Specialist

Distributor Openwork has expressed concerns that mortgage lenders are not always consistent in their underwriting and processing of self-certification cases.

West Bromwich Building Society has announced the launch of a dedicated service channel for intermediaries.

Confidence among residential property investors remains high despite the onset of houses in multiple occupancy licensing, research from Paragon Mortgages reveals.

Safe Home Income Plans (Ship) has reported steady growth in the equity release market with the total value of new business written standing at £279m for the first quarter of 2006, an 11% increase on the same period last year.

The government has a duty to make the benefits of equity release clearer to encourage more advisers to accept it, according to speakers on IFAonline TV.

The Institute of Financial Services (ifs) and Just Retirement are offering an equity release training and exam package for up to 1,000 financial advisers.

The equity release market has substantially increased in size in the first quarter of 2006, research from Key Retirement Solutions suggests.

IFA Promotion (IFAP) is urging consumers to seek independent financial advice on equity release and has launched a guide to help demystify equity release plans.

Two-thirds of IFAs do not currently advise their clients on equity release products because of concerns over compliance and a lack of training, new research reveals.

Equity release has been removed from the modified Consumer Credit Directive (CCD) Proposal, issued by the European Commission.