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Jane Blezard, mortgage adviser for Lancashire-based IFA James Trickett and Son, said she had a fantastic experience using The Mortgage Works for a buy-to-let client. The client submitted two applications at the same time, one for a remortgage and one for a purchase and Ms Blezard received offers for both loans within a week.

Ms Blezard said: "The Mortgage Works has been better than anybody I have dealt with in quite some time. The product ranges, the rates and the fees were really competitive and the rental criteria was not so tight as a lot of the other ones.

"I used its online system, which was fantastic, self explanatory and quick. You could also, because I did two applications for the same client, clone it so you did not have to do the whole thing again, which was a really helpful function.

"Within minutes of the application going in you get an email acknowledgement and then the day after I got a call to say it was done and there were no additional requirements or surveys instructed.

"It was really good and quick and I quite liked the fact I was phoned up by the lender on a number of occasions and it was always very helpful and polite."

Lender says...

Andy McQueen, managing director of The Mortgage Works, said: "It is great to hear this adviser had such a positive experience of using TMW, particularly as we endeavour to serve every intermediary who uses TMW as quickly and efficiently as this.

"Intermediaries using TMW can now effectively personalise our website when they log in, so it provides the information most relevant to them and their clients while TMW Online continues to garner extremely positive intermediary feedback.

"As this intermediary's experience shows, while we are easily available over the telephone when needed our online system is fully automated and allows cases to be processed smoothly and quickly.

"We continually review our product offering to ensure we are not only as competitive on price as possible but that intermediaries have a wide range of fee and loan-to-value options to help them find a deal that best suits their client."

FACT

The Mortgage Works is the specialist lending arm of Nationwide Building Society.

RBS Intermediary Partners

Stuart Bryce, mortgage consultant for Derby-based broker Mortgageforce, said despite having good staff he had noticed a slowdown in the speed of service from RBS Intermediary Partners.

Mr Bryce said: "From a staff point of view, RBSIP are always very helpful and very friendly. The frustration for us is the systems that are in place are not advanced enough to cope with the volumes of business and processing times suffer as a consequence.

"The online application process is time-consuming in comparison to competitors and once submitted all cases are looked at individually by underwriters, which causes significant delays.

"As a consequence every part of the process with RBSIP is a conveyor belt of five day queues. Nothing can be looked at any quicker in the process regardless of the urgency of the case.

"Any documents sent in the post take several days to arrive, to be allocated to the case and then join a five day queue. A more efficient process could easily save time and stress."

Lender says...

Chris Pearson, director of RBS Intermediary Partners, said: "We take a great deal of pride in the quality and training of all our colleagues so it is satisfying to hear our staff are viewed as helpful and friendly.

"We continue to see a high demand for our mortgages, therefore we are transparent with our brokers in explaining exactly how long the application process may take during busier times, to allow them to set clear expectations with their customers.

"We have already made some improvements that have enabled us to process cases more quickly and effectively. We recognise the need to continually update how we interface with our partners at point of sale and we will be monitoring this closely in the coming months."

FACT

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group was established in 1727.