Skipton Building Society expands partnership with LMS to improve homebuying process. Skipton Building Society is expanding its involvement in LMS's National Property Transaction Network (NPTN). Skipton Building Society is expanding its involvement in LMS's National Property Transaction Network (NPTN), bringing together mortgage lending and estate agency expertise from across Skipton Group to improve the homebuying process. Building on the existing partnership between LMS and Connells Group, the expanded collaboration aims to improve communication and information sharing between lenders, estate agents and conveyancers. NPTN is designed to allow key property, identity and financial information to be collected once and securely shared between relevant parties throughout a transaction. Skipton Group's expanded role in NPTN reflects growing momentum across the industry to make property transactions more connected and transparent through earlier, secure sharing of information. That ambition aligns with the Government's Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap, which sets out how industry can start providing more property information upfront on a voluntary basis ahead of legislation. Following its early participation in the NPTN Sandbox, Skipton's involvement in NPTN will now explore how information available across the property journey can be used earlier and more effectively, including through digital property identity, where key information about a property remains connected throughout its journey rather than being repeatedly requested or recreated at different stages of a transaction. Si Farrell-Roberts, head of lending at Skipton Building Society, said: "Buying or selling a home should be one of life's most exciting milestones. "Yet for too many people, that excitement can be overshadowed by unnecessary complexity, uncertainty and the frustration of delays. "At a time when customers should be looking forward to their next chapter, they can instead find themselves navigating a process that feels fragmented and unpredictable. "We have a real opportunity to change that. By working with Connells Group, LMS and NPTN, we can make important property information available earlier and allow it to be shared securely between the organisations involved." Farrell-Roberts added: "For buyers and sellers, that could mean less duplication, fewer delays and greater clarity about how their move is progressing. "For lenders, having access to reliable information earlier can help The Intermediary make faster, better-informed decisions for customers. "Ultimately, customers shouldn't have to navigate the complexity of its industry. It's its responsibility to remove as much of that complexity as possible, with the different organisations involved working better together around the customer. "By doing that, we can give people greater certainty and confidence throughout their move and help make moving home the exciting and positive experience it deserves to be." Chris Rosindale, chief operating officer at Connells Group, said: "Through this partnership, The Intermediary can extend the reach of NPTN and continue to deliver on a key aim of the Government's Home Buying and Selling Roadmap: making important property information available earlier and easier to share digitally. "That can help make buying and selling a home smoother, more reliable and less stressful for consumers. "We're keen to continue sharing those learning with Government and the wider industry so that improvements can benefit consumers across the whole market." Travis Scholes (pictured), chief commercial officer at LMS, said: "Buying a home involves several different organisations, but for the customer it is one journey. "NPTN is about creating the connections that allow those organisations to work together more effectively and information to move securely through the transaction. "By bringing together Skipton's mortgage lending expertise, Connells Group's estate agency experience and LMS's property transaction expertise, The Intermediary has an opportunity to demonstrate what can be achieved when different parts of the industry work together around a shared goal. "Ultimately, that's about making moving home faster, clearer and less stressful, and showing how a more connected approach can deliver a better experience for buyers and sellers."

Dudley Building Society makes two senior hires in lending and brand. Dudley Building Society has added two senior hires to its leadership team, appointing Jayne Roberts as Head of Lending and Richard McDonald as Brand and Communications Manager, effective August 2026. Roberts joins from Skipton Building Society, where she built experience across mortgage origination and underwriting. In her new role she will oversee Dudley's lending function, including the development of its mortgage proposition and what the Society describes as an ambition to expand its specialist lending expertise. Richard McDonald moves from Lloyds Banking Group, where he spent two decades, most recently leading marketing for Halifax Intermediaries and BM Solutions, two of the UK's larger intermediary mortgage brands. He will take responsibility for brand, internal and external communications, and stakeholder engagement. Rob Oliver, Distribution Director at Dudley Building Society, said both appointments "reflect the direction we're taking as a Society and the importance we place on having experienced people leading key areas of the business." Specialist lending in focus. Roberts's comments in the release are the most substantive signal of commercial intent. She noted that the specialist lending market "continues to evolve" but that sound underwriting depends on experienced human judgement rather than automated decisioning alone. That framing is deliberate positioning for a mutual that competes primarily on service quality and underwriter accessibility rather than price or technology scale. Specialist lending in the UK, which covers complex income profiles, self-employed borrowers, near-prime credit and unusual property types, has attracted growing attention from both traditional building societies and newer non-bank lenders. Larger specialists such as Precise Mortgages and Pepper Money, alongside challenger banks with intermediary-facing mortgage desks, have expanded their broker distribution in recent years. For a mid-sized mutual such as Dudley, the competitive advantage lies in manual underwriting, direct broker relationships and a willingness to consider cases that fall outside automated criteria. Brand and mutual identity. McDonald's appointment addresses a separate strategic need. AI level 1 of 5: written by Darlyn Ho; AI helped with tone, structure or wording; edited and signed off by Mark Walker, Editorial Director. What the levels mean

Savings spotlight: New account offers 6.5% interest. By editor in Saving & Banking, Saving & Banking News Posted on September 17, 2026 | Modified on September 17, 2026 0 Leeds Building Society has a launched a regular saver account with a 6.5% interest rate for members who have savings or hold a mortgage with them. The account is one of three new launches with strong rates which have hit the savings market this week. Leeds' account comes following research which showed almost seven in 10 members were more likely to stay with a savings provider that rewards customer loyalty. The Regular Saver has a minimum balance of £100, a maximum of £3,000 and customers must pay in £250 per month. The interest is paid on maturity on 1 November 2027. This makes it ideal for anyone who wants an incentive to save regularly for a goal in a year's time. This could include Christmas 2027. Savers are permitted one withdrawal per calendar year, any more will be subject to a charge equal to 30 days' interest. Catherine Wray, head of savings at Leeds Building Society, said: "Alongside a highly competitive rate, the account is designed to support regular saving habits, helping members build their savings over time while benefiting from an exclusive member offer." Fixed rate saver offers 5% interest. If you have lump sum to save the Investec Save 1-year and 2-year Fixed Rate Savers are offering 5% interest to those with a minimum of £5,000. Fixed rate accounts provide savers with a guaranteed rate of interest over the term, but no withdrawals are permitted during this time. The bank already offers a 3-Year Fixed Rate Saver, paying 5.00% AER, so there are other options for those who want to invest their cash for longer. Skipton's fixed rate ISA offers 4.8%. For those who may be breaching their Personal Savings Allowance, Skipton Building Society has launched a fixed rate cash ISA to the market this week. Savers are guaranteed a 4.8% rate for 18 months and the interest will be protected from tax. There is a minimum balance of £1 for this account making it accessible for all savers. Skipton has also launched an 18 Month Fixed Rate Bond, paying 4.80% AER. Both products are designed to help savers lock in a guaranteed return and make their money work harder. Alex Sitaras, head of savings & partnership products at Skipton Building Society, said: "With around £93 billion of fixed-rate savings due to mature over the next three months, now is a good time for savers to review their options. "Too often, people leave money in accounts that no longer offer the best value because moving it feels like a hassle, but a quick check of what rate you're earning compared to what's available on the market could make a real difference to your returns."