Inform 18th June 2021

2FA IMPLIMENTATION LIVE!

At TMA we know how important it is to keep your data safe, with this in mind we recently announced the launch of 2FA or ‘2 Factor Authentication’ on our Commissions Portal.

View the email we sent out prior to launch for more information, or to download a PDF guide, or watch a video here.

If you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact the Broker Support Team on 0330 303 0236.

Market Insight

June is a big month for remortgages, with an estimated £27bn of mortgages coming to maturity—one of the biggest opportunities of 2021 for the remortgage market.
Source: VM interpretation of CACI data.

Our products

Check out our market-leading 65% LTV 5 Year Fixed Rate fee-saver, which is available to new and existing customers and comes with free legals and valuation for remortgage customers. Find more details on our rates in our Mortgage Update or on our website.

Our service levels at a glance

• Virgin Money’s average application to offer is currently 16 Days. Correct as of 11 June 2021.
• Clydesdale Bank’s average application to offer is currently 17 Days. Correct as of 14 June 2021.

Why brokers are good for first-time buyers

There’s an array of schemes to help first-time buyers get their foot on the property ladder, but how can a first-timer really know what’s out there? That’s where brokers, and all your expertise, really help.

Here are five options you can explore with your first-time buyers.

Important: Changes to our valuation fees

On Monday we highlighted to you the changes we were making to reduce and simplify our valuation fees, where one is charged.

Unfortunately, we have had to revert to the original valuation fee scale. We appreciate that this will cause frustration and we apologise for it.

What you need to know:

• We currently offer a free valuation for all applications where the property value is less than £2millon
• Reverting our fees will therefore impact purchase cases where the property is valued over £2million and it will also affect where there is a requirement to pay a fee for a second valuation
• The ‘Valuation Fees’ section on our A-Z page and Sourcing Systems both reflect the original correct fee scale
• This will only affect a very small number of cases and we have implemented a process to honour any cases where you have a customer that would be negatively affected by this change. Although customers will initially pay the higher valuation fee, we will then make a separate goodwill payment to any impacted customers to pay the difference between the two costs.

How to log a case:

For any case where you have a customer negatively impacted by this change, please get in touch with your BDM for more information and provide the following:

• Your name
• Firm name
• Customer name
• Property value
• Confirm whether this is for an original valuation or second valuation
• If this case has been submitted please also provide us with the reference number

Transitional Period:

• To support you through this transitional period for any customers negatively affected, we will make a goodwill payment where AIPs have been submitted from after 5pm on Friday 11^th June up to Friday 18^th June. As per our current process you have 30 days to fully submit the application.
• For cases that require a second valuation we will also make a goodwill payment as long as the broker has logged the details by 30^th June.

We apologise again for any inconvenience this may have caused you and your customers.

Launching into the Shared Ownership market

With effect from immediately Marsden Building Society will be launching into the Shared Ownership Market.

Please find attached their criteria guide and also the new product portfolio.

Mansfield Building Society supports First Homes roll out

Mansfield Building Society has become one of only seven lenders in the UK to support the roll out of the Government’s exciting First Homes initiative designed to help first time buyers and key workers get onto the housing ladder.

First Homes are a new form of affordable housing for new build properties, sold to first-time buyers at a discount of at least 30% against the market value – the discount remains attached to the property in perpetuity, enabling those with only a deposit of 5% access a new build property that would otherwise be out of their financial reach.

First Homes will be for first-time buyers only and councils will be able to prioritise them for local people and for key workers. The First Homes scheme is part of the government’s commitment to deliver 1 million homes by 2024.

Mansfield Building Society, along with 6 other banks and building societies, are amongst the first batch of lenders stepping up to play their part in the initial phase of this exciting new initiative, with one of the first developments already underway in the Society’s Heartland Area, in Bolsover, before the Government funds a further 1,500 homes to become available by the end of 2021.

Mansfield’s Head of Mortgage Sales, Andy Alvarez, said “We are absolutely delighted to be one of the first lenders supporting the First Homes initiative and giving first time buyers and key workers something to cheer as they take their first steps onto the housing ladder.

The scheme promises to be a great success and we are already receiving interest. With the first phase of developments being launched in our Heartland Area, we didn’t need much convincing to get involved from day one.

We’re looking forward to being pioneers of a scheme that brings affordable home ownership that little bit closer for hard working individuals and families across the country.”

For more information about the First Homes scheme go to https://www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/scheme/first-homes/

Changes to panel of Insurers

L&G will be leaving both Paymentshield’s Home and Landlord panel

From Sunday 11 July 2021, L&G will be leaving both Paymentshield’s Home and Landlord panel and therefore will be unable to accept any new policies from this date.

Paymentshield will need to expire all L&G quotes and pending policies for Landlords insurance not placed on risk before Sunday 11 July 2021. L&G will also be unable to accept any policies already been placed on risk with a future start date on or after Sunday 15th August 2021.

If any of your clients currently have a Paymentshield policy underwritten by L&G, they’ll not be affected and will be covered up to their renewal date.

To find out more about what you should do if you have a client with a quote or pending policy with L&G or if they are wanting to take out a policy with them, click below to read our FAQs

READ OUR FAQS

LV TO JOIN PAYMENTSHEILD’S LANDLORDS PANEL

From Sunday 25 July, LV will be joining Paymentshield’s Landlords panel, meaning you’ll now receive 4 quotes for their Landlords insurance.

LV have further strengthened their panel, joining the likes of AXA, RSA and UK General; three of the country’s leading insurers.

Paymentshield’s Landlords insurance was designed with landlords in mind, with cover that includes malicious damage caused by tenants, accidental damage or breakage to glass and sanitary fittings, new for old replacement as standard and cover for contents in the communal areas.

What’s more, you and your clients can always be confident you’re comparing apples with apples thanks to Paymentshield’s single policy wording.

Log into Adviser Hub to start quoting

LOG INTO ADVISER HUB

The average household is just 24 days from the breadline, far shorter than the 90 days they believe

Legal & General’s Deadline to Breadline Research shows that many of us do not have a plan in place should the worst happen.

The research identifies the key myths and barriers preventing income protection take-up. It shows that a huge 9 in 10 don’t see themselves as their largest financial asset.

They visit the perception and reality gaps, and the myths and misconceptions that prevent consumers from engaging further with their financial plans. As well as sharing some hints and tips to overcome these common barriers.

Find out more about our Deadline to Breadline research by visiting our Adviser Site.

Reaping the benefits of Open Banking in Buy-to-Let: how it works from an underwriter’s perspective

LendInvest has been an early adopter of Open Banking in the Buy-to-Let process, using its potential to offer faster deals. Our Underwriting Team Leader, Tom Steer, talks through how Open Banking is working for the underwriting team to make Buy-to-Let deals faster and simpler for brokers and their clients.

How long have you been using Open Banking in the BTL process? 

We have used open banking within the business for over a year now but have really started to reap the benefits of the system since our transition to new provider, Credit Kudos.

Read the full article here.

Is your client a landlord looking to remortgage a multi-unit freehold block?

At Keystone we pride ourselves on finding solutions for your buy to let cases, including Limited Companies, SPV’s, individuals, HMOs and ex-pats. We recently completed on a case for a broker whose client had just completed a series of six flats in a converted house. Read our latest case study for more information and see our multi-unit lending criteria below:

• Applicant must have owned and let a BTL property for the last 6 months
• Maximum number of 10 self-contained units in one property
• Flats over 30 Sq.m
• First time landlords can apply for MUP’s with up to 4 flats
• 70%-75% LTV

Read the full case study here.

If you have a similar case or need any help with placing any complex buy to let cases then register with Keystone today via the MyKeystone Portal, or call our broker hotline on 0345 148 9086.

E is for Enter our Football Quiz!

To spread some Summer cheer and celebrate this month’s football tournament, we’re running a Football Quiz where you could be in with a chance of winning a Pizza Oven and some Summer treats!

Weekdays from 14 June until 7 July, we’ll be posting a footie related quiz question on LinkedIn.  To enter you just need to email your answers to our marketing@zephyrhomeloans mailbox and we’ll collate all your correct answers to see if you scored high enough to enter the draw for the BIG pizza oven prize!!!

Don’t worry if you miss a question, you can easily catch up by viewing all past questions on our LinkedIn Page or via our and send more than one answer in one email.

The winner will be drawn on Friday 9^th July. For full details and prize draw terms and conditions visit our website.

Check out our quiz and get involved today!

Inside the mind of a valuer

Get your questions at the ready for Connell’s Survey & Valuation Regional Director Ben LeRoy, who will be joining host Rachael Hunnisett at our latest webinar.

Webinar details
What do valuers really think?
Thursday 24 June at 9.30 – 10am.

Featuring Connell’s Survey & Valuation Regional Director, Ben LeRoy who’ll be discussing:

• desktop and physical valuations and how they’re used in different circumstances.
• what valuers are looking for right now.
• speaking to your clients about their mortgage valuation.
  Book now.

About Ben

Ben is a chartered building surveyor with over 25 years’ experience in the industry and 18 years as a residential valuation surveyor. He’s been with Connells Survey & Valuation for 15 years and is responsible for over 80 surveyors.

See the full list of summer webinars at Skipton Talks – a hub for webinars, blogs and insight for the intermediary community.

Bank of Ireland for Intermediaries will be Bank of Ireland UK’s only brand for new business in the intermediary market.

Next month, Bank of Ireland for Intermediaries will be Bank of Ireland UK’s only brand for new business in the intermediary market. 

In order to strengthen their brand, they’ll be focusing on three core areas where they can add most value to you, their intermediary partners:

• Bespoke – complex case underwriting
• Buy to Let
• High LTV.

Following your feedback they’ll be making it easier and simpler to do business. This means, on Friday 9th July 2021, Post Office for Intermediaries will be closing for new business submissions. Existing customer transactions will still be supported through both brands.

To secure a Post Office for Intermediaries new business product before it’s withdrawn:

• New applications must be completed and submitted, and accepted AIPs must be converted to a full application by 9am, Friday 9^th July 2021
• Pay any outstanding fees on an accepted case by the date given on the acceptance.

For more information, please visit https://www.postoffice4intermediaries.co.uk/po4i-update/  or speak to your NAM, Andy Cooke

Is your firm delivering great outcomes for customers experiencing vulnerability?

The Just Group 2021 Vulnerable Customer Awards are your chance to showcase those achievements and nominate your firm, yourself or a colleague.

There are four prestigious categories, entering is easy and all entries will be assessed by a panel of respected industry experts.

Find out more

New Guides available

We understand that every mortgage lender has its own processes and individual requirements when submitting an application, and we can understand it can be very confusing and at times, frustrating. That’s why we have created some handy checklists to help your Advisors to understand what we need in order to provide a quicker lending decision.

Understanding our process and what documentation we will need to see will help your advisors to get the information early.

Take a look at our three downloadable guides designed to help speed up the application process, including a Mandatory Documents Guide and a Buy to Let and Residential Checklist.

Please see attached the three guides, which can also be found on our website here – https://www.vidahomeloans.co.uk/intermediaries/submitting-applications