Equity Release

When it came to designing its lifetime mortgage products, Prudential was determined to give customers what they wanted, so they carried out lots of consumer research.

The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has launched a web page for members providing information on equity release products and a "good practice" factsheet.

Almost two million families could benefit from early inheritance as one in five people plan to release equity from their home to help their children during their own lifetime, according to Scottish Widows Bank.

The Association of Independent Financial Advisers (Aifa) has called for specific professional qualifications to become the standard for those wishing to advise in the market.

Equity release lending grew by 3% in the last three months of 2005, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

Consumers are losing out because of a shortage of specialist IFAs advising on equity release Safe Homes Income Plans (Ship) claims.

Equity release consumers have benefited from low interest rates and increased competition between providers in 2005 but this is expected to be even better in 2006, according to a new survey.

Financial advisers and product providers have accused consumer watchdog Which? of scaremongering and presenting research on the equity release market which is "misleading and misplaced".

Equity release schemes are expensive, inflexible, leave consumers with little or no equity in their home and should be used only as a last resort, argues a new report from consumer watchdog Which?

Homebuyer Systems has announced the launch of the latest version of its software platform designed to enable Financial Services Authority (FSA) compliant mortgage and general insurance advised and non-advised sales.