As we went to press it was the first of the month and many of you will have had a hectic period getting here.
Talk of increasingly slow offer-to-completion times is rife, as is that of rising rates and, as Bank of England figures last week showed, of a drop in approval levels. This month’s cover feature, our quarterly lender ratings analysis, highlights which lenders got it right in recent months, and who missed the mark in our panel’s eyes.
Meanwhile, our second feature delves into the issues with conveyancing, particularly free legals, which have been a bugbear of brokers for some time and are holding up mortgage applications considerably.
But, while we have to look at the negative experiences to make changes, it’s important to ‘accentuate the positive’. The summer is coming, and the start of a new month is a great time to reset. Also, while there’s no doubt that your work is valuable, we have all learned more than ever over the past two years that your health is your wealth.
It was so nice once again to celebrate the great work that you all do
I’ve often banged the mental health drum in this column, but we all need to remind ourselves to be conscious of it. A glance at social media shows many brokers are feeling the pressure and there is often a rhetoric in this industry of competition to be the busiest or the most stressed; that’s not a prize you should want to win. Your mental health should always come first, and we need to look after ourselves and each other.
It was great to see so many of you at the Mortgage Strategy Awards on 25 May, relaxing and enjoying the best part of the industry — the people. The fabulous Great Room at the Grosvenor House Hotel was full of good vibes, and it was so nice once again to celebrate the great work that you all do, as taxing as it may be at times!
Everyone who made the shortlist did a phenomenal job in challenging circumstances. If you missed out on being shortlisted, or on winning the top accolade, remember — there’s always next year!
This article featured in the June edition of MS.
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