The Partnership Panel with Newcastle for Intermediaries – Episode 2: Affordability checks should be modernised not relaxed

Mortgage affordability checks and stress tests have broadly remained the same since the introduction of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) in April 2014 – but that could all be set to change.

In episode two of The Partnership Panel with Newcastle for Intermediaries, panellists discuss the current state of affordability and how older borrowers taking substantial debt into retirement often get overshadowed by first-time buyers when it comes to the affordability debate.

Hosted by freelance journalist Samantha Partington, Francesco Di Pietro, head of intermediary mortgages, and Ben Smith, head of product development, along with their guest Toni Smith, network distribution director at Sesame, discuss whether it’s time shelve the old stress test in favour of a new approach, or if innovation should be treated with caution.

You can catch up on episode one on first-time buyers here.