This week’s top five stories:
1) Santander cuts adviser fees for longer-term mortgages
Santander has made some changes to its quality-based fee structure including extending the assessment to loan terms of five years or more, resulting in lower adviser fees on these products.
2) Help to Buy 2: the essential adviser guide
Most of the UK’s biggest lenders have now launched products under the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme. Here is our guide to which lenders are offering what rates.
3) 31,000 more to be hit with Stamp Duty
Tens of thousands more first-time buyers will be liable to pay Stamp Duty in 2014 as property values increase.
4) Ben Thompson leaves mortgage club in Legal & General reshuffle
In further changes at Legal & General, a reshuffle at the mortgage club sees an exit from its managing director Ben Thompson to an insurance role, with current director of housing and external affairs Stephen Smith appointed director of mortgage club and housing.
5) Know Your BDM: Sue Currie, Santander
We ask BDMs up and down the country for their answers to 10 questions. In this edition Sue Currie, Santander BDM for North Kent, is under the microscope.
Here are some stories you may have missed:
At last, proc fees are on the move – LSL
Well this is welcome news. Just as we begin 2014 proc fees look like they are on the way up and this is clearly fantastic for every broker in the market, writers David Copland.
FOS expected to scrap extra PPI case fee – exclusive
The Financial Ombudsman Service is expected to scrap its fee of £350 for mis-sold payment protection cases after amassing “considerable” funds since the fee’s introduction in April 2012.
Ask the Experts: Will Help to Buy 2 or MMR change the market most in 2014?
Our Ask the Experts column is your chance to put industry figures on the spot. In this edition Graham Sellar, head of sales development and commercial products, answers your question.
Key issues for mortgage advisers in 2014 – Marketwatch
The Council of Mortgage Lenders forecasts the mortgage market will lend £195bn in 2014, a 30% increase on last years’ estimate. But the servicing logistics of stepping up a gear won’t be the only challenge facing the industry in 2014.
NatWest to launch Help to Buy through brokers next Tuesday
NatWest will offer Help to Buy mortgage guarantee products through brokers for the first time from Tuesday 14 January.
