We’re taking a look behind the scenes at CHL Mortgages to show you what happens when you place a mortgage application with us. From the very start of the process through to completion, we’ll introduce you to the teams that make things happen and speak with some of the people that get your cases over the line.
In the first of the series, we’re shining a spotlight on our Lending Support team.
Introducing the Lending Support team
If you’ve ever had a question or needed help with a case, the chances are you’ll have spoken with a member of our Lending Support team.
We caught up with head of secured lending operations Kellye Carter and team leader Melissa Trainor for a quick chat.
Can you tell brokers a little bit more about what the team does?
Kellye: We’re the operational hub for all broker support – a one-stop shop, if you like. We’re the first port of call for all broker onboarding, as well as answering any questions about new registrations, new or existing applications and help understanding our criteria. We also provide support to the other operational teams whenever necessary, including underwriting and completions, and we can help solicitors looking to come onto our panel.
How many calls and emails do you receive each day?
Melissa: How long’s a piece of string?! It varies each day but generally we can receive anything from 50 to 100 calls a day with an average call wait time of just 12 seconds. When it comes to emails, we get between 30 and 80 a day.
We really place value in talking with people and keeping them in the loop, so if it is going to take us longer, we’ll always get in touch with a broker to let them know we’re working on it and will get to them as soon as possible.
How many people work in the team?
Kellye: At the moment, we’ve got nine people providing lending support and we’re looking to grow the team so we can provide even more help and assistance.
What sort of questions are brokers contacting you about?
Melissa: There are always enquiries about criteria requirements or what documentation needs to be sent over, but we also have a lot of conversations with brokers around income or tax statuses not matching the information provided at DIP.
Is there anything brokers can do to speed the application process up?
Kellye: Yes, there are a few quick wins that can speed the process up.
First of all, always make sure to put the right information in the right box. It sounds simple I know, but it’s an easy mistake to make and can delay the process.
Secondly, make sure to upload the correct documentation first time and only upload what we’ve asked for. It sounds counterintuitive as you’d think having more information would help, but everything has to be underwritten which can slow the whole process down.
Finally, if it’s a limited company application, make sure all of the business bank statements are in date. We require three months of statements, including the most recent, which must show salary or pension credits, residential mortgage or rental payments, personal expenses and any rental credits, and, where applicable, portfolio cashflow.
Finally, are there any resources that brokers can access themselves?
Melissa: In the first instance, we’d always encourage brokers to pick up the phone and either speak directly with their business development manager or our telephone support team on 01252 365888. We’re available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. If it’s after hours, our website is packed full of useful information, such as documents and guides, searchable criteria and FAQs and submission checklist which you may find useful.
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