Air Group
In January 2022, Air Group announced in excess of £1bn of later life lending was placed through its Air Club distribution business in 2021, highlighting its key role in the later life lending sector.
More recently, Air Group also launched an API link with JUST on its Air Sourcing platform, enabling a smoother user journey for advisers using its platform. Air Group will be in attendance at the Equity Rerelease Summit on May 12. Work is also being undertaken on the Air Later Life Conference which takes place on the June 16 at the National Space Centre.
Air Mortgage Club has been selected as a finalist in the Best Mortgage Club & Best Technology Provider categories at the 2022 Financial Reporter Awards.
Canada Life launches updated Home Finance Adviser Portal
Canada Life recently announced the launch of its updated Home Finance Adviser Portal, designed to give advisers more control over how they support their clients.
The enhancements were made following feedback from the adviser community, and will help advisers to generate quotes, submit applications and track case progress both simply and quickly.
Features of the new portal include greater visibility over product options, the ability to filter products by a range of key features to help judge suitability, as well as efficiency improvements like smart search options and quick edit quotes. In addition to this, advisers can access the portal on-the-go thanks to its user-friendly mobile and tablet experience.
Canada Life is inviting users of the upgraded portal to offer their feedback via a short survey to be in with a chance of winning a £100 Amazon eGift Voucher (terms and conditions apply). To log in to the portal and participate in the survey click here.
Key
In early 2022, Key Equity Release refreshed its branding – moving to become Key Later Life Finance. This evolution of the brand is intended to reflect how the market is changing and the diverse range of customers looking to explore their later life lending options or to access other related services. As a company committed to diversity, Key was also keen to mark Women’s day at the start of March and revealed that almost one in five (19%) of its advisers are now women – an 8% increase since the start of the pandemic.
Keen to provide insight into how the market is developing, Key also unveiled its Care Report which highlighted not only the fact that the vast majority of people would prefer care at home but also the challenges faced by local councils. Click here to view report. On a more light hearted note, Key also undertook research which found that 65% of parents aged over 45 with children are looking forward to the day when they finally have the house to themselves!
More2life
As with other lenders, more2life had a busy start to the year with a real focus on how they could better support customers as well as advisers. As part of this, they have appointed Graham Munday as in-house Lead Surveyor and Jennifer Gadson as in-house Lead Conveyancer. These are new positions at more2life and provide colleagues with access to specialists who can help them to navigate through tricky legal or property queries. The Equity Release and Later Life Lending specialist network, The Right Mortgage Network, has also become the first network to be granted full access to both the more2life Flexi Choice plans.
One Family: How we invest for a brighter future
With customers and organisations now more environmentally aware than ever; we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about the ‘green’ aspects of our lending policy. We will consider lending on properties such as those with eco-friendly solar panels, domestic wind turbines and air and ground source heat pumps.
We are also able to consider alternative construction methods – for those properties that are made with climate-friendly materials, using low-impact sustainable building techniques such as:
- Cob construction – Cob homes are one of the most durable types of earth architecture and considered an alternative to modern construction types
- Thatched roofing – Considered highly environmentally friendly, as the materials needed are grown easily and harvested with little mechanical intervention
- Wattle and Daub – This is a green way of making walls and buildings, as the materials used are renewable and come from sustainable sources (with minimal energy consumed in their production)
Please note, lending for all the above will be subject to the property construction being deemed suitable by the valuer. A specialist building insurance is also required for any ‘thatched roofing’ prior to completion.
For more information speak directly with our underwriters on 0800 802 1645 option 4 or via e mail [email protected] Lines are open 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Standard Life Home Finance
Standard Life Home Finance was delighted to welcome Chairman of the Equity Release Council, David Burrowes to the opening of their new offices in Fulwood, Preston on 31 March.
Group CEO of Key Group, Simon Thompson, and Standard Life Home Finance board member, Scott Robertson joined Head of Sales and Director of Operations for Standard Life Home Finance, Kay Westgarth and Steve Dodd in welcoming David as they opened Arkwright House. Member Relationship Manager for the Equity Release Council, Lorraine Cox also attended.
This new office which can house 200 colleagues is a big investment and highlights the significant growth potential for the lender which builds on its highly successful launch at the end of 2021
