United Trust Bank (UTB) has made changes to its mortgage underwriting team as it increases the distribution of its home purchase, remortgage, interest-only, first-time buyer and second charge mortgage products across England, Wales and Scotland.

Lee Cook, Mareeza Mitri and Darren Hambleton have been promoted internally to newly created team leader roles following the Bank implementing smaller, more broker focused underwriting teams for both key account and standard mortgage introducers.

In addition, lender has created a remote roving underwriter hub based around the Midlands / Manchester belt to support brokers operating around that area. UTB said it is important to understand that talented mortgage professionals and busy brokers can be found all over the country, not just within commuting distance of London.

Roving underwriters will spend the majority of their time working remotely or, where required, embedded within brokers’ own offices, supporting the return to more traditional working practices as the threat of further Covid restrictions decrease.

Buster Tolfree (pictured), director – mortgages, United Trust Bank, said: “The continued development of UTB’s mortgage business both in terms of product choice and the implementation of innovative technology has been very well received by brokers up and down the country. We are growing at a faster pace than ever before, and these structural changes will enable us to maintain our strong service and support for brokers as we continue to increase our distribution and roll-out more exciting products and service enhancements over the coming months and years.

“Establishing a roving underwriter hub in the Midlands / Manchester belt supports our aim to bring in the right people in the right roles regardless of their proximity to London. We aim to attract the very best mortgage professionals in the business who can complement our market leading digital-first application process and add value in ways only an experienced and knowledgeable person can.”