Copy article

Newspage interview with Carlo Pileggi - your Qs please

ended 16. February 2026

Affordability is the buzzword in the lending world right now. We've seen a lot of innovation on that front over the past 12 months. We're looing for broker questions, primarily about affordability, that we can present to Carlo Pileggi, Nationwide's Head of Mortgage Products. We'll potentially bolt some additional Qs onto the interview so if you have anything else that you'd like to ask Carlo, fire away.

10 responses from the Newspage community

Copy all

Star Quote
Copy

Editor
Ranald Mitchell
Director at bad credit mortgage specialists Charwin Mortgages
Affordability is still the choke point for most buyers. Beyond rate cuts, what new lever do you think has the biggest untapped potential over the next 12–18 months? Product design (terms, part-and-part, flexi features), criteria (stress rates, income treatment), or technology (open banking / real-time underwriting)? And what would Nationwide need to see to pull it confidently at scale?
Star Quote
Copy

Editor
Louis Mason
Content and Communications Director at Oportfolio Mortgages
Of course, affordability is still the defining constraint in today’s market, but how are Nationwide rethinking the way that you design mortgages, beyond rate competition? For example, through longer terms, flexible underwriting or new experimental products, to sustainably widen access to homeownership without increasing risk…if that’s possible?
Copy

Editor
Riz Malik
Independent Financial Adviser at R3 Wealth
Given their commitment to first-time buyers, does Nationwide have any plans to enter the no-deposit mortgage space? How does Nationwide plan to use AI in their mortgage journey? Given the recent announcement about electronically signing deeds, what other plans does Nationwide have to make the mortgage process smoother? Are clients still utilising the Mortgage Charter? What is going to happen with this? What else is Nationwide doing to help those in financial difficulty? Does Nationwide plan to work more with older borrowers?
Copy

Editor
Chris Barry
Director at Thomas Legal
With affordability getting tighter as the percentage of income going towards running a household increases, people are taking mortgages over longer terms to reduce repayments and borrow more. Are lifetime mortgage products going to become more common and, in the future, could mortgages be passed down the generations as they are currently in some countries around the world?
Copy

Editor
Justin Moy
Managing Director at EHF Mortgages
Would Nationwide look to under-supported product options, such as offset, for future product development?
Copy

Editor
Ken James
Director at Contractor Mortgage Services
With the success of Helping Hand for the first-time buyer market, do Nationwide still feel it is fair to exclude the self-employed or are they coming around to the same idea that we brokers have — that the self-employed also deserve a helping hand?
Copy

Editor
Darryl Dhoffer
Founder at The Mortgage Geezer
Will Nationwide be the first mainstream lender to enter the 100% LTV market?
Copy

Editor
Bob Singh
Founder at Chess Mortgages
Given Nationwide and other lenders are pushing the boat out on affordability, has an economic downturn been factored in to the equation?
Copy

Editor
Rohit Kohli
Director at The Mortgage Stop
We are increasingly seeing reliance on family support through gifted deposits and especially guarantor-style arrangements to make first-time buyer purchases possible. Does Nationwide have any plans to expand further into this type of model, or develop new propositions that rely on wider family backing, especially those that are cash poor but asset rich, and how do you balance that with the risk of widening the gap between buyers with family support and those without?
Copy

Editor
David Stirling
Independent Financial Adviser at Mint Wealth
Are there any plans to loosen the criteria for interest-only mortgages? Too often people are stuck in rentals that would cost more than a mortgage and they cannot save for a deposit. Are there any plans to offer more flexibility for those with a good record of paying rent to get on the ladder?