Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on 5th July 1997?
- frangreen5
- Apr 1, 2016
- 2 min read
I do. It was a Saturday. The weather was warm but otherwise unremarkable and I was in work.
Work at the time was with the Furness Building Society. I was a grade 3 cashier/clerk and I’d drawn the short straw together with my part time colleague Edie Barry to work the weekend. I remember the day clearly because it was the first ever mortgage interview I’d conducted solo and the first ever to be conducted under the new “Voluntary Mortgage Code”, in our branch at least.
Whilst not quite a Titanic Disaster, the combination of a lack of experience and a new regime had unfortunate consequences and I had that poor couple in the excruciatingly small interview room for nearly three hours whilst I read out every single word on the 13 page long document that head office had provided to make sure mortgage interviews were conducted in accordance to the code.
I felt like I was experiencing extreme Déjà Vu when my sister, who works at a national mutual told me of a similar tale relating to her experiences with clients post MMR. That got me thinking…
Through the years, I’ve noticed a pattern … The Mortgage Code, FSMA 2k which lead to M-Day (ironically launching on Halloween!), I-Day, TCF, MMR and on, and on and every time it’s the same. Something changes. We struggle. We then become more familiar with the changes and so we adjust and find a new norm.
Today after quite some time, I have returned to the world of lending as a BDM for Precise. Whilst I’ve been keeping myself up to date, it will be interesting to see what has changed looking from the inside out and what after so long is… the new norm!
If you want to discuss a case where you think we can help, please get in touch on 07884 184740 or email me at fran.green@precisemortgages.co.uk and I’ll be happy to help.
