By Ben Marquand
Mortgage Express, the specialist lending division of the Bradford & Bingley group, has announced that its mortgage products are to be made available to borrowers in Northern Ireland.
The move means that Mortgage Express can now offer specialist mortgages to borrowers across the whole of the UK. Tim Sturley, head of business development at Mortgage Express, said: “We are on the panels of many national networks and have got customers in Northern Ireland but until now we have not been able to service them. The driving factor behind the expansion has been the number of requests from intermediaries, but it is still an act of faith. We are just listening to our customers and acting accordingly.”
The expansion into the province was initially delayed while specific documentation, including that for mortgage deeds, was drafted to ensure compliance with the legal system in Northern Ireland.
“Lenders do not tend to sell their products in Northern Ireland. It has taken us some time and a lot of work to be able to do it and get the service ready for intermediaries. Some other lenders obviously do not think that it is cost effective to do so,” said Sturley.
The company will be offering borrowers access to its full range of mortgage products including buy-to-let, 100% loans, self-certification and tracker mortgages. Its buy-to-let product is expected to be popular in the Belfast area.
