Mortgage & Finance Industry Information
Financial Services Authority - The Financial Services Authority is an independent body, which regulates the financial services industry in the UK. From October 2004 the FSA will assume responsibility for regulating the residential mortgage industry, followed by the general insurance industry in January 2005.
Council of Mortgage Lenders - The CML is the trade association for mortgage lenders in the UK, and its members undertake around 98% of UK residential mortgage lending. The CML exists to provide a service to mortgage lending institutions by helping to establish and to maintain a favourable operating environment in the residential mortgage and related housing markets in the UK .
The Mortgage Code Compliance Board - The role of The Mortgage Code Compliance Board seeks to ensure that the public is fully informed and adequately protected when taking out a mortgage. It will become defunct in October 2004 when this role is taken over by the FSA with powers of statutory regulation.
General Insurance Standards Council - The General Insurance Standards Council is the UK watchdog established to set, monitor and enforce standards in all areas of general insurance, including the fair treatment of customers. It will become defunct in January 2005 when this role is taken over by the FSA with powers of statutory regulation.
Association of Mortgage Intermediaries - AMI is the trade body for professional mortgage intermediaries; “AMI’s objective is to represent you. We aim to influence the nature and shape of regulation and the policies which affect mortgage intermediaries. We seek your views on current issues and then we communicate these to the policymakers. Whether the debate is on regulation or business practices, we influence the people who make the decisions to help protect your interests.”
Also useful are the HBOS House Price Index and the Nationwide House Price Index.
Mortgage Sourcing Systems
No doubt this topic will appear frequently and everyone will have plenty to say! Please feel free to post your experiences (good, bad and ugly) with the various systems. This list is not exhaustive. If you know of (or preferably use) a system that you think should be added to this list please do get in touch.
Moneyfacts Mortgage Search Screen
Mortgage 2000 / Encore
Mortgage Brain
Network Data
TMOS Professional
Trigold
Back Office Systems
Another hot topic that all mortgage professionals are grappling to get to grips with. Features and costs comparisons can be a minefield. At a time when we all have such important and costly decisions to make, why not help each other by posting your comments, observations and experiences if you are using any of these systems in your business. What is your experience of them? How easy were they to get up to speed with? What difference has it made to your business? What features do you like or dislike? What has your experience been of the provider’s training and support? New providers are bringing out products every month, so if you know of a product that should be added to this list please drop me a line.
1st Software
Depositit
Mortgage Software
MortgageStream
Nereus Infotek’s D@shboard
Plum Software
Quay Software Solutions
Some Industry Publications
Charterhouse Publications Titles
Financial Adviser
MoneyFacts
Money Marketing
Mortgage Edge
Mortgage Finance Gazette
Mortgage Introducer
Mortgage Solutions
Mortgage Strategy
Niche Mortgages
Selling Financial Services
Some Proposed Principal Networks
This is probably the most important decision facing mortgage professional at the current time. Definitely not the time for ostrich tactics! It’s a big decision: Direct Regulation or Appointed Representative status? If direct � how are you dealing with the compliance and PI issues? If AR status � which Principal? Should you hedge your bets and straddle both options? We’ll be discussing this a great deal, I’m sure. Again, let’s openly share our experiences, observations and insights with our fellow professionals. I’ve tried to note as many of the major proposed Principals as I could find at the November 2003 Mortgage Expo, but my ‘goodies bag’ wasn�t big enough (thanks Paymentshield, but can you make the bag even bigger next year?). This list is by no means exhaustive; an email address for additions can be found on the contact details page.
Bankhall / Point One
Complete Mortgage & Loan Services
Ethical Mortgage Solutions
Guaranteed Home Loans
LifeQuote
MGM Home Finance
Mortgage Support Network
Mortgage Intelligence
Mortgage Next
Mortgage Times
Network One
Network Data
Optoma Broker Solutions
Paymentshield
Personal Touch
Pink
Sesame
Smart-move Mortgage.com
The Mortgage Operation
Offering Compliance Services & Support For Brokers Seeking Direct Regulation
Compliance Solutions
M2i
Mortgage Intelligence (Vantage)
Mortgage Times
Swaine & Associates
AMI has details of a number of companies offering outsourced compliance services.
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