The Coventry Building Society has become the first mortgage lender to become an associate firm of the Society of Mortgage Professionals.

The society launched associate firm status in August following requests from firms that wanted to demonstrate their united alignment to the professional standards and the code of ethics set by the society.

Kevin Purvey, director of mortgage distribution at the Coventry, said: “We are delighted to become an associate firm of the Society of Mortgage Professionals. We are strong advocates of customers getting advice, and the need for them to see a professional adviser is even more relevant in the current climate.

“We are very pleased to be involved at an early stage to demonstrate our commitment to the code of ethics, continuous improvement and a customer centric culture.”

Keith Richards, chief membership officer of the Society of Mortgage Professionals, added: “It is great to see so many organisations across the mortgage sector acknowledging the importance of the promotion of professional mortgage advice and applying to become an associate firm of the society.”