This week’s top five stories:
1) MMR will force brokers to know their customers – Marketwatch
This week our Marketwatch commentators consider the biggest adjustments that brokers will have to face when the rules, five years in the making, finally become part of common practice.
2) NatWest and Santander latest lenders to increase five-year fixed rates
NatWest and Santander have both announced increases in medium-term fixed rates following a spike in the cost of five-year swap rates.
3) MPs grill Wheatley over web-based ‘advice’
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) chief executive Martin Wheatley struggled today to answer calls from the Treasury Select committee (TSC) for clarity around advised and non-advised online sales.
4) LBG’s quality-linked proc fee model divides network bosses
Lloyds Banking Group’s quality-linked proc fee measure has divided opinion among networks over how far it can contribute to improving customer outcomes.
5) Kensington confirms ‘business as usual’ following sale announcement
South African-owned Investec confirmed Kensington’s potential sale this morning, which is likely to bolster the brand’s ability to innovate spurring on the resurgence of the specialist lending market.
Here are some stories you may have missed:
Know Your BDM: Craig Parker, BM Solutions
We ask BDMs up and down the country for their answers to the following 10 questions. In this edition Craig Parker, BM Solutions BDM for London and surrounding areas, is under the microscope.
Londoners should face income multiple monitoring
Policy makers should police income multiples to stop the London housing market from getting out of control, a housing report from EY has warned.
Wheatley defends poor bank sales tactics as ‘only following orders’
Bank advisers should not be penalised for mis-selling if they were following a poorly designed incentive scheme said Martin Wheatley, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority.
Lloyds targets first-time buyers with £10bn pledge
Lloyds Banking Group has pledged to lend more than £10bn to first-time buyers in the coming 12 months.
Buy-to-let mortgages at cheapest level ever
Landlords are enjoying the cheapest buy-to-let mortgages ever as lenders drop rates and fees to grab a bigger share of the market.
