Kate Davies, Senior Policy Adviser, Council of Mortgage Lenders commented:
"This refreshing new approach offers lenders the opportunity to identify potential gaps and weaknesses in their operations and thus prepare themselves better for supervisory visits from the regulator. We hope the current research will provide participants with valuable data, and that they will want to build on the results".

Phil Bunker, Managing Director of ABC Insurance, LV='s business for General Insurance Brokers said:
"LV= are enthusiastic about this structured method for our brokers to be able to test their readiness for TCF. Although we expect our brokers to already have good procedures in place, this non threatening method of checking that they are complying with best practice is a valuable tool for both us and for the brokers concerned".

Clive Kornitzer, Chief Operating Officer, Abbey for Intermediaries:
"This research project will provide a valuable insight into the current state of compliance in the industry. At this stage, having a tool like this can be very beneficial to those intermediaries who are working hard to ensure they remain fully FSA compliant and we are delighted to be part of any project that will provide ongoing support for intermediaries so that they can achieve this".

David Grant, Head of Sales and Marketing at Equity Red Star said:
"With regulation of brokers by the FSA it is important that they constantly audit their activities to make sure they are compliant. It makes commercial sense not only by being able to help demonstrate to the FSA that everything is in place as it should be, but by providing proper advice to clients they are helping to deliver client satisfaction and additional sales".

Stephen Walton, Head of Indirect Products 1st and 2nd Mortgages at CitiGroup commented:
"We are happy to be involved in this worthwhile project".

Phillippa Cardno, Assistant General Manager - Customer Services, Newbury Building Society said:
"We were happy to get involved in this initiative as we value our intermediary contacts and we felt this would be a benefit to them".

Julie Gaskin, Corporate Relations Manager at GMAC RFC said:
"To ensure all firms are FSA compliant and embed its principles into everyday practice, it's imperative that sufficient guidance is given to help brokers identify areas of weakness. This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for the participating firms to find out which areas of their Business they need to focus on and avoid any potential pitfalls in the future. "It's encouraging to see so many high profile lenders support the initiative, particularly at a time when restoring confidence in the industry is paramount. GMAC-RFC hopes that going forward, lenders and intermediaries will continue to work closely together to ensure that high standards are met and adhered to. GMAC-RFC's involvement is part of its wider ongoing commitment to help intermediaries meet FSA regulations". Read more...

Will Fraser, Head of Sales at Standard Life commented:
"As a provider we are committed to supporting intermediaries and adding value to all aspects of their business. We recognise that compliance is a key focus for the entire industry and schemes such as this help to achieve quality distribution channels and encourage responsible lending. Prioritising the needs of the business is a difficult juggling act for many intermediaries and understandably regulatory compliance is not always the top concern. The FSA has recently announced that they are planning to visit 1 out of 4 intermediary firms this year as part of their ARROW risk assessment framework. This, coupled with the Treating Customers Fairly principles, makes compliance and risk management a crucial area for intermediaries' business. We hope that programmes such as this will provide intermediaries with a valuable industry benchmark for compliance performance, and prompt them to take action where necessary".

Michael Lawrence, Highway's Sales and Marketing Director said:
"Highway is committed to the intermediary market and is determined to help its broker partners through the often uncertain and complicated compliance environment. We are pleased to support this proactive initiative, which helps brokers gauge how they might perform during an FSA Arrow visit. The survey also provides us with the opportunity to benchmark their own performance against that of their peers".