Less than a fortnight after the Financial Conduct Authority announced it plans to cap the cost of contacting providers to the same price as a basic rate call, Nationwide and The Mortgage Works’ intermediary phone numbers are becoming free.
Sales support and mortgage new business external phone numbers for Nationwide’s intermediary brands have become 0800 numbers today.
Ian Andrew, managing director, group intermediary sales for Nationwide, said: “This is a very welcome move towards improving the experience of our intermediary partners.
“Given recent negative industry sentiment around call charges associated with contacting lenders, it’s a positive move to work for the benefit of all intermediaries.”
Nationwide and TMW websites will carry the new numbers on the contacts pages, apart from TMW Direct, which will be updated on 26 April.
During the transition period, the existing 0845 contact numbers will remain active.
The society has already moved to freephone for its main customer services numbers as it pledges to switch to 0800 across all of its telephone services.
The big switch to 0800 will continue throughout 2014, with the most highly used numbers being prioritised.
