FTAdviser.com

Advisers get handle on direct dealings

Story by: Catherine Couch and Dominic Welling, Mortgage Adviser

Lenders are divided over whether they would accept letters of authority that would allow advisers to charge a fee and handle a direct to client deal.

• Time published: 00:01
• Date published: 28.05.2008
• Published in: Mortgages

C&G lowers rates on five-year fixes

Cheltenham & Gloucester (C&G) has announced it is reducing the rates on its five-year fixed rate products.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Abbey extends partnerships with intermediaries

Abbey for Intermediaries has increased the number of intermediary partners who have access to its exclusive products.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Exweb joins the Eq club

Equity Release Club has teamed up with 1st and The Exchange to give its members free access to the Exweb online equity release service.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Do calculators alone make offset add up?

Those who preach "keep it simple, stupid" could be missing out on a way to reduce their debt if they ignore offset mortgages.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Fisa gets interactive

The Finance Industry Standards Association has launched a revamped website with a raft of new information and interactive services.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Next for MPPI

Mortgage Next has launched mortgage payment protection and buildings and contents insurance products for directly authorised advisers.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

NatWest launches BTL overhaul

NatWest, Buy-to-let, www.natwest.com

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Critical illness pay outs soar: LV=

The number of critical illness claims paid by LV= increased last year, the protection provider revealed.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Landlords rush to independent advice

More than half of landlords are using advisers to arrange a mortgage, according to The Money Centre.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Support is out there: TMA

Directly authorised advisers have been urged to make the most out of the support on offer in the market by Phil Whitehouse, head of The Mortgage Alliance.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

No Future in market as Citi pulls out

Future Mortgages has permanently pulled out of the UK mortgage market after parent CitiGroup lost billions of pounds through sub-prime related writedowns.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Rock hunts with valuer ad

The Treasury is to appoint a valuer for Northern Rock's shares by the end of next month.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Advantage packs its bags

Advantage has confirmed it is leaving the UK mortgage market permanently when it ceases all mortgage origination activity on 16 June.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

12 minute notice a necessity, says C&G

Cheltenham & Gloucester has defended giving advisers 12 minutes notice when it withdrew its product range last week.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Pink sees double dips rise

Pink Home Loans has seen the number of decision in principles submitted for secured loans double in almost a year.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

A&L to make web upgrade priority

Alliance & Leicester is looking to make improvements to its online proposition in the coming months.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Interest rates hand advantage to eq release

The equity release sector looks set to thrive as interest rates rival those offered in the traditional mortgage market, according to Defaqto.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Blanchflower lone rate hawk in MPC meeting

Eight members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to maintain the base rate at 5 per cent in May, minutes of the committee's meeting revealed.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

No regulation by speech, affirms FSA

Dual pricing comments made by the FSA at Mortgage Business Expo Manchester were not a form of regulation by speech, according to the watchdog.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

CML predicts 7 per cent fall in house prices

House prices are expected drop 7 per cent in 2008, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Exweb free for PFS members

Members of the Personal Finance Society are now able to access the Exweb online equity release service for free.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Safety first approach will continue: Wyles

Nationwide will continue to cautiously manage the growth of its balance sheet until trading conditions improve, according to Matthew Wyles.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Kensington to distribute Investec products

Kensington is to distribute a suite of structured retail products offered by parent company Investec.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

FSA cracks down on record keeping

One mortgage adviser has been publicly censured by the FSA and fines have been handed out to three more for record keeping-related failings.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

First makes refinance deal wih Lloyds TSB

Commercial First has refinanced its business with Lloyds TSB, creating a £40m three-year working capital facility.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Advisers take moral high ground on dual pricing

Top mortgage clubs and networks have ruled out boycotting certain dual pricing lenders to teach them a lesson.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Mortgageforce values Asda potential

Mortgageforce has confirmed its interest in providing advice on products should Asda enter the mortgage market.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

FSCS to fund pay Kingsfield clients

Clients who lost money to a mortgage adviser charged with fraud have been informed they are eligible for compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

• Date published: 28.05.2008

Feedback to banks' liquidity requirements unveiled

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has published feedback to its discussion paper on liquidity requirements for banks and building societies.

• Date published: 27.05.2008

Platform launches lending services department

Platform, the intermediary lender of Britannia, has announced the launch of its new lending services department.

• Date published: 27.05.2008

Remortgaging bolsters gross lending in April

Gross mortgage lending was stronger in April reflecting the growth of the remortgage market, according to the British Bankers' Association (BBA).

• Date published: 27.05.2008

Remortgaging represents half of mortgage business

Remortgaging represented almost half of advisers' business in the first quarter of 2008, according to the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (Imla).

• Date published: 27.05.2008

Edeus unveils asset assessment service

Edeus has launched an asset quality assessment service aimed at allowing lenders to understand the current risks of mortgages in any asset pools.

• Date published: 27.05.2008

Commercial First refinances to raise £40m working capital

Commercial First has refinanced its business with Lloyds TSB, creating a £40m three-year working capital facility.

• Date published: 23.05.2008

Paragon reports £38.4m profit at half year

Paragon has announced it is on "firm financial footing" after making an underlying profit of £38.4m in its half year results.

• Date published: 21.05.2008