Countrywide Surveying Services (CSS) has appointed Rebecca Lohoar as its new associate director of client relationships. In her new role at the property risk management, valuations and customer surveys firm, Lohoar will be responsible for maintaining and developing a variety of new and existing customer relationships across mortgage lenders and other property related businesses. She joins CSS with 20 years’ experience, having worked at Hometrack for the past three years, holding the position of senior account manager. Previously, Lohoar worked at Virgin Money for 17 years, holding several roles, her last being a supplier relationship manager.

Accord Mortgages has made changes to its buy-to-let (BTL) range, with the aim of offering better value to brokers and their landlord clients. Rates have been cut by as much as 0.30% and 0.20% across Accord’s three- and five-year product respectively, with several two-year products benefitting from a reduction of as much as 0.15%. The lender has also introduced free standard valuations for all products with a £3,495 fee, which is expected to appeal to landlords purchasing more expensive properties. A two-year fix at 4.79% is now available to landlords purchasing a property up to 60% LTV, with a £3,495 fee. The three-year fix for landlords remortgaging is available at 5.14% up to 65% LTV, with a £995 fee, and the five-year fix for remortgaging clients is available at 4.99% up to 75% LTV, with a £1,995 fee and £250 cashback. These products all come with a free standard valuation.

Mark Newman has been appointed as the new business development manager (BDM) for East Anglia at Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB), being promoted from the role of lending manager. Joining HTB as a lending assessor for new business in 2022 with responsibility for case packaging prior to underwriting, as well as supporting brokers with updates and case queries. He was promoted to lending manager in January 2023, covering the South West region to support HTB’s regional BDM by dealing with new enquiries and reviewing pipeline cases. Reporting to HTB’s sales director for specialist mortgages, Andrea Glasgow, Newman will be responsible for developing new and existing broker relationships and promoting the bank’s proposition in East Anglia.

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