Wearedelightedtoconfirmthat Smartr365hasintroducedtheability tocompletetheHalifaxapplication journeywithoutleavingtheplatform, fromfulldecisioninprinciple(DIP)to fullmortgageapplication(FMA)for ALLapplicanttypes
UsingSmartrConnectyouwillnot needtoleavetheSmartr365 ecosystem
Thefeaturewillalsoinclude resubmissions,allowingyoutoamend andresubmitDIPcasestoreflecta changeinapplicantinformationor updatedlendercriteria.
Theintegrationsupportsallof Halifax’sstandardcriteria,ensuring thecasessubmittedarecompliant.
HavingtheUK’slargestlendernow fullyendtoendforallapplicanttypes isjustthestartoftheimprovements forSmartrConnectwithanothertop 5lenderfollowingintheweeksahead.
IfyouareyettouseSmartrConnect orneedsupportinmakingthemost ofthispowerfulfeaturereachoutto yourAreaDirectorinthefirst instanceorbookyourselfontoour regulartrainingwebinars.
Co-op Legal Services -
Case Studies
Ourtrustedpartnerforlegalreferrals,CoopLegalServices,consistently receiveexcellentfeedbackfromreferralcustomers.InQ3:
100%ofthecustomersgavethem5starsorabovefortheinformation andguidanceprovided
100%ofthecustomersratedthem4starsoraboveonhowlikelythey aretorecommendthemtoafamilymemberorfriend.
TohelpillustratewhereCoopLegalcanhelpyourclientsandtheexcellent servicetheyprovide,wewillberunningaseriesofcasestudiesoverthenext fewweeks.
Case Study 1:
Referring your client is quick and easy. You can refer your client for a free legal review via the Just Mortgages Referral Hub HERE
Mortgage News
TheOpenworkPartnershiphas againpartneredwithMortgage FinanceGazetteandMortgage Strategytobringyoutheonly annualservicerankingsfortheUK mortgagelendingindustry.
MortgageFinanceGazetteRated forServiceisbasedona comprehensiveannualsurveythat tracksbrokers’assessmentsofthe lenders’levelsofservice.
Lendersareappraisedacrossfive keyassessmentareaswithinthree separatepeergroupscategorised asmainstream,specialistandbuyto-let.Resultswillbepublishedby
MortgageFinanceGazetteand MortgageStrategyinMarch2026.
MortgageFinanceGazetteRatedfor Serviceprovidesanimportant barometerofbrokerexperience, helpinglenderstoimproveservice levels,helpingyoudeliverbetter clientoutcomeswithimproved efficiencies,soyouropinionmatters. Pleasetakethetimetocompletethe surveyasitprovidesvaluableoutput forustouseinourlenderreview meetings. Asathankyouforgivingusyour thoughts,we'llenteryouintoaprize drawtowinoneoffour£250John Lewisvouchers.*
Take the survey
Hodge introduces 80% LTV on Interest Only Mortgages
Hodgehasintroduced80%LTVonInterestOnlyMortgagestohelpyour clientsexpandtheiraffordability
Keyinformationforyouclients:
Saleofpropertyacceptedupto75%LTVwiththeremaining5%achieved viaasecondrepaymentvehicle
InterestOnlyassessedonanInterestOnlybasisforaffordability
Availableuptoandintoretirement
Nominimumincomerequirements
80%LTVonInterestOnlyupto£2mand75%LTVupto£3m MaximumLTIx5.5
ThisenhancementisavailableacrossHodge’sResiandResiRetireproduct rangeswithimmediateeffect.
HSBC enhance reside lending policy
WithimmediateeffectHSBC madethefollowingchanges residentiallendingpolicy.
Introducing Loan to Income (LTI) multiples for Premier customers
HSBChaveintroducednewLTI multiplesforcustomerswhoholda HSBCUKpremieraccount.
Whereanapplicationis90%LTVor less,theywillapplyanLTIof6.5x income(subjecttoanaffordability assessmentandexclusionsmay apply).
Pleasenote,inordertoqualifyforthe higherLTIatleastoneapplicantmust holdaPremieraccountatthepointof submission.
HSBChavealsoenhancedtheir affordabilitycalculatortoallowyou toselectaPremiercustomerand accessthenewloantoincome multiples.
Thecalculatorwillnowshowtwo maximumloanamountsbasedon whetherarateoflessthan5years or5yearsorgreaterisselected, providingadditionaloptionsfor yourcustomers’borrowingneeds. Forfulldetailsofthechangesand toviewtheLTItable(s)pleasevisit theirBrokerwebsite.
Lending Criteria Changes From Skipton
Building Society for Intermediaries
FromWednesday5 November,SkiptonBuildingSocietyforIntermediaries havemadethefollowingchangestoitsresidentiallendingcriteria: th
LoanToIncome(LTI)limits:
Income and LTV requirements:
DebttoIncome>10%
Totalincome<£40,000forSoleApplications
Totalincome<£60,000forJointApplications
LTV>90%
LTV<=90%
Avivawanttoacknowledgethattheyarecurrentlyexperiencingsignificant underwritingdelays,withturnaroundtimesforassessingGPR’saveraging around47days.
Avivasincerelyapologisefortheinconveniencethismaycauseandwantto reassureadvisersthattheyaredoingeverythingtheycantoimprovethe situation.Anumberofinitiativesandarobustactionplanarealreadyinplaceto addressthebacklog.
WhileAvivacontinuetomanageescalations,theymustalsobemindfulthatthis canfurtherimpactoverallprocessingtimes.Despitethesechallenges,straightthroughprocessingremainsstrongat80%,andarecommittedtomaintaining thislevelofefficiencywhereverpossible.Avivawouldliketothankyouforyour continuedpatienceandunderstanding.
TheBankofEnglandbaserateremainsat4%,andcommentaryby theChancellorRachelReevesemphasisedcreatingconditionsfor potentialratecuts,signallingpositivesentimentforprospective borrowers.
Severalmajorlendershavecutfixed-ratemortgageproducts significantly.Forexample,NationwideBuildingSocietyreducedits two-,three-,five-andten-yearfixeswithratesnowstartingat 3.64%foratwo-yearfixat60%LTV.
Theaveragemortgagerateacrossallloan‐to‐valueshasedged lowerto4.99%inNovember,downfromaround5.01%lastmonth, indicatingmodestdownwardpressureonpricing.
Marketcommentarysuggestscautiousoptimism:accordingtoa Novembermarketupdate,thetradebodyUKFinanceforecastsa ~10%riseinpurchaselendingfortheyear,pointingtoimproving
