The Intermediary – July 2026 - Flipbook - Page 5
From the deputy editor. . .
here is something undeniably
upliing about the mood of the
country at the moment. Perhaps
it is the seemingly endless
spell of sunshine, or perhaps it
was England’s World Cup run
giving everyone another excuse to gather in
pub gardens.
By the time you read this, that particular
optimism has, unfortunately for many, come to
an end. But while England’s World Cup dream
may be over, there is still plenty for our industry
to be optimistic about.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA)
latest mortgage proposals have landed at a
particularly interesting moment. At their heart
is a simple but important question; How do
we help more people achieve homeownership
without compromising the safeguards that
protect consumers?
The consultation sets out a series of targeted
changes. These include giving lenders greater
flexibility to assess borrowers with variable
incomes, such as the self-employed, taking a
more rounded view of applicants with minor
or historic credit issues, updating rules around
retirement interest-only (RIO) lending and
offering greater flexibility on interest-only
mortgages where appropriate.
The conversation has shied from whether
more people should be able to access mortgages
to how that can be achieved responsibly. As
someone hoping to step onto the property ladder
T
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myself within the next year or so, it is difficult
not to follow these discussions with a lile more
than professional curiosity.
Like many prospective first-time buyers
(FTBs), I know that saving a deposit is only one
part of the challenge. Understanding the options
available and finding the right advice can oen
feel just as daunting.
That is why this month’s special focus on
first-time buyers feels particularly timely.
Throughout this issue, we hear from lenders,
brokers and industry leaders alike about the
barriers still facing aspiring homeowners, the
innovations designed to overcome them and
the role advisers continue to play in turning
ambition into reality. What comes through time
and again is that access to homeownership is
about much more than product innovation. It
is about advice and ensuring prospective buyers
understand the options available to them at every
step along the way.
There are no guarantees in football, just as
there are no silver bullets when it comes to
improving access to homeownership. Hope alone
will not win a World Cup or secure a mortgage,
but the right opportunities can make both
ambitions feel considerably more aainable. If
the FCA’s proposals can help turn that optimism
into reality for more first-time buyers, it
could prove to be one of the most significant
conversations our industry has had in years.●
Jessica O’ Connor
@IntermediaryUK
Contributors
The Team
www.facebook.com/IntermediaryUK
FIRST-TIME BUYERS
FOCUS ISSUE
INTERVIEW ⬛ April Mortgages
on product innovation and the
future of first-time buyer lending
OPINION ⬛ Skipton, Metro
Bank, Shawbrook, West One
Loans, Atom bank and more
The
Intermediary.
www.theintermediary.co.uk | Issue 42 | July 2026 | £6
Jessica Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Editor
Jessica O’Connor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deputy Editor
Marvin Onumonu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reporter
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THE EXTRA MILE
Redefining advice for first-time buyers
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