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A Little Inspiration

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Autumn Conferences 2019

Your Business, Your Quality


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It’s been quite a year

I

don’t know about you but this year has been one that will go down in history not only for the country as it wrestles with the Brexit debate, but for the Network as it records record numbers in terms of lending volumes, and the number of advisers we now support. It’s great to see so many of you so engaged with your existing customers that Product Transfer business is now over one in five of our mortgage completions and set to increase. Of course with Brexit on the horizon, it’s important that we look after our existing customer base as many will be worried about the impact of leaving the European Union will have on jobs, interest rates and their general standard of living. If there is one thing we can all do as advisers, its stay in touch with them, continue to offer great advice, and ensure they have the right financial plan in place that helps them buy that first house, keeps their payments affordable, and of course, offer them protection should the unexpected challenge their way of life.

Christopher Tanner CEO

Indeed we haven’t sat still in the support we give you, launching new propositions to enhance your service to your customers, run workshops to highlight the opportunities in areas such as later life lending, and continued to work closely with our technology partners to enhance your business efficiencies. We have started the initial phased role out of Mortgage Apply which will see the need to re-key data disappear from your sales process, and work is well under way to make the sale of Defaqto five star home insurance easier. But it’s important that we continue to work closely with you and to understand how we both need to adapt an ever changing market place and the risk the digitisation of the mortgage sales process which, when added to the apparent attitude of a regulator destined to relax the rules on execution-only, can pose. We are not immune to the technology revolution indeed our industry have seen a shift in buyer behaviour in the car and home insurance market. Its interesting that there are many adverts from leading insurers claiming “not available on price comparison websites” in an effort to reclaim the customer from the web. We all know the best way to reclaim the customer is not to let them go there in the first place, a lesson we can all learn from our general insurance business partners. So I finish off by congratulating you all on battling through the Brexit conundrum and for not letting the political landscape distract you from meeting customer needs. We all anticipate that there will be some disruption post 31st October but no-one knows how much. Ultimately customers still need houses, still need to manage their finances, still need insurance, still need the peace of mind that protection brings and still need advice. The fact that we know that customers have needs means that you have an important role to play in their lives and with that comes longevity. On behalf of your customers and the Network can I simply say thank you.


Agenda – Autumn Conferences

9.00am

Conference opens

10.00am

Opening address from Shaun Almond

10.10am

Prime Lender Round Tables

11.10am

Adding Private Health to your Proposition with Vitality Health

11.30am

ULS show you how can Conveyancing can add real value

11.50am

Break

12.00pm

Unlocking the power of protection – part 1

1.00pm

Lunch

1.45pm

Lending, General Insurance and Compliance Round Tables

2.45pm

Unlocking the power of protection – part 2

3.15pm

Looking forward with HL Partnership

4.00pm

Exhibition area closes


THERE’S ALWAYS TIME TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW

To help you meet the challenges of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) requirements, we’ve launched a CPD hub that’s packed with research, webinars and guides to make it easy to build up those valuable CPD hours.

adviser.royallondon.com/protectioncpd

THIS IS FOR FINANCIAL ADVISER USE ONLY AND SHOULDN’T BE RELIED UPON BY ANY OTHER INDIVIUALS The Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The firm is on the Financial Services Register, registration number 117672. Registered in England and Wales number 99064. Registered office: 55 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0RL. April 2019

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Gavin Earnshaw Compliance Director

Building a picture of individual business quality

J

uly marked the start of my 4th year as a director in the network. As each anniversary passes, I like to reflect on the business and focus on the key challenges ahead.

My area of responsibility is for all things relating to compliance and, as I have been reflecting, one of the most significant achievements is the improvement across the network in terms of business quality. What do i mean by ‘business quality’? Well, this is really a measure of how likely an application is going to be accepted (and ultimately complete) and what steps have been taken by the adviser to make sure the information on the application is accurate and how much additional due diligence has been taken to prevent potential fraud. Business quality impacts on how we are perceived as a collective and a good impression has lots of tangible benefits, not least our ability to maintain market leading commercial arrangements from which we all benefit.

Performance (and therefore ‘quality’) is measured by factors such as ‘application to completion conversion rates’, ‘right first time’, ‘accuracy of income/outgoings input’, ‘verification of data’, ‘staged income/ employment’, ‘take up rate’, and ‘straight through processing’. These terms may not mean much to you, but they are all derived from the work that you do and they form the language of the meetings that the network has with our product partners. We have regular ‘business quality meetings’ with our product partners and those meetings will often focus on individual firms and advisers in the network whose quality measures are below par. As i have said, we have come along way over the last 3 years, but we cannot become complacent - indeed it is important we continue to improve. Our network (your network) has developed a reputation for being amongst the very best, but we want to be the best.


Building a picture of individual business quality It is well documented that product providers use such data to determine the viability of panel appointment for a firm or an individual, with the potential for panel removal where a serious issue comes to light. As a network we use this information alongside the understanding we obtain from file reviews to build up a picture of the capability and attitude to business quality of each individual; these two elements (provider data and file review outcomes) will form a key part of our ongoing assessment of competence. It is therefore crucial that advisers always operate within the sales process. For mortgage applications, collection of customer income documents and bank statements at the earliest stage (certainly prior to submission of application), is so important. But more than merely collecting the documents, it is vital that they are checked and cross referenced to the information provided by the customer. • • •

• •

Do the payslips/tax assessments match the income declared? Does the way income is paid into the bank account seem unusual? Are there any significant outgoings on the bank statement that need further questioning: loans, subscriptions, household bills, etc.? Does the income and job seem plausible? Do the documents support what is stated on the DIP or application form?

I also cannot stress enough how important it is that application forms are completed accurately. No rounding up of figures and never submit an application without having sight of documents to support the figures verbally given by the customer Key points to keep in mind I have repeatedly stated that my view is that the Network’s compliance function is here to help keep our members safe. We will work hard to support each individual in the network, even in the face of difficult situations. But we can only do this effectively if our members work with us to comply with our sales process

To this end I wanted to use this opportunity to reiterate key components: •

Always gather documents to verify the customers identity, their income and outgoings BEFORE submitting an application

•

Take care to check the documents thoroughly and that application forms are completed accurately

•

For insurance applications, ensure you ask every question relevant to the underwriting the application, record the answer and ask the customer to double check

•

Take care to ensure customer documents are ‘real’; if in doubt, check them out!

•

Create a record on the CRM and maintain it in real time, uploading documents and adding notes on anything ‘unusual’. This should certainly be no later than at submission stage

•

Where additional due diligence is carried out, record it on the system and mention it on the application

•

Continue to maintain the CRM record, particularly any conversations or ‘agreements’ made with a lender

•

Where providers require additional supporting documents, submit them quickly

•

If a client decides not to proceed, cancel the application with the provider and let them know why

If you are ever contacted directly by a lender or insurance company about the quality of your business, then you should report this immediately to your Regional Compliance Manager so that we can support you. I urge you to take care in your dealings with product providers and consider the points above. Remember that each provider will be looking at your performance and reporting it to the network if it is below par. We will work with you to help develop business quality standards.


What’s in a word?

W

Neil Hoare Commercial Director

hether you want to leave, stay, have another referendum, a peoples vote, a backstop, a hard border soft border, free trade or a right to reside, all of us in the Insurance industry should say thank you to the current political crisis. Why I hear you ask, with an incredulous tone? Well at times of confusion and doubt people look for certainty, for security, and protection against what the future can throw at them. The old adage, you never fix the roof when the sun is shining.

So does today’s concerns about the future prosperity of the UK, in a post Brexit world, create the same environment where the word “protection” resonates with the UK population in a way that it hasn’t done in the past few years? From the research that Legal & General perform each year, the UK still clearly suffers from a savings and protection gap, and many of us ‘rent’ our current lifestyles. Take the regular salary away and it may not just be a house that is lost, but an entire way of life be it in Europe or out.

And of course the Boris Bus with its claims of money coming back from contributions to the EU has highlighted the poor funding levels of the NHS, and most likely caused debate amongst families on the benefit of private health insurance.

But we know that sales that provide the financial safety blanket still remain low when compared to the more transactional mortgage sale. The value of the mortgage is in delivering a house of people’s dreams, in the value in an insurance policy appears only when life deals us a blow. It is the role of an adviser to paint the picture, tell stories of people who have made a positive decision to put insurance in place, and have benefited from the financial and mental support they receive as a result.

For those of you who remember the dark days of 2010 when mortgage transactions fell to historic lows, many turned towards the insurance market as a way of replacing lost mortgage procuration fee income. The economic climate drove advice in a direction that both benefited the broker financially, and families, individuals and companies.

As we approach the October 31st deadline and the deal/no deal debate continues to play out, lets replace a little of customers uncertainty of what life will look like outside the EU with the commitment that our Insurance policies offer. After all, life goes on and let’s make sure that life is a long and insured one.


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How could Brexit impact the market?

A

s Brexit approaches, the type of exit will impact the future of house prices in the UK in the medium term. UK house prices could crash by as much as a fifth if the Prime Minister pursues a no-deal Brexit, and the biggest falls would be in London and Northern Ireland. According to a report by KPMG, if the UK exits on 31st October with a deal, house prices will stabilise in 2019 and will rise by 1.3% in 2020. A no-deal Brexit could cause house prices to fall between 5.4% and 7.5% across the different UK regions in 2020.

The uncertainty surrounding Brexit is currently the biggest barrier. Buyers are currently taking a cautious approach to purchasing decisions, with many opting to wait for a resolution to the Brexit Saga. The delay in the Brexit agreements has meant a further slowed down housing market as increased uncertainty causes property market jitters. This could mean that if there is a satisfactory deal, and consumer confidence begins to rise there could be a surge in buying activity as purchasers can put to bed some of the uncertainty that Brexit presents. This could encourage a spike in home-buying and could increase the demand for financial advice after this period.

Growth slows.

Intermediaries remain positive.

Ongoing uncertainty whilst Brexit dominates the headlines has led to a sluggish housing market. The Land Registry reports that annual house price growth has slowed to 0.9% in June of this year, from a rate of 8.2% three years previously. It’s not all bad news though as slowing house prices has first-time buyers taking their first steps onto property ladder, especially in London and the South East. This has been supported by the fact that in July of this year, UK Finance reported a 5.8% increase in new first-time buyer mortgages.

Even with this uncertainty, The Intermediary

Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) has found that the vast majority of UK Intermediaries (91%) remain positive about the outlook for the mortgage industry, despite ongoing political uncertainty. The Mortgage industry has been strong in 2019 with intermediaries stating that case load volumes has continued to increase steadily. Over the last three quarters, activity has risen to an average of 87 cases per year, closing in on the highest levels seen since the second quarter of 2018. In total, two-thirds of intermediary activity (66%) was made of up residential cases, including remortgaging, first-time buyers and movers. This has also been evident in the fact that HLPartnership has reported record lending volumes over the last few months.


Ken O’Callaghan Marketing Manager

It’s not all bad. Although the best possible outcome will be a deal with the European Union, if we were to exit the EU without one, it would not be all doom and gloom. According to KPMG, whilst a no-deal Brexit could dent property values in the short term, it may make less impact on one of the fundamental factors driving the market: the stock of regional housing. As a response to a potential deteriorating economic outlook, housebuilders are expected to reduce the supply of new housing in some regions in the short term. So, while there will be a fallout from the initial economic shock following a no-deal Brexit, the market is expected to recover most ground in the long run to the extent the economy finds a new successful path. The prospect of a no-deal Brexit has grown since Boris Johnson became prime minister in July. He has vowed to take the UK out of the EU with or without a deal on October 31 and has taken action to suspended parliament in a move his critics say was aimed at thwarting MPs opposed to a no-deal departure.

As we look forward to 2020, even with a smooth Brexit, the housing market will be relatively subdued. There is potential for growth from government plans such as shifting the burden of stamp duty to the seller, where properties under £500,000 will be exempt and by reversing the surcharge for additional properties. If the government deliver this in time for the Autumn Budget, there could be a spike in the demand from buyers which will provide a short-term boost to the housing market.


The art of the adviser

I

t’s been an interesting year so far in terms of lending. The rise of the product transfer, the demise of the supermarket bank. With the recent news that Sainsbury Bank was following the decision of Tesco Bank to exit the mortgage market, it’s clear that the commercial model of lending money to prime customers has changed, margins tightened and Board’s making the choice to deploy capital where returns can be more profitable. So the vanilla market will only become more price competitive and potentially less short term and more longer term as, at the time of writing, swap rates, an indicator of predicted pricing, are cheaper on five year money than on two year. It all creates an interesting dilemma for both lender and customer with the adviser sat in the middle. Which leaves the specialist lending market in a good position as the criteria gap grows between the big six and the rest. Having more than tripled since the credit crunch, the market was worth 17 billion in 2017, according to the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA). This is largely made up by the buy-to-let market, whilst the residential lending market, IMLA estimates, amounts to around £3 billion a year. Industry experts still see substantial room for growth with Bluestone Mortgages suggesting 85% of brokers say they expect specialist lending to develop significantly in the next 12 months with numbers up to £5bn being quoted.

Shaun Almond Managing Director

It’s clear that changes in society are helping support that growth with rising numbers of self-employed workers (who now account for 15% of the UK workforce), and instances of irregular or multiple income streams among the most common reasons to refer a client to a specialist lender. Almost half of those adviser’s surveyed indicate that rising debt problems, and an impaired credit history is driving growth. More generally, though, the growth reflects the specialist market’s willingness to tackle a widespread challenge where mainstream lenders choose not to meet the widening range of complex needs that borrowers have due to credit risk policy. Indeed many mainstream lenders have a challenge balancing the price sensitivities in the vanilla market with the need to move up the risk curve to meet the needs of the “difficult” or non-standard customer. As a result, advisers’ influence in the specialist market will continue to grow as they play a pivotal role in directing and guiding an ever expanding pool of borrowers to solutions for a wide range purposes. At the same time, the number of providers and range of products available will keep expanding too with Zephyr the latest to join the party. There is no room for complacency though as, according to the Bluestone survey 38% of brokers say the majority of those customers they refer have been unaware of the difference between specialist lenders and the high-street providers. So education of customers will be key to a long and sustainable mortgage market, one that concentrates on advice rather than price.


Take a second…with rates from 3.47% Remember to consider second charge loans for your clients – they could be the ideal solution and particularly useful for people looking to: • Consolidate debt • Carry out home improvements • Buy another property

When a second charge loan from Clever was the first choice for one client One client we spoke to said he wanted to carry out some home improvements to increase the property’s value before listing for sale. He’d just come out of an IVA and didn’t have any savings.

A Clever solution Using our experience of placing adverse credit cases, we were able to arrange a secured loan for the customers with no early repayment charges. This allowed the customer to make the necessary property improvements.

What we said “We take great pride in our knowledge of the adverse market. This is where we can really help clients by simply understanding their circumstances and utilising specialist lenders. Because of this we were able to help this client with a solution that met their needs now and for the future.”

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Register with us now to be part of a simple approach to specialist lending. Visit www.cleverlending.co.uk or call 0800 316 2224. Clever Lending is a trading name of Financial Makeover Limited. Financial Makeover Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales with registered number 6111701. Registered Office: Kempton House, Dysart Road, PO Box 9562, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 0EA. Financial Makeover Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Register number: 706595).


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Notes


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Notes


Fluent for Advisers can help your customers and save you time and money

In this example, Fluent for Advisers was able to make use of its long and successful working ties with a lender to provide a positive solution to the needs of an adviser’s customer. The Case: The customer required a loan to consolidate unsecured credit facilities and secured against his UK property. The total LTV would be 85% of the property value. The Issue: Although as a marine engineer the worked in Norway and was paid in Norwegian lenders’ criteria.

We referred the case on a prime rate with a major lender who initially declined the application as the client was not paid in sterling. The Result: However, as a result of our special relationship with the lender, we managed to speak with their senior management who agreed to accept

The case completed within 9 days from the lender referral. Without our special links with this lender, the case most certainly would not have proceeded. The customer managed to clear his expensive unsecured credit and saved himself a significant amount per month and was delighted that we could help and the speed with which the whole process was completed. If you are ever asked why you should deal with Fluent for Advisers, here are the reasons. • Whole of Market lender panel • • Close relationships with lender panel • Unrivalled specialist knowledge of the second charge sector • Part of the UK’s largest second charge distributor

Grow your business

Refer your secured loan enquiries to Fluent

01204 472030

brokerteam@fluentforadvisers.co.uk I www.fluentforadvisers.co.uk This advert is for professional Intermediaries only and has not been approved for customer use. Fluent For Advisers is a Master broker and we will search our panel of lenders to find the right loan for your client. Fluent For Advisers will be processing the loan application. Data Protection register Number: 29868049. Fluent for Advisers is an authorised trading style of Fluent Money. Fluent Money is authorised and regulated by the Financial Control Authority. Firm registration number 654425. Fluent Money Ltd Company registration number 06200496. Registered Office: 102 Rivington House, Chorley New Road, Horwich, Bolton Lancashire BL6 5UE

Jeff Davidson, Head of Intermediaries

There are many reasons to refer clients to Fluent for Advisers for your second charge needs. Apart from the advantage of having access to Fluent’s whole of market lending panel and the specialist knowledge that you can tap into at any time, the one aspect that cannot be replicated by any but the most experienced adviser firms is the depth of relationship we have with our lender panel.

Jeff Davidson, Head of intermediaries – Fluent for Advisers


Notes


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Notes


MAKING THE CONNECTION IN THE MAGIC MOMENTS What is the role of a mortgage adviser? Is it to find the most affordable mortgage for their clients, or is it to offer a full mortgage service? Telling one type of mortgage adviser from the other normally becomes clear right from the start of the conversation with their clients.

MOMENT ONE

You see, it comes down to how they approach their clients’ needs. Whether they simply say “I’ll be arranging your mortgage finance for you” or whether they say “I’ll be arranging your mortgage for you but getting to know you and your family, so that if the worst were to happen, I’ll have made sure that you, your family, and even your pets continue to have a roof above your heads”.

Now is often a great time to mention that you can also help them with their insurance needs at part of the service you offer. If your client already has home insurance in place then it’s worth at least finding out who they’re with. Our Quick Quote tool means you can see how the price of a Paymentshield policy might compare to what they’re already paying while our Defaqto compare tool means that you can then compare their current provider with Paymentshield to see where you might be able to offer them improved protection.

WHICH ROUTE DO YOU TAKE WHEN YOU MEET WITH CLIENTS?

The truth is that no one really wants a mortgage, they want a house. But for most people buying a house means that they’ll have to borrow money to do so. When you first meet with your clients, they probably aren’t thinking about life insurance, income protection, or general insurance, but as we all know, if they’re buying a house with a mortgage, at the very least they need buildings insurance to protect the lenders’ investment and ensure they have access to funds to repair and rebuild if needed. Some clients may be aware that they need to get insurance arranged alongside their mortgage from the point of exchange but some may not, especially firsttime buyers. This is why advisers not only have a huge opportunity but also a huge responsibility, to offer services that will enable their clients to not only buy their dream home, but to keep it and their family protected. Let’s take a look at what I like to call “Magic Moments”. These are the natural opportunities throughout the mortgage process, when you can make a positive connection with your clients about insurance and position yourself as offering a robust mortgage service they’ll hopefully go on to recommend to their friends and family.

TALK TO US

0345 0615 700

The house has been found, and it’s perfect! Your clients have the details and want to apply for a mortgage. As their adviser, you explain that you’re going to provide a mortgage service which starts with getting them an Agreement in Principle (AIP). At this point, you’ll have most of the information you’d need to get an idea of what it will cost to insure their property, so their family and mortgage are protected.

However, for some clients, it might be too early to go into any detail, and if they’ve already sat through a long meeting there’s every chance they might have reached information overload. So, once you’ve let them know it’s all part of your service, gauge your client to see whether now is the right time to take the conversation further. If not then don’t worry, there’s more opportunities ahead. Don’t overlook any new re-mortgage clients either. Often, clients will let their policies auto-renew and not actually review them, so this is the perfect time to check with your remortgage clients if you can help them find a policy which better suits their current needs.

MOMENT TWO

Your client has their AIP, a valuation has been done and the property’s valued at the price your client is paying. Right now, your client is probably feeling pretty happy about how things are going with their purchase. With the valuation in hand, you’ll now have a good understanding of the rebuild costs of the property they’re purchasing, so it’s a perfect time to look into their Home Insurance in more detail if you haven’t already. Ahead of meeting or speaking with your client, consider taking a three step approach to quoting and pre-prepare 3 quotes based on low, mid-range and full cover options which

you can then use to generate a conversation with your clients about their exact needs and tailor a quote for them based on that conversation.

MOMENT THREE Once the lender has issued the offer letter it can be a great time to see your client again, go through the offer letter with them and see if they’re happy to go ahead with the insurance you’ve already recommended. Plus, because Adviser Hub lets you get your clients their Home Insurance ready to go even if you don’t have all the policy info yet, you can submit applications before confirming the policy start date or confirming payment details (when paying by direct debit). This enables you to send an Intention of Cover notice to the customer’s solicitor. However, if you haven’t yet provided them with an idea of what they might be paying for their insurance, now’s almost the last chance saloon (before you reach panic station) to bring up GI and make sure your client, their family, and their home are fully protected from the point of exchange onwards.

MOMENT FOUR

It’s amazing how many people get to the very last moment to get their insurance in place when buying a home, and it’s only when their solicitor tells them they must have it in place before they can exchange, that they get it sorted. This is the fourth and last moment you’ll likely have, to have a GI conversation with your client. It’s worth reflecting that if you don’t help them with their needs then someone else will. If they end up online for their home insurance, they could end up online for other financial services in the future which you would otherwise have provided. So, make sure if you haven’t already you speak to your client about their cover you don’t miss this opportunity to ringfence your customers, generate an income from GI and protect your future income. Don’t forget, if the client is particularly price sensitive, our Premium Flex tool can help you to reduce the quote by sacrificing a small element of your commission in order to win the business you may otherwise have lost.

You can also access a range of resources to help support your knowledge of Paymentshield general insurance and our range of client sales aids at paymentshieldadvisers.co.uk/toolkit

For intermediary use only. Paymentshield and the Shield logo are registered trademarks of Paymentshield Limited (registered number 02728936) which is a company registered in England and Wales at Paymentshield House, Southport Business Park, Wight Moss Way, Southport, PR8 4HQ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Telephone calls to Paymentshield may be recorded for training and quality. © Paymentshield Limited 2019. 010521 (09/19).

HLP advertorialv2.indd 1

26/09/2019 15:14


Notes


Buy-to-let? You bet. Whether your client is a seasoned pro or a newbie dipping their toe, we’ve got buy-to-let covered. Superb service, a broad lending policy and a wide range of top products.

Visit virginmoneyforintermediaries.com or call your dedicated BDM to find out more

For professional intermediary use only. This is not a financial promotion and should not be displayed or used as such. Please refer to our website for full details. Details correct at time of distribution. Virgin Money plc - Registered in England and Wales (Company No. 6952311). Registered Office - Jubilee House, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4PL. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. VM26577v1 (Valid from 04.03.19)


Notes


THE LIFE INSURANCE BRAND TRUSTED BY FAMILIES FOR 198 YEARS

GFS A 0161 0919

Find out more at: adviser.guardian1821.co.uk/about

Guardian Financial Services Limited is an appointed representative of Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Registered office: Scottish Friendly House, 16 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4HJ. Registration number 110002. Guardian Financial Services Limited is registered in England and Wales under number 11115769. Registered office: 11 Strand, London WC2N 5HR.


Notes


Enhanced income multiples of up to 5.5x, exclusive to our Newly Qualified Professional products Up to 5.5x income multiples for eligible newly qualified professional mortgage applicants. For joint applications where only one applicant is a newly qualified professional, standard multiples apply to additional applicant’s income.*

For more information or to apply:

For intermediary use only

Call: 0800 085 2846 Visit: clydesdalebankintermediaries.co.uk *This product is only available where one or more of the applicants has become fully qualified within the last 5 years and is employed in one of the following professions: Accountants, Architects, Barristers, Chartered Surveyors, Dentists, Medical Doctors, Pharmacists, Pilots, Solicitors, Vets, with a current income of ÂŁ40k or more. All loans are subject to status, affordability assessment and applicants must be aged 18 or over. Security is required. Not available for business purposes.

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13/09/2018 16:40


Notes


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