Explained
Plain-English guides to the rules and products intermediaries work with.
Regulation · ExplainedCP26/18: what the FCA proposes for bridging loans and RIO mortgagesRegulated bridges could run for up to 24 months including extensions, and joint RIO applications would lose a test lenders say holds back supply.The Editor · 17 October 2026Training · ExplainedHow the main CeMAP study options compare on price, mocks and supportThe exam fee is fixed at £735. On top of it, candidates spend anything from nothing to more than £1,000 on preparation.Lending Intelligence · 17 October 2026Training · ExplainedHow the main DipFA study options compare on price, mocks and supportThe diploma itself costs £1,475. Preparation on top runs from under £10 a module to £1,850 for classroom tuition.Lending Intelligence · 17 October 2026Second charge · ExplainedWhat arrears figures do and don't tell you about second-charge mortgagesSecond charges sit inside the FCA's mortgage statistics but are never shown on their own. No official source publishes their arrears today.Lending Intelligence · 17 October 2026Training · ExplainedWhat qualifications you need to advise on second-charge and later-life mortgagesSecond charges sit under the same competence rules as first charges. Equity release adds a qualification of its own, and bridging a gap.Lending Intelligence · 17 October 2026Second charge · ExplainedWhat clients need to understand before consolidating debts with a second chargeLower monthly payments usually come with a longer term and a higher total cost, and unsecured debts become secured on the home.Lending Intelligence · 12 October 2026Regulation · ExplainedWhat introducers should keep on record under the Consumer DutyThe Duty applies to regulated firms along the distribution chain, introducers included. A short note on each referral answers most later questions.Lending Intelligence · 12 October 2026Regulation · ExplainedWhat MCOB conduct rules mean for introducers of second-charge mortgagesSecond charges moved from consumer credit rules to the mortgage rulebook in 2016. The adviser now carries suitability; the introducer's job is a fair hand-off.Lending Intelligence · 12 October 2026
The Brief
Every Thursday, free: the numbers, rate moves, lender changes and one explainer — in five minutes.