United Trust Bank (UTB) Mortgages has announced new enhancements to its residential mortgage and second charge loan criteria with increased flexibility on benefits income for affordability, more relaxed requirements for later life lending and enhanced AVM rules for second charge loan applications.
UTB now accepts a wider range of benefits as part of affordability assessments including: Universal Credit (excluding JSA and Housing Benefit), Child Benefit, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment Support Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Maternity Allowance, Child Tax Credit, and Working Family Tax Credit.
The Bank has also revised its lending into retirement approach to provide greater flexibility and clarity where the mortgage term extends beyond planned retirement age or age 70.
In addition, it has updated its independent legal advice requirements, removing the need for applicants aged 75+ at the start of the mortgage term to go through the process, saving them time and money.
Enhanced AVM rules on second charge loan applications
UTB has aligned its confidence levels to give brokers greater flexibility and more opportunities to place cases quickly, delivering faster turnaround times, reducing the requirement for physical valuations and a smoother customer experience.
Up to 85% LTV, UTB requires a minimum confidence score of 5, up to 60% LTV a minimum confidence score of 4, and up to 40% LTV a minimum confidence score of 3.
For loans up to £250,000 UTB will lend up to 75% LTV, on a minimum confidence score of 5 with a maximum property value of £1m.
On properties over £1m, UTB will accept up to 75% LTV, a max gross loan of £150,000 and a minimum confidence score of 6.
The latest announcements follow multiple product, criteria and process improvements made last week, designed to simplify and accelerate application to offer journeys and give brokers a wider choice when placing specialist mortgage cases.
Andrew Ferguson, commercial director of mortgages, buy-to-let and bridging at United Trust Bank said: “These latest changes are all about giving brokers more opportunities to place specialist cases with UTB when applicants rely on benefits or are borrowing into retirement, both of which are growing customer sectors. When you add these to the enhancements announced over the last ten days, you can see that we’ve transformed much of our mortgage and second charge loan criteria and given brokers even more reasons to choose UTB for speed, flexibility, simplicity and certainty.”
