News & Insights
We cover hot news stories and give our honest opinion on developments, risks and opportunities.
Our news stories can be in the form of e-shots, ‘white papers’ or social media commentary, but we will not comment on trivial matters – You can catch up on our previous commentaries below.
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Global Volatility – the impact on UK lenders and asset holders
The most significant current risk to UK lenders is geopolitical and macroeconomic instability. For CROs, geopolitical risk is no longer a background issue — it requires input into credit models,…
Why the collapse of US auto finance lenders matters for UK mortgages By John Barbour, chief executive, Rockstead
At first glance, the failure of a US car finance provider might appear to have little relevance to UK mortgages. Yet a number of lending frauds in the US private…
Servicers Back Under the Microscope
In today’s climate, the oversight of third-party servicers is not just an operational concern—it’s a strategic imperative for risk management. With regulatory scrutiny intensifying and customer outcomes under the spotlight,…
Private Credit – New Risks
The global financial crash of 2008 revealed the dangers of financial contagion. What began as a collapse in the United States subprime mortgage market rapidly evolved into a worldwide banking…
The retirement of the Building Society Sourcebook
As policymakers continue to shift their focus from consumer protection to growth, building societies are on the brink of a new competitive landscape, due to the imminent retirement of the…
Funding volatility is reshaping lending
UK lender funding models are going through significant structural change, as investor and regulatory scrutiny on loan book performance increases. The emerging position is that lenders who can demonstrate portfolio…
Lines of defence back in the spotlight
Regulator fines have featured regularly in our think-pieces ever since our formation in 2008. Over the years the amounts in various sanctions have been eye-watering. We have also spoken over…
Consolidation is back on the agenda
Last month 10 of the Rockstead team, along with approximately 5,000 delegates, attended Global ABS in Barcelona. For over a decade Rockstead has supported this event and without doubt, this…
Global ABS Barcelona – let’s continue the conversation
We were delighted to attend Global ABS Barcelona 2025 – a fantastic opportunity to connect with the market and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing our industry.
We are heading back to Global ABS – let’s meet up!
We’re thrilled to announce that Rockstead will be returning to Global ABS in Barcelona this June—and this time, we’re bringing 10 of our finest team members to make sure we…
Have regulators started to tear down barriers?
It’s nearly 6 months since the Chancellor challenged key regulators to ‘tear down the regulatory barriers’ that hold back economic growth. This week however, both the PRA and FCA used…
Transitional Risk and EPCs
Even though it is a reasonably recent category, transitional risk is going to be a significant issue for lenders, servicers or holders of buy to let mortgage assets.
Horizon scanning for risk managers
Regulators often remind firms that they are expected to learn from all their outputs, so risk manager horizon scanning should not be limited to regulator rules and updates. Their scanning…
Managing risks in a light touch world
We have seen several market cycles and in most cases regulation and regulators are seen as followers, tightening regulation after an event - ‘after the horse has bolted’ if you…
The FCA continues to drive for consumer protection
The FCA final guidance (FG24/2) has just come into force, replacing and building on the earlier Covid Tailored Support Guidance, and further protecting the ongoing needs of borrowers in financial…
The fines keep coming….
Less than a month ago we wrote about the ‘cost of non-compliance’ exceeding £1bn for poor arrears handling, through FCA fines and redress. Since then, we have seen yet another…
