The Society of Mortgage Professionals has reported that 1,000 advisers have now passed the RQF Level 4 Certificate in Advanced Mortgage Advice.

The CII qualification was launched in Autumn 2014 to provide a next step for holders of the Level 3 Certificate in Mortgage Advice, and only requires completion of the R07 advanced mortgage advice unit where R01 and CF6 are held.

It was designed to enable advisers to diversify their skills into areas such as bridging finance, auctions, financing foreign properties and other specialist types of mortgage lending.

Vishal Pandya (pictured), the Society of Mortgage Professionals’ head of operations, said: “Reaching the 1,000-mark in such a relatively short space of time is testament to the value of the qualification and the adviser community’s desire to voluntarily further their professional expertise.”

Richard Cohen, director of Worthing-based Nsure, added: “Even though mortgages are a small part of what I do, I believe in being as qualified as possible.

“It is 15 years since I gained my last mortgage qualification and the L4 certificate was more in-depth than I envisaged, but well worth the effort.”