Following extensive consultation with mortgage brokers and customers, Swansea Building Society has unveiled a new mortgage product specifically designed to offer medical professionals enhanced terms and a better deal.

The Medical Professional Mortgage Product is designed specifically for cases where the applicant, or one of the applicants in the case of a joint mortgage, is a medical doctor, surgeon or dentist. They might be looking to purchase a property, re-mortgage from another lender, or raise capital against equity in a property.

This new product also allows customers to borrow a higher amount against their income compared with standard mortgage products, subject to meeting affordability rules. Sole customers will be able to borrow up to 5.5 times their sole income (the standard criteria is a multiple of 4.5) while joint customers will be able to borrow up to 5.0 times their joint income (the standard criteria is a multiple of 3.5).

The new product was made available to customers from October 1, 2020.

Alun Williams, chief executive of Swansea Building Society, said:

“We are constantly reviewing what we do based on feedback from customers, brokers and our wider analysis of the mortgage landscape to ensure we are competitive where relevant in the current market.

“In this case, we wanted to develop a product that would reflect the current and future earnings potential of some of our clients who work in the medical profession. We are delighted to be able to roll this product out; we have already had very good feedback from our network of brokers.”

BAUER MEDIA is proud to today detail a new local initiative that Greatest Hits Radio and The Wave will launch within Swansea and South Wales aimed at helping local workers, charities and businesses as they deal with the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Swansea Sound will lead the ‘Getting You Back to Work’ campaign, as it relaunches as Greatest Hits Radioin September. The scheme, which will also run across sister station The Wave, aims to promote local job opportunities both on-air and online. Local employers will be encouraged to submit vacancies for inclusion, allowing them to reach a wide audience of local job-seekers free of charge. Job vacancy bulletins will be broadcast four times a day to local audiences and will be promoted on the relevant Greatest Hits Radio and The Wave websites.
As Swansea Sound gets set to join the Greatest Hits Radio Network, it is also announced today that it will welcome esteemed broadcaster Simon Mayo to its line-up. The former BBC Radio 2 host currently hosts a daytime programme on Greatest Hits Radio’s classical sister station, Scala Radio. However, with this move he’ll be returning to his popular music roots as he presents a new weekend show. ‘The Album Show with Simon Mayo’ will be a weekly three-hour programme dedicated to the greatest albums of all time, including features that explore listeners’ record collections and a weekly Classic Album Countdown. This show aims to celebrate the good times and great memories albums bring as Simon plays their Greatest Hits.
Greatest Hits Radio, which will officially launch across Swansea and South Wales on 1st September, offers listeners the biggest songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s, celebrating music from iconic artists like Blondie, Queen, George Michael, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Elton John and Whitney Houston. The station’s presenters will include a local weekday line-up as well as legendary broadcaster’s Mark Goodier, Paul Gambaccini, Simon Mayo, Janice Long and Pat Sharp on weekends.
Online applications for the ‘Getting You Back to Work’ campaign will open on the 1st September 2020. Employers looking to participate should email jobs@greatesthitsradio.co.ukfor more information on how to apply.
Graham Bryce, Group Managing Director – Hits Radio Network Brand,said, “As we look to the future, we’re very excited to add Simon Mayo to our weekend line-up. Simon’s track record speaks for itself and to have someone of his experience and status join the network adds a new dimension to the Greatest Hits presenter line-up.
“Alongside this, our stations continue to be committed to the local community and we’re proud to launch this initiative to provide a valuable boost at a time of great uncertainty and hardship. We know the pandemic has hit communities across the UK hard, and we want to use our privileged position to promote opportunities.”

The performance of Swansea Building Society’s new, flagship, branch, which opened in Swansea city centre in January 2019, has exceeded all expectations in its first year of trading.

The new branch, on Portland Street, was opened to complement the Society’s head office on Craddock Street and offer customers a more central location to visit the building society. It was hoped it would generate new customers and growth.

This has proved to be the case. Some 1,422 new savings accounts with balances of £21.5 million were opened through the new branch in 2019. Of these, 1,236 were brand new savings customers generating balances of some £19.2 million.

Mortgage balances also enjoyed a positive uplift: some £19.2 million of net mortgage balances were lent in the SA1 and SA4 to SA13 post code areas covered by the new Portland Street branch in 2019.

Jane Parker, branch manager, said: “This represents an excellent performance which positively rewards the Board’s investment in the new premises. We are all extremely proud of the new branch which offers instant access savings accounts and a personal approach to mortgage lending with its focus on niche mortgage products.

“It also confirms there is truth in the old adage: location, location, location. We are thrilled to be located in the heart of the financial district of the city centre and our achievement to date showcases the fact that the Society’s personable, face-to-face business model truly works. Our main focus is to serve the community in a traditional manner. As such, we offer tailor made mortgage products to benefit customers who may find it difficult to be accommodated by other High Street Lenders.”

The new branch is very accessible with members of the public are encouraged to come and speak to the staff without a pre-arranged appointment.

Parker added: “People call in to our smart, friendly environment which offers enhanced facilities for the disabled and a variety of bright, airy, meeting rooms for increased privacy which is definitely appreciated by customers both old and new. The branch has helped improve brand awareness and creates a significantly positive impression compared to some of other city centre empty and deteriorating high street buildings.”

Swansea Building Society’s continued emphasis on the community has been further enhanced by its recent three-year partnership sponsorship with Swansea City Football Club. “We feel we are firmly set on a positive path for continued growth and prosperity,” Parker said.