Here at Retirement Advantage we’re really passionate about supporting advisers, and that’s why we give you direct access to our underwriters. You can pick up the phone and speak to them, or email them directly to talk through any potential applications you might have.

Our underwriters have a wealth of experience, and they take a ‘common-sense’ approach to your cases. This means that they’ll take more unusual cases into consideration, rather than just rejecting them outright.

They want to make sure that we’re as flexible as possible, to provide the best outcomes for you and your clients. Wherever they can they’ll look for a solution for your case, and they’ll do their best to place it.

Here are a few examples of cases that we’ll be able to consider that you might not be able to place elsewhere. We’ll accept:

  • Ex-local authority houses, dependant on location
  • Flats above commercial premises
  • Flat roofs up to 45%
  • Underpinned properties, with the relevant guarantees in place
  • Properties in a flood risk area, and properties that have been flooded, as long as it’s not in the last 5 years
  • Customers who are married, but only one of them is on the deeds (as long as the other is happy to sign an occupancy waiver)
  • Customers with poor credit history, with no limits on the value/number of defaults
  • Customers with satisfied or unsatisfied CCJs
  • Customers with discharged bankruptcies and IVAs, as long as they have a certificate of discharge and all funds have been repaid
  • Customers with mortgage arrears
  • Customers with debt management plans
  • Lodgers, as long as they’re living in the property on an informal basis, with no locks on internal doors

Don’t forget that we also offer bespoke underwriting for cases that fall outside of our standard lending criteria. The exception cases are reviewed on a case by case basis by our underwriters. For our bespoke underwriting we’ll consider:

  • Properties with a flat roof in excess of 45% of the total roof area
  • Ex-local authority flats
  • Leasehold houses
  • Properties adjacent to commercial premises (this will be subject to the type of commercial activities)
  • Flats in blocks in excess of 6 floors (in our typical underwriting criteria we will accept a maximum of 6 storeys, with a lift and 4 storeys without)
  • Listed properties

We restrict these applications to a smaller set of our products, and if your clients want to take advantage of our enhanced underwriting criteria, the AER will increase by 0.50%. If you’ve got a case that you think may be eligible for bespoke underwriting, please get in touch with our underwriters before submitting your application, and they’ll see what they can do for you.

If you’d like to talk about a case with our underwriters, you can give them a call on 0800 068 0212 or email them at er-underwriting@retirementadvantage.com.

You’re invited to our case studies webinar

Join Les Pick, Head of Sales, Equity Release, to hear some examples of how our customers use our products, including:

  • Solving the interest only timebomb
  • Paying for long term care
  • Planning for future life events
  • Gifting inheritance early
  • Inadequate pensions savings

You’ll receive a 1 hour CPD certificate once you’ve watched the webinar and completed a short quiz.

If you missed our previous webinar, you can find it on our website. To register for our next webinar on 17th September at 10:30 am, click here.