February 10, 2020
With over £1.2 billion in annualised lending and over 27,000 Second charge mortgages in the 12 months to October 2019 (FLA), the Second Charge market can no longer be considered a niche in the specialist finance sector.
Borne out of the ‘secured loans’ of the past, the Second Charge mortgage market has transformed since 2016, following regulation imposed by the FCA’s Mortgage Credit Directive. The specialist finance sector embraced this transformation, as Second Charge mortgages became subject to the same Mortgage Conduct of Business rules (MCOB) and regulations that apply to First Charge mortgages.
In this post, we’ll define Second Charge mortgages, why they’re important for any mortgage broker and provide 5 best practices for getting started with Second Charge mortgages in your company.
Second Charge mortgages are loans taken out against equity in an owned property. The lender uses this equity as the security, enabling the borrower to raise funds. Because the Second Charge mortgage lender is behind the First should the property be repossessed, the lender takes on more risk, and therefore charges a higher interest rate than you’d see on First Charge mortgages.
Brokers who do not consider Second Charge mortgages when it is appropriate to do so, are in contravention of MCD regulation. This is particularly the case for Directly Authorised brokers who applied to the FCA to add Second Charge permissions to existing First Charge permissions in their scope of services.
And now they are a more mainstream alternative, mortgage intermediaries may recommend Second Charge mortgages to their clients if they are in need of finance where a remortgage, further advance or unsecured lending would be detrimental.
But it’s not just about adherence to regulations. It’s always about delivering the best solution to the customer. If brokers are familiar with and understand the role Second Charge mortgages can play for their clients – then the benefits will naturally become clear. Here is a very high-level overview of these benefits:
Recent figures from the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) support the rising adoption of Second Charge mortgages as a financial solution.
[graphic] Increased 20% in volume of mortgages 18% in value on previous year (to Sep 2019)
[graphic] The rate of Second Charge mortgage repossessions (as a percentage of outstanding agreements) was 0.06% in the twelve months to September 2019.
Whether you’re a new broker, new to Second Charge mortgages or you know all about them but are yet to place a case – remember it’s imperative you consider Second Charge mortgages when it is appropriate to do so. But, with the same rules and regulations as First Charge mortgages, they shouldn’t be a burden on you to place. Despite growth of the market increasing year-on-year, repossession rates were reported at a low of 0.06% in 2019 (up to Sep 2019) – pointing to an increasing professional placement of these mortgages by brokers who recognise them as an ideal solution for their client.
So, could you be missing out on Second Charge mortgages in your broker toolkit?
Get started with Second Charge mortgages right away - download the free broker’s essential guide to Second Charge mortgages.
For a quick chat, a meeting to discuss opportunities, or a more complicated deal on your desk – drop us a line or give us a call today on 020 8731 5333.
This information is intended for professional intermediary use only and must not be distributed to potential customers.
Enterprise Finance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference Number: 302964. Certain types of loans are not regulated, for example loans for business purposes or certain buy-to-lets. Enterprise Finance Ltd is registered with the Information Commissioners Office.
Registration Number: Z6765361 Enterprise Finance Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Company Number: 04440152. Registered Office Address: 3rd Floor, Premiere House, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. WD6 1JH.
This information is intended for professional intermediary use only and must not be distributed to potential customers