By GEMMA SOMERVILLE gemma.somerville@hexham-courant.co.uk

Last updated 13:32, Thursday, 24 July 2008

NEWCASTLE Building Society’s Equity Release Service is expanding on the back of growing market demand, with the addition of Corbridge-based Brian Baxter to its team of equity release consultants.

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Brian is now responsible for working with customers at the society’s branches across Tynedale, Cumbria, Newcastle and Sunderland, advising clients on their options for releasing funds from their properties.

He is also responsible for training branch staff on the basics of equity release, conducting equity release focus days and being part of the company’s financial services advice seminars.

Brian has been in the financial services industry for almost a quarter of a century, and has spent the last eight years working for the company as a mortgage advisor.

The building society’s equity release service searches all the equity release products available from the UK’s top providers and only deals with reputable firms that follow the Safe Homes Income Plan (SHIP) Code of Practice.

All its consultants are fully qualified equity release advisors, who make personalised recommendations to individual customers which are guaranteed not to create any negative equity.

Retail Sales Executive at Newcastle Building Society Bob Mottershead said: “With the significant rises in house prices over recent years, the concept of equity release has become progressively better understood, and we have experienced considerable levels of demand since the launch of our equity release service three years ago.

“We get around 500 equity release enquiries every month, mostly through our branch network, and our team of consultants is responsible for assessing what are and aren’t the right options for customers, depending on their individual circumstances.

“Brian’s detailed market knowledge and expertise will help him develop the sort of long-term relationships with customers that give them confidence that they’re choosing the right way forward, and his appointment will ensure that the expertise people need to help them make the right decision is readily and locally available.”