18 February 2008

Retirement Plus announces four extra seminar dates due to overwhelming demand from brokers

Retirement Plus has announced that it will be running a further four home reversion ‘top up’ exam seminars due to the overwhelming demand from brokers and IFAs.

The seminars will be held in the following locations:
6th March – morning seminar – Scotland (Glasgow)
13th March – morning seminar – North East (Washington)
18th March – lunchtime seminar – West London (Heathrow)
26th March – morning seminar – South Wales (nr Cardiff)

The seminars are a direct response to the fact that SHIP has set a deadline for advisers to pass their home reversion top-up exam by April 2008. Any adviser who has not passed the exam by that date cannot claim to be whole of market in equity release and will not be able to do home reversion business with a SHIP member after that date.

To encourage advisers to take the exams Retirement Plus is also refunding the exam costs for those who have attended a seminar and passed the exams in one sitting before 30 April 2008.

Duncan Young, CEO said: “We are absolutely delighted with the response we have had so far. The demand for these seminars highlights the growing importance of equity release in the mortgage market.

“The coaching seminars aim to give brokers and IFAs a broader understanding of the expanding home reversion sector, and the part it plays in the wider equity release market.”

Retirement Plus has also announced that it will be running a seminar as part of this year’s Financial Services Scotland Exhibition. The seminar, a major part of this year’s exhibition, will take place in the Retirement Plus Seminar Suite in the SECC in Glasgow on Thursday 6th March 2008.

For more information on the seminar or to reserve a place please email seminars@retirement-plus.co.uk or visit www.retirement-plus.co.uk. Attendance at the seminar is free, however the numbers are limited.

All media enquiries:
Retirement Plus
Duncan Young, CEO
020 7907 8591 / 07775 783 431

Mainland PR
Zoe Butt / Neil Mainland / Melanie Bradley
020 3008 7400

Editor’s notes
• Exams must be passed in one sitting by 30 April 2008.
• Retirement Plus will refund a maximum of £70.00 depending on whether you sit the CII (HR1) or IFS exams.

About Retirement Plus

Retirement Plus is a Milton Homes company. The Retirement Plus Property Plan is a home reversion plan which allows UK residents aged 65 or older to receive full market value for a share of their property at the start of the plan, in return for which they grant Retirement Plus an option to acquire an increasing beneficial share in the property over the life of the Plan. Significantly, this product means the owner can release their share of the property over time, rather than giving up the full amount at inception (as is the case with a standard home reversion). The homeowner can also elect to retain a “protected share” of the property.

Retirement Plus is authorised and regulated by the FSA and is a member of SHIP, the body which is dedicated entirely to the protection of planholders and to the promotion of safe home income and equity release plans. Retirement Plus only accepts business from customers who have received advice from brokers registered with the Financial Services Authority.
Website: www.retirement-plus.co.uk