Mortgages

StreamBank has launched a bridging loan which combines a £1,000 legal fee contribution, title insurance, with rates starting from 0.66% per month.   The specialist lender says its StreamEdge product is offered on a non-regulated and regulated basis across residential, semi-commercial and commercial properties up to 65% loan… The post StreamBank launches bridging loan with assisted legal fees and insurance    appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

New seller asking prices have dropped by 0.3% (-£1,277) this month to £378,240. This is according to the latest Rightmove House Price Index which stresses that this is an unusual dip for June, as new sellers lower their price expectations amid decade-high competition to secure… The post New sellers lower prices in June: Rightmove appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

Edinburgh based Scottish Building Society has today announced the expansion of its regional lending footprint into the Midlands and surrounding areas. Previously focused on lending across Scotland and the North of England, the society’s new geographic reach now includes Birmingham, Oxfordshire, and neighbouring counties opening… The post Scottish BS extends footprint into Midlands and further appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

This week’s top stories: FCA defends finfluencer prosecutions record and Mortgage lending and possessions surge in Q1. Explore these developments and more:  FCA defends finfluencer prosecutions record The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has intensified efforts to combat finfluencers and financial crime, particularly to protect… The post Mortgage Strategy’s Top 10 Stories: 09 Jun to 13 Jun appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

Feeling an abundance of writer’s block (or maybe baby brain!) ahead of this month’s column, I admit I paid a visit to ChatGPT in search of inspiration. But I didn’t find what I was looking for. Asked to provide thoughts on the current UK mortgage… The post Editor’s Note: Brokers are irreplaceable appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

West Brom Building Society has cut rates by up to 23 basis points on core, shared ownership and new build deals. In its core purchase range, the lender has reduced the two-year fixed rate at 80% LTV product by 7 bps, now available at 4.46%… The post West Brom cuts rates by up to 23 bps appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

  In conversation with our head of surveying recently, we discussed how his team has seen a noticeable increase in younger landlords. Our analysis of industry data shows how this is a long-term shift and is evident across the wider market. In 2014, 15% of… The post Blog:The importance of supporting the next generation of landlords appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

There was no change in average two and five-year fixed rates for the second consecutive week, according to the latest rate watch data from Moneyfacts. Two-year fixed rates remained at 5.13% and five-year fixes at 5.1% Even within different loan-to-value tiers there was very little… The post Rates steady for second week in row: Moneyfacts Rate Watch appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

In 2025, the protection market reflects a complex mix of economic caution, regulatory scrutiny and shifting consumer needs. As mortgage advisers navigate these dynamics, it is clear that protection advice is transitioning from being a ‘nice to have’ to constituting a cornerstone of financial resilience, essential for meeting Consumer Duty requirements. Let’s take a look at some of the most pressing talking points. The UK economy has grown modestly so far in 2025 and many households remain financially stretched. The Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Lives Survey 2024 reveals that: 24% of adults have low financial resilience; 1 in 10 has no savings, and 21% have less than £1,000 set aside; and a fifth of people cancelled or declined to take out insurance in the previous year due to affordability concerns. Protection is often one of the first outgoings to be cut in difficult times, yet it’s needed most during those same periods. Mortgage advisers must continue to position protection as an essential component of homeownership, not an optional extra. Property purchase and remortgage opportunities The mortgage market has seen changes to flexibility in stress testing, and even a return of 100% mortgages for selected clients. While this helps more first-time buyers, it also introduces greater financial fragility. Clients entering homeownership with minimal savings are particularly vulnerable to income shocks, yet many still overlook protection. Advisers have a crucial role in ensuring these risks are identified and mitigated early in the process. As fixed-rate deals end, revisit clients’ protection needs And, with around 1.6 million fixed-rate mortgages due to end in 2025, advisers have a golden opportunity to revisit the protection needs of clients. How has their situation changed since their last review? Have their job status, family size or liabilities changed? A review of current protection products is essential. Regulatory spotlight Nearly two years after the introduction of the Consumer Duty, higher and clearer standards of consumer protection are demanded, with a sharper-than-ever regulatory focus. Many clients are more open to conversations about estate planning and protection It has been a game changer in getting the industry to take stock of how it delivers good outcomes for clients across all aspects of advice; a long-awaited shift in protection, which often doesn’t get the attention it deserves until it’s too late. The FCA’s spotlight on protection is also seen through its ongoing Pure Protection Market Study. The regulator says it will report back on its findings with next steps by the end of 2025. New drivers shift demand Beyond mortgages, wealth and tax changes are shifting the role of protection insurance in estate planning. Two key developments are: The government consultation exploring whether pensions should form part of the taxable estate for inheritance tax (IHT). Proposed reforms to agricultural relief and business relief that could restrict or remove IHT exemptions relied on by business owners and landowners. In response, we’ve seen an increase in adviser demand for protection solutions such as whole-of-life insurance and joint life, second death; and the inclusion of trusts is increasingly being used by wealth advisers to cover expected IHT liabilities. Protection is often one of the first outgoings to be cut in difficult times, yet it’s needed most This trend is filtering into the mortgage and mainstream advice space. Many clients are more open to conversations about estate planning and protection. Advisers who understand these links can provide greater value and maintain longer relationships. To stay relevant and compliant: Embed protection at the start. Introduce income protection, life and critical-illness cover alongside mortgage discussions, not afterwards. Frame protection as essential. Reposition it as a tool to maintain homeownership and protect family wealth. Stay up to date with regulatory direction. Explore intergenerational planning. Focus on your Consumer Duty responsibilities. Document protection conversations thoroughly, demonstrating fair value and good client understanding. It’s an exciting time to be part of the protection industry, with more advisers understanding the need to make a significant impact on client security and peace of mind. Gregor Sked is senior protection development and technical manager at Royal London This article featured in the June 2025 edition of Mortgage Strategy. If you would like to subscribe to the monthly print or digital magazine, please click here. The post Insurance Watch: Help clients to feel secure appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.

The Bank of England is expected to hold rates at 4.25% when the Monetary Policy Committee meets next Thursday. The rate-setting panel cut the base rate by 25 basis points at their last meeting in May, but most economists are predicting there will be a pause before any further reductions. Canada Life Asset Management investment director for liquidity Steve Matthews says: “We expect the Bank of England to hold rates steady this month. Inflation remains persistent, employment data is stable, and GDP prints have been benign – suggesting no immediate need for further cuts. “While the broader trajectory for rates remains downward, the path ahead now looks shallower than previously anticipated. “Market pricing suggests the next move is unlikely before September, and possibly later. “Added to this, uncertainty around US tariffs and trade policy is creating a more cautious global backdrop – no one wants to make a move prematurely. “This is a pause, not a pivot, as the Bank adopts a measured, data-dependent approach in a stable, if lethargic, economic environment.” Oxford Economics economist Edward Allenby says: “Recent data supports the case for further easing and should reduce the MPC’s worries about inflation stickiness. “But we don’t think the data has been weak enough to prompt the committee to up the pace of cuts from the tempo seen since last August.” Allenby believes the MPC will be watching pay and jobs data closely for the next couple of months. They will be looking to see how the labour market has responded to April’s rises in employers’ national insurance contributions and the national living wage. He expects two further 25 bps cuts this year in August and November. Former MPC member Michael Saunders, who is now a senior economic adviser at Oxford Economics is predicting even bigger cuts. He says: “Given their emphasis on gradual easing, it is unlikely the MPC will cut rates at this meeting. “But the path to further easing is becoming clearer. “I expect the MPC to cut Bank Rate 25 bps in August, with easing of about 100 bps over the year ahead — somewhat more than markets price in.” The post MPC Preview: ‘a pause, not a pivot in policy’ appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.