JUST MORTGAGES NEWS
Just an update
Monday 9th March. This week's headlines:
LENDING CRITERIA UPDATE FROM SKIPTON
SkiptonBuildingSocietyforIntermediarieshavemadethefollowingcriteria changetotheLTIlimitsforresidentiallending:
Loan To Income (LTI) limits:
Income and LTV requirements:
DebttoIncome>10%
Totalincome<£50,000forSoleApplications
Totalincome<£60,000forJointApplications
LTV>90%
LTV<=90%
Maximum LTI: LTI=4.49
LTI=4.49 LTI=4.49
LTI=4.49
LTI=5.5 HERE
Theonlinebrokeraffordabilitycalculator(whichisaccessedfromtheSkipton Intermediarieswebsite)hasbeenupdatedandcanbefound
VidaHomeloanshaveintroducedtwosignificantpolicyenhancements designedtogivebrokersgreateroptionalityandsupportportfolio-building landlords.
What’s New?
✔ Intercompany loans now considered as a deposit source
We'llconsiderintercompanyloansforBTLSPVapplications,providedthe applicantisanequalormajorityshareholderinthetradingcompany supplyingthedeposit.Thechangerecognisesthewaymanyprofessional landlordsstructuretheirbusinessesandoffersapragmaticsolutionthat betterreflectsreal-worldfundingmodels.
✔ Aggregate exposure limit increased to £7.5m
We'veraiseditsmaximumaggregateexposureperborrowerfrom£4 millionto£7.5million,enablinglarger-scaleinvestorstoplacemoreof theirportfoliolendingunderoneroof.Theupliftsupportsbrokersworking withestablishedlandlordsseekingtorefinance,consolidate,orexpand.
VIEW OUR BTL PRODUCTS
VIDA HOMELOANS INTRODUCE PORTFOLIO LANDLORD IMPROVEMENTS
PROTECTION & GI NEWS
UPCOMING CHANGES TO PAYMENTSHIELD’S LANDLORD’S INSURANCE PANEL
From31March2026AxawillbewithdrawingfromPaymentshield’s Landlord’sInsurancepanelduetoachangeinriskappetite.Untilthatdate, Axawillhonourallnewbusinessapplications.
PleaseensurethatanyPaymentshieldLandlord’sInsurancequoteswhere Axaaretheinsureraresubmittedwithastartdateonorbefore31March 2026.
Inpreparationfortheirwithdrawal,allAxaquoteswillhaveareducedquote validityperiodwhichwillexpireonthe31March,comparedtotheusual60 or90dayperiod.
Arkel appointment
FromearlyMarch,ArkelwillbejoiningthePaymentshieldLandlord’s Insurancepanel.
ThisappointmentwillfurtherenablePaymentshieldtowidenitsfootprint tosupportagreaterproportionoflandlordsincludingthosewhoare operatingaslimitedcompaniesandlandlordsrentingtostudents.
PaymentshieldareplanningtofurtherstrengthentheirLandlord’s Insurancepaneloverthecomingmonths,addingadditionalcapabilitiesto providingasmanylandlordsaspossiblewithaccesstoqualityinsurance designedaroundtheirspecialistneeds.
PaymentshieldLandlord’sInsuranceisrated5starsbyDefaqto,meaningitprovidesa high-leveloffeaturesandbenefitscomparedtoothersinthemarket
Furtherinformation
IfyouneedanysupportorhaveaquestionaboutAxa’swithdrawal,simplycontactour teamusingthelinkbelowandyourBusinessDevelopmentManagerwillbeintouch:
VisitPaymentshield’swebsitefor www.paymentshield.co.uk/advisers/contact-us
Due to huge demand, we have arranged for a series of webinars; “Bringing MetLife to Life”
ThesessionlooksathowMetLifeprotectionsupportsclientswhenitmatters most.Wewillfocusonkeystrengthsofthepropositionandhowtopositionthem clearlyandconfidentlyinclientconversations.HostedbyourexpertDivisional TrainerScarlett,wearecertainyouwillgainhugelybyattending!
Simply click on which date/time you wish to attend and register:
Thursday 12 March 10:30-12:00
Thursday 12 March 13:30 - 15:00
Wednesday 18 March 10:00 - 11:30
Did you know? MultiProtect
pays out more than once!
Whenadvisersassessaccident-basedprotection,onecommonassumptionis thataclaimwillterminatethepolicy.
With MetLife UK MultiProtect, that is not typically how it works.
1.Did You Know… A Claim Doesn’t Usually End the Policy?
Unliketraditionalcriticalillnesscover,whereafullpayoutusuallyexhauststhe policy,MultiProtectisdesignedtoallowmultipleclaimsoverthelifetimeofthe plan(subjecttopolicylimitsandterms).
Thatmeans:
Abrokenboneclaimdoesnotcancelthepolicy. Ahospitalstayclaimdoesnotexhaustthebenefit. Clientsremaincoveredforfutureunrelatedincidents.
2.Did You Know… Claims Can Be Relatively Frequent — Not Remote?
Theproductisstructuredaroundeventsthatstatisticallyoccurmoreoften thandeathorspecifiedcriticalillnesses: Fractures Ligamentdamage
Accidentalinjuries Hospitaladmissions
Thisincreasesperceivedvalueforyourclientsbecausetheycanmorereadily imaginescenarioswherebenefitsmaybetriggered.
3.Did You Know… It Can Support Persistency
Amulti-claimdesignmeans:
Clientsmayexperiencetangiblevalueearlier. Thepolicyremainsinforceafterpayout. Thereisless“allornothing”psychology.
UnderConsumerDutyprinciples,demonstrableongoingvaluesupportsfair valueassessmentsandreducecancellationrisk.
4.Did You Know… It Can Strengthen Your Rounded advice
Inastructuredprotectionrecommendation:
1. LifecoverprotectstheMortgageandpossiblydependantstoo
2. Criticalillnessprotectsagainstdefinedsevereconditions.
3. Incomeprotectionprotectsearnings.
4. MultiProtectcanprotectagainst
short-term, high-frequency disruptions.
Themulti-claimnaturemakesitparticularlysuitedtothatfourthtiera complementaryproductratherthanacompetingone.
Speak to your Area Director for further information, or why not book in for one of our Webinars running this week to find out more?
INDUSTRY NEWS
Housing Market Momentum Continues
LatestdatafromHalifaxshowsUKhousepricesroseby0.3%inFebruary,taking annualgrowthto1.3%,thestrongestpacesinceOctober2025.Thissuggests thehousingmarkethasstarted2026withrenewedmomentumfollowingaslower endtolastyear.However,regionalvariationremainsevident,withstronger growthinareassuchasNorthernIreland,ScotlandandWalescomparedwith partsofsouthernEngland.
Mortgage Rate Outlook Shifts
Afterseveralweeksoffallingfixedratesearlierthisyear,themarketsawanotable changeinsentimentthisweek Risinggeopoliticaltensionsandhigherglobal energypriceshavepushedswaprateshigher,promptinglendersincluding Nationwide,HSBCandCoventryBuildingSocietytoincreaseselectedfixed mortgagerates.
Asaresult,expectationsofanear-termBankofEnglandbaseratecuthave softened,withmarketsnowanticipatingthecurrent3 75%BankRatemayremain unchangedintheupcomingMarchdecision.
