Roland McCormack on driving transformation in the mortgage market

The Teams window flickers into life and then Roland McCormack appears in the bottom left-hand corner of my screen, squinting slightly as he tells me he’s still getting use to his new laptop. In the top right is the...

Latest news

SMEs say government support measures fail to address rising costs

Small and medium-sized businesses across the UK have warned that government initiatives intended to help them survive and grow are failing to meet the...

Keystone cuts buy-to-let rates by 10bps

Keystone Property Finance has cut rates across the majority of its buy-to-let range, reducing pricing by 10 basis points (bps) on several key product...

Income levels now the biggest barrier to mortgage approval

More than one in four aspiring homebuyers have been denied a mortgage, with income levels cited as the leading reason, according to new research from LendInvest Mortgages. The study, conducted by Opinium Research among 1,000 adults planning to buy...

Reframe Cancer appoints new marketing director

Reframe Cancer, the specialist cancer navigation provider, has appointed Denise Wond as marketing director. She will lead the firm’s marketing function and report directly to chief executive Mark Stephenson. Wond (pictured) has held senior marketing positions at Royal London, Scottish...

The Newcastle expands 98% First Step mortgage to whole market

Newcastle for Intermediaries has widened access to its new low-deposit mortgage product, First Step, making it available across the intermediary market following a limited launch in September. The First Step range, initially introduced through London & Country Mortgages, Connells...

Chetwood Bank partners with Target Group for loan servicing

Target Group has been appointed by Chetwood Bank to manage the digital challenger’s loan portfolio, providing full end-to-end loan account management services. The agreement marks a notable partnership between the UK-based lender and Target, which is part of Tech...

PROFILE

Mark Bogard on policy, politics and the future of advice

When Mark Bogard, Chief Executive of Family Building Society, talks about Britain’s housing policy, he is unsparing in his assessment: short-termism, revolving-door ministers and...

INDUSTRY COMMENT

Bring back MIRAS for first-time buyers?

No, this isn’t some form of nostalgia like bringing back Opal Fruits or Marathon bars (which may well have disappeared around the same time)...

What the 2025 Party Conferences told us about property

Key housing and property policy developments from all four major UK political party conferences revealed a clear divide between those prioritising hard targets and...

Two lenders under one roof and a new-look team

The past 12 months or so have been anything but dull at Chetwood Bank. In May 2024, we announced that we’d acquired CHL Mortgages...

MORTGAGE MINGLE PODCAST

Q&As

BUY-TO-LET

UTB cuts buy-to-let rates by up to 190bps

United Trust Bank has announced significant rate cuts across its buy-to-let mortgage range, reducing...

LendInvest launches 8.25% retail bond and exchange offer

LendInvest has announced the launch of a new retail bond paying 8.25% as part...

Market Financial Solutions joins Mortgage Intelligence lender panel

Market Financial Solutions has been added to the lender panel of Mortgage Intelligence, giving...

Clydesdale Bank updates valuation fee policy to support high-value borrowers

Clydesdale Bank has revised its approach to valuation fees, extending the benefit of free...

Norton Home Loans widens lending access for non-standard borrowers

Norton Home Loans has introduced a package of criteria changes and rate reductions designed...

HTB promotes Slade to BDM role

Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has promoted Jack Slade to business development manager for the...

Bath BS increases maximum loan size and broadens criteria

Bath Building Society has announced a series of criteria updates designed to give brokers...

Wey Bridging Finance joins BDLA

Wey Bridging Finance has become the latest lender to join the Bridging & Development...

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

FIRST-TIME BUYERS

Govt’s homebuying reform ‘could cut buying times by four weeks’

The government’s proposed overhaul of the homebuying process could save first-time buyers an average of £710 and shorten completion times by as much as four weeks, according to new analysis from digital mortgage broker Mojo Mortgages. The plans, announced last week, aim to modernise the...

IMLA back overhaul of home buying system amid call for clarity and professionalism

The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association has welcomed the government’s consultation on reforming the home...

Many first-time buyers aim to clear their mortgage by 40, TSB finds

More than one in six first-time buyers hope to be mortgage free by the...

New-build sales slump 62% as buyers await price stability

Sales of new-build homes have fallen sharply this year despite improved mortgage availability and...

Retail spending slows as shoppers brace for Budget pressures

Retail spending growth slowed in September as households reined in discretionary purchases ahead of...

OPINION

BREAKING NEWS: A triple Christmas bonus for brokers

In Kemi ‘Badenough’s’ closing speech at the Conservative Conference in Manchester this week she ‘set the hares running’ by talking about abolishing Stamp Duty...

How to get insights from your entire customer base

When was the last time you switched your bank or mortgage company without checking...

The nightmare of UK homebuying needs reform

House sellers will be forced to disclose problems with their homes before sale under...

Goldilocks and the three bear markets

Are you familiar with C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) or you might know it by its nickname 3I/ATLAS? Whatever you want to call it,  it is currently hurtling through the solar system at 130,000 mph and there is much scientific conjecture as to what it might be. The...

Finding efficiency will keep branches as the beating heart of mutual sector

Whether you speak to customers or building societies, they will tell you just how important branches are – even as financial services and wider...

DISTRIBUTION

OneDome secures £7.5m Channel 4 Ventures deal

OneDome has announced a £7.5 million partnership with Channel 4 Ventures to support a...

Kensington Mortgages appoints head of national accounts

Kensington Mortgages has appointed Helen Cawthra as head of national accounts as the specialist...

Government pledges ongoing support for MIMHC as Charity Ball raises £50,000

The UK Government has pledged to continue working closely with the Mortgage Industry Mental...

Mortgage industry gears up for Take Me Home 25 Christmas Charity Concert

Support continues to build for what is shaping up to be the mortgage industry’s...

The Right Mortgage & Protection Network welcomes back Robin Pearson as head of risk

The Right Mortgage & Protection Network has announced the return of Robin Pearson to the business as its new head of risk. Pearson (pictured0 will be responsible for overseeing the network’s risk management framework and compliance strategy, including complaints handling, data protection and GDPR compliance,...