7IM has appointed Chris Justham as its new chief distribution officer.

In this newly expanded role, he will lead intermediary distribution teams across the firm, with a mandate to deliver for and with the investment manager’s clients.

7IM said Justham’s appointment reflects its ambition to become a top three platform and model provider in the UK, building on momentum and a significant increase in its total assets under management to £35bn.

LiveMore has launched a new 2+3-year fixed rate mortgage at 5.84%, providing customers aged 40+ with greater flexibility to reassess their situation as interest rate volatility continues.

The offering provides the security of a five-year fixed rate mortgage with the freedom to exit after two years without a penalty. Early repayment charges (ERCs) only apply for the first two years, at 5% in year one and 4% in year two. In years three, four and five, no ERCs apply.

The product is the latest addition to LiveMore’s Flexi Fix range, which also includes a 3+2-year and 5+5-year fixed product.

Recognise Bank has declared its new office in Milton Keynes fully operational.

The bank has grown its loan book by over 45% in the last year, whilst recently exceeding £600m in deposits. The office brings all bridging and term lending origination operations, plus servicing under ‘one roof’.

The office has been designed to “strengthen collaboration, leadership oversight and operational effectiveness”.

One Mortgage System (OMS) has announced CRM contract renewals with Promise Money and Leith Mortgage Centre.

The agreements will see both firms continue using the OMS platform to improve efficiency and enhance their adviser and customer experiences, further strengthening the technology provider’s relationships with intermediary firms across the UK.

CHL Mortgages has launched a new light refurbishment range to allow landlords looking to carry out non-structural or modernisation works to maximise the rental yield and value of a property.

The new range offers an alternative way to fund the purchase and refurbishment of a property. Rather than following the traditional two-step approach of taking out a bridging loan before securing a long-term buy-to-let product to exit onto once works are completed, borrowers can opt for a single BTL term mortgage solution, removing the need for two sets of legal fees.

Two-year fixes start from 4.40% for single dwelling properties and 4.50% for HMO/MUFBs, while five-year fixes are available from 6.11% for single dwelling properties and 6.21% for HMO/MUFBs.

---