Just
an update
Monday 28th July. This week's headlines:
ICYMI: Summer Training Webinars
We’re excited to share a powerful line-up of online training sessions tailored specifically for mortgage and protection advisers like you. These interactive Webex workshops are designed to help you sharpen your skills, uncover new opportunities, and add even more value to your clients. Whether you want to boost your lead generation, enhance your product knowledge, or grow your confidence with broker fees, there’s something here for everyone.
�� Creating
Opportunities (Two Dates Available)
Packed with lead generation strategies and creative ideas to help you grow your client base and build stronger networks.
�� 31 July | 13:00–15:00
�� 07 August | 10:00–12:00 Book Here Book Here
�� Mastering Family Income Benefit
�� 13 August | 10:00–12:00
Explore how FIB can become a key part of your client conversations, offering tailored protection and peace of mind.
�� Mastering Broker Fees for Success
�� 29 August | 10:00–12:00
Understand the value of charging broker fees and how to introduce them confidently to secure a sustainable, successful future.
Spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, firstserved basis—secure your place today and invest in your success.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Introducing “Pepper Flex”
Introducing Pepper Flex. This gives brokers seamless access to more competitive mortgage options – with no extra steps. The proposition enables Pepper to accept more cases for our most common declines. For example:
Customers who’ve started a new job or are in their probationary period
Customers who are married but applying on a sole basis can now be accepted
Customers who’ve missed a payment on a fixed-term unsecured credit agreement in the last 6 months will be eligible
Customers who’ve taken out a payday loan in the last 12 months will be eligible
This launch comes at a time when Pepper Money are doubling down on efforts to meet the needs of borrowers who don’t fit the rigid criteria of high street lenders but are responsible customers in a position to buy.
Pepper Moneys flexible criteria views customer cases holistically, helping more people to realise their property ambitions. The introduction of Pepper Flex means there’s no new tiers, product codes, or screens for brokers to assess, just the guarantee that customers will secure Pepper’s most competitive mortgage rates, with just an adjustment to their completion fee to match the level of additional flexibility.
Accord
– A New Build Lender, not just a lender that does new build
Accord’s commitment to new build lending means that it understands the unique needs and challenges of your clients. With its common-sense approach and tailored options, placing your residential application is straightforward and hassle-free.
Accord lend up to 95% LTV
Accord allows up to 95% LTV for new build houses and 90% LTV for flats. Its higher LTV options mean that those striving to save a deposit could get there quicker, helping them achieve their home ownership goals.
Boost LTI & Cascade Score
Accord also offer lending on its Boost LTI and Cascade Score ranges to help you help even more clients, including Boost LTI up to 95% LTV for first-time buyers.
Enhanced Affordability
New builds typically have lower utility bills than older properties, so Accord’s affordability calculator takes this into account, potentially increasing affordability (subject to affordability assessment and LTI limits). Use the affordability calculator to find out how much your client might be able to borrow.
Builders Incentives
Many new build homes come with incentives such as cashback or deposit contributions from builders which can help to reduce that initial financial burden for your clients, and Accord accept many of those. Review all Accord’s new build criteria and allowable incentives here.
Your new build experts
Accord’s team of new build experts are available on webchat to help with any queries before you submit your application. Plus, its team of new build underwriters ensure a smooth and speedy process, letting you know what’s needed up front. And with 42% of applications offered in 10 days or less so far in 2025 (correct as at 10 June 2025), you can rest assured that Accord aims to get your application agreed as quickly as possible.
New build development checker
Easily find out if your client's property is acceptable with Accord’s new build development checker before you apply.
What else makes Accord a great choice for new build lending?
Day 1 valuations as standard Up to 40-year mortgage terms
Products with no fees & free valuation Cashback available on selected products
And to help your clients celebrate ��their new home, Accord will send them a Welcome box on your behalf.
For new build lending at your fingertips, learn more about how Accord could help your clients here.
EXCLUSIVE: Royal London & Just Mortgages
– The Protection Client Journey
Tuesday 5 August – 10am th
Join Royal London for a Just Mortgages EXCLUSIVE Webinar! This session will focus on walking through the client journey, highlighting the most important touchpoints when creating your Protection recommendation.
Phoebe from the Relationship Support Team will join us to demonstrate what clients can access once an application has been submitted and talk through the Helping Hand Benefits.
This session will prove incredibly insightful, showing you what the customer view of the process is and we highly recommend you attend if you can.
An invitation will be emailed to you on Monday 28 July, however you can also simply click on the button below when it is time: th
Click to Join when it is time
Zurich has made some changes to help you and your customers
Zurich has made some changes to make doing business with them even easier and more rewarding for you and your customers.
Enhanced policy issue process for menu plans
Updated non-medical limits for life, critical illness and income protection
Refreshed the limits on Large Case Underwriting Team
Improved the underwriting rulebook
Improved adviser alerts and notifications
Commission clarity
LV= Bringing life to protection
Real stories can illustrate the difference that protection can make following a life-changing event. They play an important role in supporting conversations with your clients by showing that protection pays. Jennie Gow, a Formula 1 broadcaster and pitlane reporter shared her story on suffering from an unexpected and lifechanging stroke in December 2022.
You can find her story and others on LV’s Real Stories hub.
NHS strikes are coming. Are your clients covered?
Growth in NHS appointments continues to slow and the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced another nationwide strike by resident doctors, from Friday 25 July to Wednesday 30 July.
This puts additional stress on NHS services that are already under immense pressure and many appointments will be postponed or cancelled entirely.
It’s never been clearer: Now is the time for your clients to consider Private Medical Insurance.
When your clients have Private Medical Insurance, they benefit from fast access to GPs and specialists, shorter wait time for diagnosis and treatment and peace of mind during ongoing NHS disruptions
Referral Form
All you need to do is refer the client to Usay Compare by completing a simple referral form and they will offer them expert advice, compare all the policies available, and find them the best policy at the best price.
Writing Protection for “Nearest and Dearest”
As you may be aware many providers do not permit Indemnity terms to be applied to policies that would benefit either the advisor or a close family member, instead Non indemnity terms are offered (paid on the drip)
Zurich wish to remind you that as well as your own life, the following relationships are also deemed within the “own life” definition:
·Spouse or Partner
·Children or step children
·Parents or step parents
·Brothers, Sisters, Step Brothers or step sisters
·Spouse of any person listed above
·Business associate or employee of your firm
You will need to manually select “no” on the indemnity commission radio button within the Zurich platform when applying.
Important Reminder:
Remember that if you want to write your own mortgage or protection, this needs agreeing by compliance, who will ensure that your case is checked by a supervisor. This is to protect you from any scrutiny and accusations of conflict of interest. If you are in this situation please email derek.smith@justmortgages.com who will arrange this.
Freedom to Buy” rollout met with mixed reactions. The permanent Mortgage Guarantee Scheme permitting 91–95% LTV mortgages for 5% deposit buyers is now live. Industry voices worry it won’t address core issues like high prices and supply shortages.
Bank of England asks lenders to stress‐test U.S. dollar exposure. The PRA has directed UK lenders to assess resilience against potential dollar funding disruptions, prompted by geopolitical and Fed‐related uncertainty. While not mortgage‐specific, it's critical for lender stability
Economists expect BoE rate cut in August. While the base rate remains at 4.25%, rising unemployment and cooling inflation hint at a cut to 4% as early as 7 August, which could translate into lower mortgage rates.
UK house prices experience sharp July slowdown Rightmove reports asking prices fell 1.2% (June8–July12), the steepest mid‐year drop in over 20 years. Mortgage rates have eased from 5.34% to ~4.53%, supporting affordability.
Calls for deeper reform continue – Broader financial reforms under Reeves’ “Leeds Reforms” envision looser affordability checks and the permanent guarantee scheme, but critics caution against recreating pre‐2008 risks.