Redwood Bank has appointed Chris Butler as regional development manager as part of its ongoing lending expansion.

He brings more than two decades of banking experience across retail and commercial finance, including 19 years at Yorkshire Bank and most recently at Yorkshire Building Society, where he worked closely with brokers across the intermediary market.

In his new role, Butler will focus on developing broker relationships in the North East and Yorkshire.

GB Bank has reduced rates across its buy-to-let (BTL) core range, cutting its two- and three-year fixes by 25 bps and five-year fixes by 20 bps.

Available to intermediaries, rates now start from 4.69% at 65% LTV and 4.92% at 75% LTV. Its core range is available for first-time and professional landlords, limited companies and special purpose vehicles.

GB Bank will also consider HMOs, MUBs, mixed-use properties and complex overseas structures.

Holly Morrison has joined Paragon Bank as its business development manager for Scotland.

With nearly 20 years of experience in financial services, she brings a strong background in the intermediary sector, including roles in Scottish and Dunfermline Building Societies.

Having spent more than eight years at Paragon Bank, Morrison has developed extensive knowledge of the lender’s proposition and has built strong relationships with brokers across the Scottish market.

Pepper Money has cut rates by 0.20% on its full product range, including residential, BTL and affordable home ownership mortgages.

As a result, its limited edition Pepper 48 light rates at 85% LTV now start from 5.79%, while its residential 75% LTV rates are available from 5.55%.

Furthermore, its BTL rates at 70% LTV now start from 4.44% and its shared ownership rates are available from 5.90% at 95% LSV.

Just Mortgages has expanded its partnership with the residential lender, Gen H, with the launch of a new initiative to support shared ownership clients.

The firms have built and launched a new tool which demonstrates how a part and part mortgage could allow shared ownership customers to buy out their housing association’s share entirely, exiting the scheme and switching to full ownership with Gen H.

The new calculator aims to answer the challenges facing customers in staircasing and achieving full home ownership, particularly with the rise in property values.

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