Opinions & blogs

How will we cope with a base rate rise?

The regular quarterly arrears and possession statistics from the CML have hardly been the...

Why you can’t ignore secured loans

In the second charge division, we were delighted to have contributed to the £500...

SMEs ignorant of insurance needs

The good news is that the number of SMEs in the UK is at...

Treating customers fairly?

Whilst most bridging lenders operating in the sector are not currently regulated, those who...

Could peace break out between estate agents and advisers?

The relationship between estate agents and mortgage brokers has not always run smoothly and...

Helping portfolios grow with property refurbishment loans

The refurbishment lending market has seen a recent boost with property investors and homeowners...

New entrants should opt for intermediary distribution

Competition is absolutely vital in any sector and the mortgage market is certainly no...

Advisers needs educating about home reversion

Education about home reversion plans is critical. Even in the advisory community. We find...

No substitute for ‘low tech’ knowledge

I am not alone in being a fan of the rise of technology. You...

Is the property market starting to overheat?

There has been a great deal of debate in recent months concerning the ongoing...

More a dull thud than a bounce

For a market which constantly appears to be striving for some sort of stability...

MMR: Good news for buy-to-let

Five years in the making, the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) has now come into...

How’s the year been so far?

With the year nearly half over – if you don’t believe me check your...

Lock up or lose out

The AA recently revealed that a third of homeowners make no effort to either...

COMMENT

Mutual strength and the broker partnership

The mutual sector has always been associated with community purpose, local branches and a member-first approach that feels a little different to the wider...

First-time, accidental or professional? How the landlord profile is shifting in 2026

One of the most common misconceptions that people have about the buy-to-let market is that landlords are a single, uniform group. The reality is...

Complexity is rising and broker enablement has never mattered more

 For many years, success in the mortgage market was built off efficiency. If a broker understood the mainstream lending landscape, packaged cases well and kept...

Industry pushes to build next generation of home valuers

According to RICS, the average qualified surveyor is in their mid-fifties. Couple this with new entrant numbers failing to keep pace with retirements, and...

Supply side continues to drive the change agenda

Regulatory change is no longer something firms respond to periodically. It is now a permanent feature of the landscape. Whether it is capital treatment...

Latest news

Together expands second charge range into commercial sector

Together has launched a new suite of commercial and semi-commercial second charge products as...

HTB launches ‘Flow’ range with rates from 5.54%

Hampshire Trust Bank has introduced ‘Flow’ - a new buy-to-let tier with rates starting...

Afin waives legal fees on remortgages in broker push

Afin Bank is offering free legal fees on remortgage applications submitted before the end...

Conveyancing delays blamed by 65% of buyers

More than six in ten homebuyers say conveyancing is the biggest cause of delays...

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