Opinions & blogs

Complaints: A pain that you can handle

One of the biggest problems an adviser can face is a complaint. And those...

The next decade for mortgage advice: back to the future?

The mortgage market has always moved in cycles, and right now it feels like...

Reflecting the modern realities of retirement

There’s a quiet revolution happening in the world of mortgage lending, driven by the...

Energy efficiency is now a mainstream concern for landlords

The energy efficiency of rental property has moved from being a regulatory side note...

Property transactions are slower than ever – why?

While much of the financial services sector is becoming faster and more automated, the...

Beyond the payslip: the importance of rethinking borrower profiles

In our market, the term ‘non-standard borrower is often used to describe applicants whose...

Non dom changes create £401 million stamp duty black hole

It’s exactly nine years since 52% of the country voted to leave the EU....

FCA’s mortgage rule changes: it’s time to raise the advice bar, not drop it

The FCA’s move to relax some of the rules around mortgage switching and term...

Tom Bill: Unintended consequences

Former Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger introduced a brick tax in 1784 to...

U.S. Market: lower rates are needed to help unlock the market

When Donald Trump was reelected and took office at the start of this year,...

A home shouldn’t be out of reach for those who keep the UK running

In a housing market that has grown steadily more selective, it is often those...

Richard Pike: A conference of positivity – Global ABS Day three

It’s time for reflection of the last three days here in Barca. To readers,...

Maximising embedded value and delivering a great service

While advisers understand the importance of looking after existing clients, nurturing your back book...

Open banking and smart data transformed finance – now it’s time to do the same for property

The UK is set for a 'smart data' revolution, a revolution which began with...

COMMENT

Mortgage maturity: A golden opportunity for advisers

Around 1.8 million fixed-rate mortgage deals are due to come to an end in 2026, adding to the 1.6 million mortgages that already matured...

Rates are moving and regulation is evolving

Many lenders are having to increase their rates, and that trend looks set to continue over the coming week. For clients whose current deal...

Building tomorrow’s mortgage market: AI built on trust, governance and confidence

The government's Financial Services AI Adoption Plan, led by Harriet Rees, group chief information officer at Starling Bank, and Dr Rohit Dhawan, group director...

The protection prompt: what AI still needs to get right

The Mills Review has prompted plenty of discussion across the mortgage industry. While much of the focus has been on the finding that a...

Why second charges are helping Right to Buy borrowers do more with their home

For many people, Right to Buy is still one of the most accessible ways to become a homeowner and over the last five years,...

Latest news

First-time buyer squeeze deepens as mortgage rates climb

First-time buyers with small deposits face mounting pressure as average mortgage rates rise and...

Mortgage costs push sales 9% lower

Higher mortgage rates have contributed to a sharper-than-usual summer housing slowdown, with sales agreed...

Access FS appoints Alan Baldwin as compliance director

Access Financial Services has appointed Alan Baldwin as director of compliance as it expands...

Mortgage-backed Swansea auction sale completes in six days

A mortgage-financed property purchase in Swansea has completed six days after the draft contract...

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