AMI Board elections continue, with the nomination process now concluded and all constituencies progressing to election.  Firm principals within the relevant categories have all been asked to cast their vote, with a deadline of Wednesday the 30^th of April. We will announce our newly elected Board members on Tuesday the 6^th of May.

After three successful years, Working in Mortgages (WIM) – a joint initiative by IMLA and AMI – is relaunching with a renewed mission: to make the mortgage industry fairer and more accessible. The focus is now on two key pillars: Attract new talent and Retain existing professionals by fostering a supportive, inclusive environment. A new Diversity and Inclusion Charter sets clear goals for transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes. With a fresh approach, WIM is calling for new volunteers to help drive meaningful change through both collective action and individual contributions.

I promised to come back to the FCA fees and levies consultation. Whilst some press headlines have focused on the FCA cutting fees and due to a significant increase in financial penalty rebates (the funding requirement for our sector will be less than last year (2024/25)), it’s important to look at the wider picture, as not all mortgage intermediary firms will see reduced 2025/26 fee invoices.

We recognise the impact on firms of rising FCA fees, particularly against a backdrop of increasing business costs and, for some, a decrease in mortgage case income. We are identifying key areas to draw to the FCA’s attention and to focus our lobbying efforts. Where relevant, we will lean on AMI members for insight and support. We have recently released a detailed communication to members providing further insight into the specific fee areas you need to be aware of in our Fees & Levies blog post.