Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has announced that Jake Slade has joined the firm in the new role of business development executive (BDE) for the north east region. The BDE position is designed as an entry point into the business development team, providing a path for those new to the industry. Slade brings six years of specialist lending experience, having previously worked as an internal business development manager at Shawbrook Bank. The appointment coincides with HTB’s new specialist mortgages business development team structure, which provides brokers with a greater level of support and creating an entry point for those entering the industry.

Investec Bank has increased the interest rates on its fixed-rate saver range. As a result, rates now start from 4.60%, jumping from 4.50%. The lender’s one-, two- and three-year fixed rate saver accounts now all pay 4.60% on balances between £5,000 and £250,000, with automatic repayment to a linked current account. No withdrawals are permitted until the end of the term, with no further deposits being made after the first seven days.

Market Financial Solutions has reduced rats across its complex buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage, bridging and bridge fusion ranges. As a result, residential BTL mortgage rates on a two-year fix start from 4.74%, while its three- and five-year fixes start from 5.14% and 5.94% respectively. The cuts comes after the bridge fusion range, which has also seen cuts, was launched in June 2024. It allows a longer erm of up to 36 months, providing increased certainty for borrowers on loans of up to £20m for residential, semi-commercial and commercial properties.

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