This week’s top five stories:

1) MMR affordability checks could strangle mortgage approvals
Intermediary mortgage lenders and brokers have continued to express concerns about the immediate impact of stricter Mortgage Market Review affordability checks.

2) MMR will be the end for mortgage dabblers – Stonebridge
Understandably with only two months to go before the introduction of the new Mortgage Market Review (MMR) rules the ‘noise levels’ around these regulatory changes have grown considerably louder recently, WRITES Richard Adams.

3) Solicitor mortgage fraudster jailed for six years
Solicitor John Fitzpatrick has been sentenced today at Sheffield Crown Court to six years’ imprisonment for theft and fraud offences.

4) Nottingham Building Society to offer whole of market advice in branch
Nottingham Building Society has unveiled plans to offer whole of market mortgage advice across its branch network following strong lending figures during 2013.

Sponsored

Your First Home: confidence to build

Sponsored by Halifax Intermediaries

5) Smiling cartoon pigs banned from payday loan firm’s website
Payday loan broker Payday Pig has been censured for its use of smiling cartoon pigs spilling gold coins, to promote high-cost short-term loans, by the Advertising Standards Agency.

Here are some stories you may have missed:

FCA challenges lenders over arrears and forbearance
The FCA has challenged lenders to improve their arrears and forbearance management following a thematic review which found several counts of bad practice at firms.

How to hold your client’s attention post-MMR – Bill Safran
With the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) now weeks away the challenges for advisers are gaining more attention, writes Bill Safran.

Intrinsic acquired by Old Mutual
Old Mutual Wealth has bought advice network Intrinsic for an undisclosed sum as it continues its growth strategy across a number of channels.

HSBC mortgage lending drops to £14.4bn
UK mortgage lending at HSBC fell by £2bn in the last 12 months, new figures have shown.

L&G to challenge banks on lending to larger SMEs
Legal & General (L&G) is set to begin lending to medium-sized UK businesses, according to the Financial Times.