selling their properties?’ and also ‘More homes hit the lettings market as sales stall: Will rent rises slow down?’

Both of these stories reflect a lot of what we’re seeing in the market, and also tell a similar story of opportunity for existing landlords, if they are ready to take it.

Read the full article here.

In our Q2 BTL barometer, brought to you in conjunction with the latest BVA BDRC Landlord Panel research, we evaluate the trends which are impacting your landlord clients and how their portfolios are currently shaping up.

Read the full story here

We’re supporting Income Protection Awareness Week; an initiative designed to help advisers speak more effectively to clients about protecting their income.

Each of our 5 webinars will cover a different theme, helping you to position income protection in a way that’s tailored to your client’s needs. Join these structured CPD sessions to:

• Find new ways of helping clients recognise income shortfalls
• Address the common misconceptions around Income Protection
• Start building affordable solutions that protect your client’s income

You can find more information and sign up by visiting our website.

Pure Retirement are inviting advisers to join them for the second in their two-part webinar series with leading care consultancy business My Care Consultant, as part of their ongoing commitment to providing educational resources for lifetime mortgage advisers to enable them to offer effective and holistic advice to later life clients.

Held on the 4th of October, this webinar will pick up on some of the themes from webinar one, focusing on new developments from My Care Consultant that can help meet the Consumer Duty outcomes of consumer understanding and consumer support when it comes to the increasing use of equity release to pay for care at home.

Advisers will benefit from access to care-related expertise from a leading operator in this space, enabling them to further their knowledge and client offering.

Don’t miss your chance to attend – you can book your place for both webinars via their website.

Good news! Just’s expanded green mortgage discount is now offered across the entire Just For You Lifetime Mortgage LTV series for homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or higher.

Lifetime mortgage clients could get a lower interest rate if their property has a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A, B or C.

This innovative feature, now available across the entire Just For You Lifetime Mortgage range, reduces the standard interest rate by 0.10% for the duration of the loan.

We’ll apply the discount automatically and adjust the rate at offer stage if your client already has a property with a valid EPC rating of A, B or C.

If your client’s property doesn’t have a valid EPC, or has a current EPC rating of D or lower and they’d like a more recent one, they can request it for free as part of their application. We’ll then adjust the discount automatically at offer stage if their property achieves an EPC rating of C or above.

Clients who own a property with a valid EPC rating of C or above are not eligible for a free EPC as their property already qualifies for the discounted rate.

Read our FAQs for more details

Energy efficiency ratings explained

Every home must now have an EPC when it’s built, sold or rented – this gives the property an energy efficiency rating from A or 100 (most efficient) to G or 0 (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. To check whether your property has a valid EPC, please go to the EPC public register:

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Scotland

Newcastle Intermediaries have appointed Linzi-Anne Stafford telephone BDM to cover the London area, Linzi bring extensive experience from working at Newcastle Building Society for over 17 yrs with the majority of her time based within mortgages:

1.What did you do before you became a TBDM?

I’ve worked for Newcastle for over 17 years across a variety of roles within Mortgages. Having spent most of my time in the contact centre and training I feel I will bring excellent knowledge on our USP’s and lending criteria. Within the contact centre we would liaise with brokers, solicitors and valuers so feel I have a good knowledge of other aspects of lending to anticipate following steps. My previous role was as a Training and Quality Assurance Co-ordinator within mortgages.

2.How can you help London Brokers?

I can offer virtual appointments to discuss the Society’s USP’s. This can be anything from a quick chat or to discuss all the great parts of our criteria and flexible lending proposition. I’m permanently office based & will be here to take your calls and emails to help with your cases and try to offer solutions for your clients.

3.What is one part of Newcastle Intermediaries London brokers should know?

I’m desk based and here to support you. So if you need a quick response to an easy or complex enquiry, I will be on hand. Having worked here for over 17yrs I have great relationships with all areas of mortgages to get the best outcome.

4.How can someone contact you?

If anyone would like to contact me please either call 07977 746 323 or email me on linzi-ann.stafford@newcastle.co.uk

5.Tell us something about yourself that someone might not realise or know?

I live in Newcastle and I have a caravan close to Bamburgh beach which has been voted on of the best beaches in the UK. I have a 9 year old daughter who loves to play football and although not a football fan myself all you can hear is me cheering her on from the side line!