Further to our confirmation last week that Scarlett Mackenzie, Training Manager has taken up the role as System Trainer for Just Mortgages we are pleased to confirm a comprehensive choice of sessions that you can now book onto.
Scarlett’s role is dedicated to helping you make the very most of Smartr365 and the integration with Concert Hub and to also support you in system features and familiarisation challenges.
July Webinars:
Client Portal
Bring a new level of professionalism to your services as an Adviser by using the Smartr 365 Portal. Cut down on time entering data, and up the time spent on quality advice.
15/07 09:30 Here
15/07 13.30 Here
17/07 11.00 Here
17/07 14.30 Here
22/07 11.00 Here
Smartr Tasks Notes and Workflows
Take charge of your diary management and know what is going on with all your clients!
15/07 11.00 Here
15/07 15.00 Here
17/07 09.30 Here
23/07 13.00 Here
24/0709.30 Here
Experian
Getting a credit report on the client which pre-fills credit commitments and even some of the budget planner for you, can really save time and give a clear picture of the client's financial situation.
16/07 09.30 Here
16/07 11.00 Here
17/07 13.00 Here
22/07 13.00 Here 23/07 11.00 Here
Smartr Connect
Learn how to save 20-30 minutes per DIP with 8 of the biggest lenders, all integrated into Smartr.
22/07 09.30 Here
23/07 14.30 Here
Smartr365 | Powerful Experian integration at
your fingertips!
Since the 27 February you have had access to this powerful feature which comes fully funded by Just Mortgages. th
So many of you are using this great feature, but a significant number of you are not. So, we wanted to remind you of how this can benefit your sales process enormously: real-time access to credit reports, which you can also choose to share with your customers. automatically feeds data directly into the Smartr365 fact find, giving you a comprehensive view of your customers' credit history and balances. Eliminates non-disclosure! How many times has a client told you they don’t have X or Y and then you discover they do, after many hours of wasted time? Just Mortgages are fully funding this feature, which would normally cost in the region of £20 per month. Smartr365 is the only system in the UK offering this integration, putting you ahead of your competing advisors elsewhere.
To learn more:
· Book onto one of the Experian webinar sessions noted in our earlier article
· View our how to Guide HERE
Pepper Money | Working Visa
Pepper Money are delighted to announce they can now accept income for those who are on a Working Visa. If an applicant is employed in the UK on a working Visa with the other applicant having permanent right to reside, they now accept their full income in our affordability calculations.
Pepper Money can accept your foreign nationals’ income on applications up to 75% LTV, if they have one of the following Visa types:
· Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa
· Tier 2 Skilled Worker Visa
· Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
· Health and Care Worker Visa
· Family Visa
Key points to remember:
The applicant needs to have 3 years UK address history
The applicant needs to have 2 years employment history
The applicant needs to have 1 year or more remaining on the Visa
Pepper Money can accept your foreign nationals' income on applications up to 75% LTV, if they have one of the following Visa types:
Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa
Tier 2 Skilled Worker Visa
Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
Health and Care Worker Visa
Family Visa
Useful Pepper Money mortgage links:
Mortgage products
Mortgage Criteria
Buy to Let Products
Buy to Let Criteria
Aria Finance | Ask the Lender –
Live with MT Finance
Join Aria Finance for an exclusive live Q&A webinar with Joe Grace of MT Finance at 10:30am on Tuesday 15th July. Whether you're navigating bridging finance, commercial mortgages, or specialist buy-to-let cases, this is your chance to put your questions directly to the lender and get the insights you need to move deals forward.
Real questions. Real answers. Live.
Uncover lender criteria, case preferences and tips to get deals across the line.
Register now to secure your spot
Clydesdale Bank offers free valuations
Clydesdale Bank has updated its approach to valuation fees. With immediate effect all new Clydesdale Bank purchase products will include a free basic valuation.
This change will apply to all new Clydesdale Bank purchase applications for both Residential and Buyto-Let, excluding porting. Just as a reminder, all Clydesdale Bank remortgage applications already offer free valuations, plus the full Virgin Money range includes a free basic valuation too.
So, whether your clients are buying their first home or looking for a new product, they won’t have to pay any extra for the property valuation (subject to existing it i h i t l f £3 )
New Podcast Episode Live -
Rhian Mannings | Turning trauma into triumph: Filling the vacuum in bereavement support
This episode contains reference to suicide and infant death that some listeners may find upsetting.
In this episode of Just Covered, L&G speak with Rhian Mannings, founder of the 2Wish Charity about her emotional and thought-provoking story. In 2012, Rhian suffered a deeply profound and challenging experience, losing both her infant son and husband in just a matter of days. It changed her life forever. And, the clear absence of bereavement support in her Welsh community caused her to set up her own charity service.
This episode also covers:
The best ways to approach grieving and traumatised clients, as well as dealing with children in traumatic circumstances.
Understanding some of the financial implications of loss and the role of advisers in empathetically addressing these issues.
For more information on the 2wish Charity visit - Home - 2 Wish
Listen now
Follow Zurich on LinkedIn and they’ll donate to Magic Breakfast!
Zurich are thrilled to announce the launch of their LinkedIn page, Zurich Adviser.
The page is for UK advisers who want content, tools, and stories to make protection easier to recommend. Follow for proof points you can share, smart ways to show clients what's at stake and explainers of all of their protection products.
Feeding a child with a follow
For every follow the page gets in July, Zurich will donate the cost of a breakfast for a child or young person to our charity partner, Magic Breakfast.
By donating a Magic Breakfast you will help ensure a
Income Protection Action
Week 22 - 26 September
The Income Protection Task Force (IPTF) exists to raise awareness, provide education and increase understanding and sales of Income Protection (IP). Their mission is simple: to ensure that everyone understands the importance of safeguarding their income in case of illness or injury. They bring together industry professionals, advisers, and affiliates to lead the conversation around financial resilience and practical protection solutions.
In September each year the IPTF run Income Protection Action Week (IPAW), a free to attend online event taking place between 12-1pm each day.
It’s a chance to understand why IP is so important, share top tips on positioning IP and overcoming objections, to learn from peers and challenge your thinking around this vital product. The 2025 programme is packed with brilliant content to help you sell more IP and protect more clients.
Monday 22nd September: Preparing to sell
more IP
This session will provide an overview of the market and the need for IP by way of adviser case studies and expert interviews. It will also include a mindset session for advisers.
Tuesday 23rd September: The business of protecting income
This session will consider business protection and small group schemes via a series of expert interviews and panels highlighting the opportunity that exists within the market. We will also be revisiting objection handling with a twist!
Wednesday 24th September: Working smarter as an adviser
This session will consider how to make best use of the tools and resources available to advisers to help save time and maximise opportunities for business growth.
Thursday
25th September:
After the sale - ongoing relationships
This session will consider annual reviews in the claims context, learning how having unsuitable cover can impact at claims stage, how reviews can lead to resolving claims before they happen and how to help clients make the most of using value added services.
Friday 26th September:
IP - one size doesn’t fit all
This session will consider non-traditional solutions, including ASU and customers who may be considered difficult to cover, uncovering the art of the possible
Who should attend IPAW?
It’s ideal for both advisers and industry professionals who:
· Are new to IP and want to build confidence
· Have experience and want to refresh their skills & update their knowledge
· Want to learn from peers and understand key IP insights
· Aim to make IP central to client conversations & help improve customers financial resilience
· Are exploring related areas like business protection and Accident Cover and ASU
· Are looking to earn valuable CPD
You’ll also gain insight into who’s buying IP, who’s underserved, and why - helping you spot new opportunities to protect more customers and grow your business. You can register for IPAW here
Regulatory easing on high LTI lending – The Bank of England loosened loan-to-income (LTI) restrictions, allowing individual lenders to exceed the 4.5× income cap under the 15% sector-wide limit, potentially enabling around 36,000 more high-LTI mortgages annually
PRA approves temporary 15% LTI cap waiver – The Prudential Regulation Authority implemented a modification-by-consent, removing the 15% high-LTI cap for consenting lenders until June 2026, pending its formal review.
FCA publishes Mortgage Rule Review paper – Discussion Paper DP25/2, with 37 consultation questions, explores reforms in responsible lending, later-life lending, consumer information, innovation, and collective risk appetite.
Upcoming permanent “Freedom to Buy” scheme –Chancellor Reeves is set to launch a new 95% mortgage guarantee scheme backed by the Government (cap £3.2bn) to support first‐time buyers.
House price and market trends – Halifax data shows June house prices were flat month-over-month. Mortgage rates have continued to decline, improving affordability.
