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Banks, Bonds, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Services, ISAs, Mortgage, Personal Finance

Northern Rock Wins Prestigious National Big Tick Award

Northern Rock has been heralded among the most responsible businesses in the UK after receiving Business in the Community’s (BITC) coveted national Big Tick for its work to tackle financial exclusion in partnership with credit unions.

The Big Tick award is the first level of award available to entrants of the national BITC Awards for Excellence, which recognises inspirational programmes that are making a positive impact on the community, the environment or wider society.

Northern Rock’s contribution, which involved volunteers skilled in a number of disciplines, helping to rebrand and relaunch South Tyneside Credit Union as Bridges Your Community Bank, has also been shortlisted for consideration for the title of Example of Excellence – the overall winner for the Building Stronger Communities category.

The final results will be announced at the BITC Awards for Excellence Gala Event, sponsored by Unilever, which will be held at the Royal Albert Hall on 5 July.

Northern Rock’s Customer and Commercial Director Andy Tate said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this Big Tick in recognition of our important work in the local community, in this instance for our work with Bridges.

“We are also honoured to have been shortlisted for the overall Example of Excellence and we are very proud of what has been achieved through the dedication of our staff.”

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive of Business in the Community said: “I congratulate Northern Rock on achieving its Big Tick. It is a challenging time for business, but this is a sign that companies are not losing their focus and are transforming their businesses to make a positive impact on people and society; and are prepared to lead by example. That’s what Business in the Community’s Awards for Excellence is all about – celebrating responsible business, the leadership that makes it happen and the benefits to the business and society of doing so.

“Communities and consumers need to see that businesses are proactive, visible and engaged on the big issues of the day, as Northern Rock has demonstrated.”

Representatives from Northern Rock will be presented with the Big Tick award at a regional celebration event at the Gateshead Hilton at the end of June.

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Northern Rock Launches Improved E-bonds

Northern Rock has launched two new improved issues of its online fixed rate e-bond account, providing competitive interest rates for those savers who wish to operate their accounts online. E-bond (Issues 7 and 8 ) will be available from April 2011.

With a minimum deposit of just £1, customers can benefit from a competitive fixed rate of interest until 20 May 2012 on e-bond issue 7, which pays 3.10% gross*/AER** annually, or choose e–bond issue 8, which pays 4.10% gross*/AER** pa, fixed until 20 May 2014. Monthly interest rate options are also available for both products. Accounts must be opened and operated online and initial deposits can be made online by electronic transfer from another bank or building society.

E-Bonds account holders can choose to have their interest paid annually (interest is calculated daily) on 5 August, or monthly (the monthly interest rate is 0.30% below the gross* annual rate) on the 7th of the month (available next business day).

Additional deposits to the fixed rate bonds can be made during the offer period up to a maximum of £250,000 per customer. E-bonds (Issues 7 and 8 ) are non-redeemable and neither issue allows any withdrawals or closure during its respective fixed rate period. The bonds are offered on a strictly limited issue basis and will be withdrawn without notice once fully subscribed. Once withdrawn, no further deposits will be accepted.

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Think Money Welcomes Fall In Repossessions

Financial solutions company Think Money has welcomed news that repossessions fell sharply in 2010, compared with a year earlier, commenting that it suggests the financial circumstances of homeowners may have improved despite difficult economic conditions.

But the company warned that there are still difficult times ahead for many homeowners, especially when interest rates rise.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said there was a 24% drop in the number of repossessions in 2010, compared with 2009, down to 36,300. Meanwhile, the number of households with mortgage arrears amounting to more than 2.5% of the outstanding balance fell by 13%, down to 169,600.

An expert at Think Money commented:

“Any drop in repossessions and arrears is a good sign. Although the economy is still in a difficult position, it’s likely that a lot of homeowners have taken steps to improve their finances, whether that’s through keeping to a tight budget or entering into a debt solution such as a debt management plan before repossession becomes a possibility.

“Leniency from lenders may have also helped, but equally the troubles of the last couple of years will have prompted many homeowners to be more cautious with their money.

“However, it must be noted that there are a lot of people who are only coping with their mortgage repayments because of low interest rates. When interest rates rise – which could happen this year – we may well see many more homeowners in trouble.

“Anyone already struggling or worried about their ability to meet their payments when interest rates rise should not hesitate to get help from an expert. It’s not usually worth waiting for a change to happen – getting help early could greatly reduce the chances of facing repossession.”

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Northern Rock Further Improves Its Award-Winning Mortgage Website

Northern Rock has further enhanced its mortgage website, less than six months after scooping a prestigious award for ‘best use of digital’, with the addition of a new video guide, to help home-buyers through the exciting but sometimes daunting journey of buying their first property.

Northern Rock’s mortgage website was launched in April 2010, and in September won the ‘best use of digital’ accolade at Communicate Magazine’s Digital Impact Awards 2010, held to celebrate excellence in digital stakeholder communications. The site was also named among the contenders for the Financial Services category of the British Interactive Media Association (BIMA)’s annual awards last year, and highly commended for best use of technology at the Mortgage Finance Gazette Awards.

A brand new, animated video guide has now been added to the website, to help steer customers step-by-step through the house-buying process. Using a simple 10-step format, each of the segments covers a different area of the house purchase journey, from setting an affordable budget at the outset, right through to exchange and completion.

The video guide adds a new dimension to the site which is already populated with useful advice and information for different mortgage customer groups. The site also includes a range of interactive tools such as a jargon buster, budget planner and overpayment calculator to help take the complexity out of selecting a mortgage and buying a home. The new guide should prove essential viewing for anyone facing the daunting prospect of looking for a first time buyer mortgage.

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Northern Rock’s Innovative Mortgage Website Scoops Prestigious Award

Northern Rock’s new interactive mortgage website has been commended by a leading magazine for its ‘best use of digital by sector’.

The new Northern Rock mortgage site was launched in April this year and managed to fight off stiff competition to win the prestigious accolade at the Communicate Magazine’s Digital Impact Awards.

The award presentation was held at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill in order to celebrate excellence in digital stakeholder communications.

Northern Rock, along with digital agency TH_NK, who helped design the website, succeeded in beating off stiff competition from FT.com, Echo Research for the Liberal Democrats, Omobono for Ocean Sky, Echo Research for Syngenta and Citigate Dewe Rogerson for TalkTalk, which were also shortlisted for the prize.

The site was created to make it easier for customers to find Northern Rock mortgages and learn more about the purchase process. As well as containing lots of useful advice and information for different customer groups, it also includes a range of new tools such as a jargon buster, budget planner and mortgage overpayment calculator to take the complexity out of the mortgage-selection process.

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London and Country were named Best Mortgage Adviser at the prestigious Money Marketing awards at the end of March

This is the fifth time L&C have won this award in the past seven years; a feat achieved by no other mortgage broker, and reconfirms their position as the preeminent mortgage broker in the UK.

London and Country were named Best Mortgage Adviser at the prestigious Money Marketing awards at the end of March

The judges applauded L&C’s customer focus and excellent performance, despite the most challenging of market conditions. David Hollingworth, Head of Communication at L&C said, ‘we were delighted to win the Money Marketing Best Mortgage Adviser Award for the fifth time. It is testimony to the hard work and dedication of our staff. In the extremely difficult market conditions we are currently operating in, it is clear that our no fee, whole of market proposition is attractive to a growing number of consumers.’

London & Country (L&C) is the UK’s leading no-fee mortgage broker. Based in Bath, it provides whole of market advice via telephone and post to clients nationwide. As well as residential mortgages, it also specialises in the Buy-to-Let and adverse-credit sectors.

L&C is a Climate Neutral company and for the last seven years has invested in climate friendly projects and tree-planting to help offset its emissions and those of its customers. For more information, go to www.lcplc.co.uk/green.

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Are Secured Loans Improving As A Secured Loans Lender Reenters The Market?

Champion Finance, the Glasgow based finance broker, who have been arranging homeowner loans throughout the whole of the UK for twenty six years, now feel that a new glimmer of hope is being witnessed after what has been a very bleak time for the once so buoyant secured loans industry.

During the recession secured loans fell to less than 20% of their position at the start of 2007. Household names such as First Plus ceased trading. By the beginning of 2010 there was less than a handful of secured loan lenders compared to more than twenty before the recession.

Many homeowners who could have benefitted from these products especially for such purposes as debt consolidation could not obtain the homeowner loans they wanted The self employed were especially adversely affected as self certification of income was completely abolished for those requiring a mortgage or a remortgage and two years fully audited accounts are now required by mortgage lenders.

The good news is that Champion Finance can now offer homeowner loans to self employed without accounts, provided that they have been trading for at least six months, can provide three months bank statements and have a maximum LTV of 60% in their property. This is thanks to Link Loans reentering the secured loans sector and offering these loans through respected intermediaries such as Champion Finance who in addition to being in a position to offer a mortgage and a remortgage from the whole of the market also provide debt advice. Link Loans are now strongly funded by RBS and their reappearance must surely indicate the long awaited resurrection of homeowner secured loans.

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Research Revealed Nearly Half The UK’s Population Have No Life Insurance

Amongst those who currently have  life insurance policies, 53% had no idea how much they would receive if they were to make a claim. This suggests that they don’t know whether they have adequate cover in place. It is also highly likely they haven’t reviewed their cover recently and so could therefore be paying over the odds.

Research Revealed Nearly Half The UK's Population Have No Life Insurance

Richard Morea, Technical Manager at L&C said, “Consumers are clearly burying their heads in the sand and adopting an ‘it won’t happen to me’ stance.  We urge people with no cover to take action now to protect their family in the event of the unforeseen happening. Those with cover should understand exactly what it will provide in the event of a claim. If it is sufficient, they should review the cost. L&C’s online  1 minute life insurance check calculator will quickly show them if savings can be made. In addition they should review whether their cover is still adequate and if it’s not take expert advice’.

For a free life insurance review, speak to one of L&C’s expert advisers on 0800 073 1932.

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Attractive Range Of Exclusive Mortgage Deals By London and Country

Not only have the major lenders competed with one another to offer best buy mortgage deals but some of the smaller lenders have also been keen to flex their muscle in the market.

Attractive Range Of Exclusive Mortgage Deals By London and Country

This has resulted in London and Country having a number of attractive exclusive mortgages to offer customers.

These include a 2 year fixed rate up to 80% Loan To Value (LTV) from Market Harborough at 3.6% with a £1094 fee and free valuation and legal work for remortgages, and a 3.49% tracker from Furness, available up to 80% LTV with a low £199 fee and free valuation and legal work for remortgages.

David Hollingworth, Head of Communication at L&C said, ‘it is pleasing to see more competitive mortgages return to the market, particularly at higher LTVs. This means more people can get mortgage finance than previously and those looking for a mortgage at present can take advantage of some great value schemes’.

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First Time Buyers Shouldn’t Panic Following Stamp Duty Changes, Says UK Broker

First time buyers who didn’t manage to find a new home before the government’s stamp duty concession ended shouldn’t despair, says a leading UK mortgage broker.

In an effort to tempt buyers into the market, the government removed the stamp duty levy on properties costing under £175,000 for just over a year, but the threshold was lowered back to £125,000 at the start of 2010.

Figures released this month by the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that prior to the deadline there was a spike in the number of loan completions in the final month of 2009.

A total of 10,300 first time buyers had their loan applications approved in December for properties in the £125,000 to £175,000 bracket. The figure, up 63 per cent from November, is believed to be a direct result of people rushing to complete house purchases before January 1 in order to avoid paying an extra 1 per cent stamp duty charge.

Stuart Codling, managing director of Salford-based whole of market mortgage broker, The Mortgage Point, said potential buyers shouldn’t be disheartened as some of the best mortgage deals are still out there for first time buyer, both in terms of property prices and first time buyer mortgage products.

He said: “Buying your first property is a substantial commitment and first time buyers especially have to work to a very tight budget.

“Stamp duty now has to be paid once again on properties valued in excess of £125,000 and house prices are starting to rise. However, first time buyers still have an opportunity to get their feet on the property ladder. Although activity is increasing in the market, some of the best mortgage deals are still to be had.

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Go Independent For The Best Mortgage Advice

One of the major advantages of today’s world is that we have choices in nearly everything we buy.

And considering that a mortgage is probably the biggest financial commitment we will ever make, then it’s the one decision that we should have some help with, to ensure that we get the best deal for our individual circumstances. That’s precisely why talking to an Independent Financial Adviser is a good move, according to Stuart Codling of Manchester-based mortgage broker The Mortgage Point.

“We’ve become so used to shopping around before making big purchase decisions, yet when it comes to the major issue of choosing a mortgage, so many people head straight for the bank or building society where they are already a customer,” says Stuart.

“But that’s like buying a car just because you like the colour,” he adds. “It’s a decision which ignores the most important reasons why we should choose one particular product over all the others.”

The Mortgage Point is an authorised Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), which means it can consider the whole of the mortgage market when suggesting the best mortgage deals available for every individual customer.

That means an adviser will take into account such fundamental considerations as the benefits provided, flexibility, and level of charges for every mortgage product available, before making a recommendation based on their knowledge of the market, and each client’s own needs. Meeting with an IFA is even more crucial for those who are looking for first time buyer mortgages as the individual candidate will most likely be on a budget.

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What SVR Does Your Lender Charge

These changes will affect any borrower that is on an SVR or an SVR-linked product (generally known as a discounted rate) and if your mortgage rate is going up then this will clearly lead to an increase in your monthly repayments.

What SVR Does Your Lender Charge

L& C’s SVR watch table gives an overview of the impact of some of these SVR increases on borrowers’ monthly mortgage payments. Borrowers can personalise the numbers to reflect their own situation using L&C’s rate change calculator.

Borrowers should be keeping a sharp eye on their mortgage rate at the moment and making sure that they’re not paying more than they need to. Richard Morea, technical manager at L&C says “with Standard Variable Rates being increased, it makes a lot of sense to review whether you have the best deal, particularly as the mortgage market has become more competitive recently.”

London & Country (L&C) is the UK’s leading no-fee mortgage broker. Based in Bath, it provides whole of market advice via telephone and post to clients nationwide. As well as residential mortgages, it also specialises in the Buy-to-Let and adverse-credit sectors.

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Interest Rates Are Held, But Mortgage Lenders Hike Their SVRs

2010 has started with yet another interest rate hold by the Bank of England – the tenth consecutive hold decision since Bank Rate was cut in March to an all-time low of 0.5%.

Interest Rates Are Held, But Mortgage Lenders Hike Their SVRs

Mortgage lenders Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) have also been very low over the last year, but despite Bank Rate remaining unchanged, a number of lenders have been increasing their SVRs – pushing up mortgage costs for thousands of borrowers. As this trend continues, more and more borrowers should consider switching their mortgage to a new deal.

Although SVRs tend to follow the Bank Rate, lenders can change their own rate at their discretion. Lenders such as C&G and Nationwide have rules in place which guarantee that their SVRs can be no more than 2% above the Bank’s base rate, but other lenders have no such restriction.

While the SVRs of both C&G and Nationwide remain at 2.5%, a number of lenders have recently increased their rates and some are now charging more than twice that rate. Marsden Building Society recently announced an increase in SVR from 5.49% to 5.95% effective this month and Kent Reliance increased theirs by 0.3% to a huge 6.08% from 1st December.

Others have increased by even bigger margins. Accord (part of Yorkshire Building Society), last month raised its SVR by 0.65% and Cambridge Building Society went up by 0.59%.

Most recently, Mansfield Building Society announced that it was increasing its SVR by 0.35% to 5.59% – effective from the 11th January for existing borrowers.

David Hollingworth, Head of Communications for L&C, said, “Following these rises, the gap between the lowest and highest SVRs is now more than 3.5%, so depending on which lender you’re with, paying the Standard Variable Rate could prove costly.

“If you’ve been paying your lender’s SVR, don’t just assume that it’s the best rate for you at the moment – you could be paying more than you have to and you could see you monthly mortgage payments increase out of the blue.”

A simple way to check if you’re paying too much for your mortgage is to use L&C’s 1 Minute Mortgage Check answer 3 simple questions and they’ll tell you if you could save money on your mortgage.

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End of the Stamp Duty Holiday

The Pre Budget Report did not bring an extension of the stamp duty exemption for property purchases up to £175,000, which means purchasers will face a stamp duty bill of up to £1,750 next year.

Commenting, David Hollingworth at L&C Mortgages said, “With much larger deposits required to secure a mortgage the exemption did at least help reduce the hefty cost of buying a home and its demise will not be welcomed by first time buyers in particular. Those that are currently in the process of buying will need to keep well on top of things to ensure they complete their mortgage before the end of the year. Ensure that your solicitor will be available over the Christmas period and that all is in hand.

Those coming fresh to the market now would need a minor miracle to complete their purchase before the deadline.”

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Borrowers With Interest Only Mortgages Need Only Answer 3 Questions

Borrowers with interest only mortgages need only answer 3 questions – the current value of their property, the size of their mortgage and either their current monthly mortgage payment or interest rate. Borrowers on a repayment mortgage will also need to know the remaining term on their mortgage. The calculator checks against L&C’s comprehensive mortgage product database to see if there is a mortgage deal that could save the borrower money.

Now house prices are starting to show signs of recovery, more and more borrowers will find themselves in a position where they can switch and save. The One Minute Mortgage check offers a quick and easy way to see if the time is right to switch. The One Minute Mortgage Check calculator is available at www.lcplc.co.uk/check

London & Country (L&C) is the UK’s leading no-fee mortgage broker. Based in Bath, it provides whole of market advice via telephone and post to clients nationwide. As well as residential mortgages, it also specialises in the Buy-to-Let and adverse-credit sectors.

L&C is a Climate Neutral company and for the last seven years has invested in climate friendly projects and tree-planting to help offset its emissions and those of its customers. For more information, go to http://www.lcplc.co.uk/green.

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Recession Raises Fear Of Identity Theft

New research from Lloyds TSB has revealed 76% of adults are currently worried about identity theft and 39% feel more at risk now than they did six months ago, with the recession playing a major contributing factor. The research was conducted September 2009 by ICM for Lloyds TSB amongst 1,000 UK adults aged 18+ years.

Over half (52%) of those concerned about ID theft believe that the recession has increased the risk as rising unemployment drives more people towards criminal activity and ID theft. Coupled with this, is the fear expressed by 57% of people that social networking sites have made it easier to steal personal details – a 10% increase on those with the same worries last year.

The study shows that as many as 38% of Brits have experienced ID fraud, with almost half of those (18%) having been victims personally. However, 57% of those surveyed admit that they have not done enough to protect themselves and 25% don’t know how.

According to CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, it takes an estimated 48 man hours to repair the damage resulting from fraud, and the cost to victims is frequently as high as £8,000. Typically, it takes an average of 539 days for someone to discover that they’ve been a victim of ID theft and it is on the increase; latest CIFAS figures show that it increased by 15% in 2008.

To combat this growing trend, Lloyds TSB has launched its ID Aware prevention and advisory service to help protect customers and bring them peace of mind.

Lloyds TSB’s ID Aware product allows customers to stay on top of their credit status and safeguard their identity, providing credit monitoring services and an early warning system to alert the customer to any activity involving their account. In addition, customers benefit from access to their credit status and payment history in one easy-to-understand document showing all credit cards, mortgages and loans. Credit alerts to warn the customer in the event that someone has been checking their credit status or doing anything fraudulent that affects their credit score. And if the worst should happen, expert help is on-hand. ID Aware provides 24 hour access to an advisor who will take control and set everything back on track.

Jatin Patel, spokesperson for Lloyds TSB commented: “As technology improves, it gets easier and easier for criminals to steal our identities and during tough economic times the temptation becomes greater. Protecting ourselves by shredding documents and protecting passwords is a good start, but having someone else keep an eye on your ID offers extra peace of mind.”

Lloyds TSB is also offering help and guidance through the National Identity Fraud Prevention Week (NIFP) which Lloyds TSB has supported from its birth in 2005. The Group will be putting up posters and providing leaflets in branches detailing ways to spot potential fraud. The bank is also giving information on how customers can protect themselves by safeguarding documents and making it as difficult as possible for criminals to access personal information.

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Tracker Rate Mortgages Gain In Popularity

So far this year, fixed rate mortgages have been by far the most popular choice of deal as borrowers have sought the security of a fixed rate during the recession.

Gain

However, August has seen an increase in interest for tracker rates which are linked directly to the Bank of England Rate. Earlier this month, the Bank of England announced it was keeping rates on hold at an all-time low of 0.5%. It then published its Quarterly Inflation Report and predicted that rates would remain at their record low for some time to come.

Richard Morea, Technical Manager at L&C said, “With signs that interest rates could remain at 0.5% into 2010, many borrowers are deciding that they are willing to take the risk of having a variable mortgage rate, in order to benefit from low interest rates. Tracker mortgages are not for everyone though – if you’re on a tight budget and are worried about being able to afford a rise in mortgage payments, then a fixed rate mortgage is still a good bet.”

London & Country (L&C) is the UK’s leading no-fee mortgage broker. Based in Bath, it provides whole of market advice via telephone and post to clients nationwide. As well as residential mortgages, it also specialises in the Buy-to-Let and adverse-credit sectors.

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Best Buy Mortgages Are Available Under 3% Fixed For 2 Years And Under 5% Fixed For 5 Years

A number of factors have contributed to this. Firstly, it’s widely recognised that we are at or near the bottom of the interest rate cycle. Base rate could only fall by another 0.5% at most and in the May meeting of the Bank of England, base rate was held for the second month in a row. Consumers are looking to secure a fixed rate deal whilst rates are at their lowest. Best Buy Mortgages are available under 3% fixed for 2 years and under 5% fixed for 5 years. These fixed rate mortgage deals compare favourably with historical rates linked to lenders’ standard variable rates (SVR).

Best Buy Mortgages

Secondly there is widespread concern that when rates start to rise, they will rise sharply and so monthly repayments on mortgages linked to Bank of England Base Rate or a lender’s SVR will increase significantly over a short period of time. Securing a good fixed rate deal now will mitigate that risk.

Thirdly there is limited availability of mortgages for those with relatively small deposits (15% of house value or less) and so consumers in this situation are grabbing fixed rate mortgages whilst they still can.

Finally, as house prices have fallen, consumers have found that the value of their mortgage relative to the value of their home has increased. As the best fixed rate mortgage deals are available below 75% loan to value (ltv) it is sensible for consumers to fix their mortgage rate in case their property value falls further and the best mortgage deals are no longer available to them.

Potential borrowers wanting to secure a fixed rate mortgage deal can see the range of leading deals currently available at www.lcplc.co.uk/bestbuys. For more information and no-fee advice, borrowers can call free on 0800 373300 or request a call back.

London and Country Mortgages Ltd is the country’s leading whole of market no-fee mortgage broker and submitted over £4bn of mortgages to over 70 lenders in 2008. For more information visit our website London & Country Mortgages. L&C is a Climate Neutral company and for the last seven years has invested in climate friendly projects and tree-planting to help offset its emissions and those of its customers.

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90% of Consumers Choosing Fixed Rate Mortgages

A number of factors have contributed to this. Firstly, it’s widely recognised that we are at or near the bottom of the interest rate cycle. Base rate could only fall by another 0.5% at most and in the May meeting of the Bank of England, base rate was held for the second month in a row. Consumers are looking to secure a fixed rate deal whilst rates are at their lowest. Best Buy Mortgages are available under 3% fixed for 2 years and under 5% fixed for 5 years. These fixed rate mortgage deals compare favourably with historical rates linked to lenders’ standard variable rates (SVR).

Secondly there is widespread concern that when rates start to rise, they will rise sharply and so monthly repayments on mortgages linked to Bank of England Base Rate or a lender’s SVR will increase significantly over a short period of time. Securing a good fixed rate deal now will mitigate that risk.

Thirdly there is limited availability of mortgages for those with relatively small deposits (15% of house value or less) and so consumers in this situation are grabbing fixed rate mortgages whilst they still can.

Finally, as house prices have fallen, consumers have found that the value of their mortgage relative to the value of their home has increased. As the best fixed rate mortgage deals are available below 75% loan to value (ltv) it is sensible for consumers to fix their mortgage rate in case their property value falls further and the best mortgage deals are no longer available to them.

Potential borrowers wanting to secure a fixed rate mortgage deal can see the range of leading deals currently available at www.lcplc.co.uk/bestbuys .For more information and no-fee advice, borrowers can call free on 0800 373300 or request a call back.

London and Country Mortgages Ltd is the country’s leading whole of market no-fee mortgage broker and submitted over £4bn of mortgages to over 70 lenders in 2008. For more information visit our website London & Country Mortgages

L&C is a Climate Neutral company and for the last seven years has invested in climate friendly projects and tree-planting to help offset its emissions and those of its customers.

L&C has won numerous awards including:

Best Mortgage IFA/Adviser of the Year – Money Marketing, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008
Best Technology Adviser – Money Marketing 2007
Best Mortgage Broker outside London – Mortgage Strategy, 2004 and 2005
Best National Broker – Mortgage Introducer 2005, 2006 and 2007
Best Overall Broker – Mortgage Introducer 2005
Overall broker of the year – Pink Home Loans, 2006 and 2007
Top 100 company in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for 2004 and 2005
Business of the Year – The Bath Business Awards 2005
Growth Strategy of the Year – National Business Awards (Wales and West) 2008
Business Leader (Broker) – British Mortgage Awards – 2008
Online Mortgage IFA of the Year – Financial Adviser – 2008

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