Rockstead has announced that it has become an Equity Release Council associate member.

Rockstead is an independent asset, business and process review company established in 2008. It provides a range of services, across all asset classes, to businesses involved in the financial services market.

Martin Sims, Rockstead’s director of sales & marketing, said: “We are delighted to formally gain membership at this challenging, yet exciting time. We look forward to participating in worthwhile discussion, including at the forthcoming 2023 Summit. We are committed to help members in the relentless drive to maintain and improve standards, whilst keeping aligned with the demands fast-paced change brings to the financial service sector.

“Later life lending is in a very different place today than it was when Rockstead launched in 2008. The Council drive to raise standards in equity release lending to ensure fair value and good consumer outcomes matches our own ambitions. We are recognised as the leading provider of due diligence, business review and oversight services in the financial services market and look forward to working further with the ERC and its membership.”

Jim Boyd, the Equity Release Council’s CEO, added: “Rockstead is a welcome addition to our growing membership community. By joining the Council, the firm is demonstrating that it is committed to high standards of consumer protections, which help drive the market and give consumers confidence that equity release is safe.

“Our membership is becoming increasingly diverse and when firms like Rockstead join, it is a vote of confidence in the market and the Council that is proud to represent it.”