With awards season well underway, we bring you the highlights for the sector in this round-up.

British Bank Awards

The British Bank Awards were first up in early July, celebrating products and innovation in the financial services sector.  The winners were decided by customers and were split into categories and product types. In the category section, Ecology Building Society triumphed as the Treating Customers Fairly Champion and Newbury Building Society was crowned the Best Building Society (Vernon Building Society was highly commended in this category).  In the products section, Newbury was announced as the Best Specialist Mortgage Provider and Ecology Best Ethical Financial Provider.

MoneyAge Mortgage Awards

Next up were the MoneyAge Mortgage Awards, which aim to reward the mortgage lenders and providers that have proved themselves worthy of recognition during increasingly challenging times.  Building society successes in a number of categories really served to highlight the sector’s desire to help people buy their first home:

Overall Mortgage Lender: Saffron Building Society

First Time Buyer Mortgage Lender of the Year: Saffron Building Society

Shared Ownership Mortgage Lender of the Year: Leeds Building Society

Building Society of the Year: Darlington Building Society  

Help to Buy ISA Firm of the Year: Darlington Building Society

What Mortgage Awards

And finally….the What Mortgage Awards took place the following week.  These awards aim to celebrate customer service, competitive products, positive communication and treating customer fairly.  Once again, the awards were decided by consumers.  Success for the sector once again highlights how well building societies deliver within niche lending areas:

Best regional building society:  Newcastle Building Society

Best self-build mortgage lender:  Melton Building Society

Best guarantor/Assisted mortgage lender: Family Building Society

Best local building society:  Harpenden Building Society

Best variable rate mortgage lender: Furness Building Society

Best shared ownership lender: Leeds Building Society

Best national building society: Skipton Building Society

Best intermediary lender: Skipton Building Society for intermediaries

Best Building Society – customer service: Principality Building Society

Congratulations to all the winners!