United Trust Bank (UTB) Mortgages for Intermediaries has expanded its offering to include new build properties in its range of residential mortgage and buy-to-let (BTL) products. The move follows a recent reprice, with interest rates starting from 4.84% for BTL and 5.99% for residential mortgages, and a restructure and widening of its credit criteria with new acceptable adverse rules across its range. With evidence of an appropriate new build warranty or certificate, UTB will accept off-plan purchases, subject to re-inspection before completion or maximum 5% new build incentives, including builder’s deposit. All other criteria and product features are the same as standard, including residential mortgages up to 85% LTV and £1m, with interest rates from 5.99%, and BTL products up to 80% LTV and £1.5m with rates starting from 4.84%.

CHL Mortgages has made additions to its existing product range, including a 3.5% product fee option across all of its LTV bands. Products are now available with 2%, 3.5%, 5% and 7% fee options on LTV bandings of 55%, 65%, 70% and 75%. Interest rates now start from 3.20% for a standard BTL, with HMO/MUFB products starting from 3.22%. These starting rates are for two-year fixed products up to 55% LTV, with a 7% product fee. Five-year fixed products are also available, starting from 4.55% for a standard BTL with HMO/MUFB products from 4.62%.

Just Mortgages has revealed that brokers across its employed and self-employed divisions outperformed the market in 2023. Despite higher interest rates, affordability challenges and a drop in the market of 28%, the mortgage broker said that both divisions wrote over 30,000 mortgage applications. Gross mortgage lending at Just Mortgages also remained high compared to the previous year, surpassing £4bn. Meanwhile, average case sizes rose across the board at the firm, with protection sales increasing by 3% in 2023, despite the overall protection market shrinking by 10% in 2023. Furthermore, Just Mortgages’ self-employed division continued to increase its headcount, getting closer to its next milestone of 500 advisers, currently boasting more than 650 advisers across its national network.

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