A fortnight of digital broadcasting celebrating the very best that the mortgage intermediary market has to offer.
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Countdown to the awards
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welcome
The time has finally arrived for us all to come together to once again celebrate those who have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact on the mortgage industry. As with most things in 2020, our plans for this year’s awards did not play out as expected. The awards ceremony was originally scheduled for March, but the ongoing pandemic meant it had to be postponed, twice. But of course we couldn’t let the year go by without honouring those who made such a positive impact on the industry. It’s important to remember that, despite the necessary delays in announcing the winners, these awards are recognising industry professionals who stood above the crowd in 2019. The same stringent judging process was applied as in previous years and each company or individual taking home the accolades is truly a deserving winner. While we can’t celebrate in the usual way, we’re bringing the party to the comfort of your own home and we’re confident that you’ll be entertained by our fantastic host, Sally Phillips. Plus, you don’t have to worry about making that last train home! To top this off, we have a series of podcasts, webinars and special content for you all to enjoy for the next two weeks until the big day. Here’s hoping that next year we can all celebrate in the same room once again, but in the meantime the Awards video is now available on demand, along with the full list of results. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists!
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The Awards
Sponsors
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winners
Editor, Mortgage Strategy
Rebekah Commane,
Welcome from our Headline sponsor
Welcome to the 2020 Virtual Mortgage Strategy Awards. On behalf of HSBC UK, we are delighted to be part of another Mortgage Strategy Awards, recognising the hard work and effort of individuals and businesses across the mortgage industry in 2019. Our association with this years’ awards, including our sponsorship of the ‘Outstanding Contribution’ category, provides us with a great platform to showcase the importance of recognising success. Whilst things will be slightly different this year, we look forward to a great virtual evening of celebration. Good luck to all those shortlisted!
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Welcome to the Mortgage Strategy Awards 2020!
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our host
We are delighted to announce that award-winning actor, writer and producer Sally Phillips will be hosting the 2020 Mortgage Strategy Awards! Sally has appeared in some of the most popular and influential comedies of recent years. From the mischievous Travel Tavern receptionist of I’m Alan Partridge to generally well-meaning friend in Miranda, the co-star and co-writer of the sketch show Smack the Pony to a Finnish former PM and UN Special Envoy in HBO's award-winning Veep. From early performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, Sally graduated to appearances in comedy series including Chris Morris’ Brass Eye.
Her breakthrough role in I’m Alan Partridge was followed by a starring role in the cult sitcom Hippies before joining fellow writer-performers Fiona Allen and Doon Mackichan on the award-winning Smack the Pony. She also went on to star in acclaimed hospital comedy Green Wing, Jennifer Saunders’ Jam & Jerusalem, Sky’s Parents, and all three Bridget Jones films. Sally has also made regular appearances on shows from QI to The One Show, was a contestant in series five of Taskmaster and has competed in celebrity versions of Pointless and The Chase.
WHAT'S ON
5-16 OCTOBER
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IT'S NEARLY TIME!
5PM, THURSDAY 15 OCTOBER
The Awards go live at 5pm today - are you ready?
Watch the Awards!
The full Awards video is now available on-demand below
We hope you enjoyed this year's virtual Awards! The full video is now available to view on demand below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click here to find out more
We look forward to (virtually!) seeing you at 5pm!
Will I need a password or private link to login and watch the broadcast?
No, just come to this page with enough time prior to 5pm to grab yourself a drink and get yourself comfortable! Feel free to share the link to this page with colleagues and friends as well!
I’ve been shortlisted for an award (yay!). If I win, will I be required to be on screen?
As this is an ‘as live’ broadcast, we won’t need any of our winners to appear on screen although it would be great if you can share your reactions with us live on Twitter #MSAwards20 – so don’t feel you have to dress up on our account!
Can I watch with my team?
Absolutely – the more the merrier!! We suggest that if you are unable to be together in person, you all watch together via Zoom or Teams. There will be a couple of Twitter prizes to be won so keep an eye out and get the gang together!
How long will the broadcast last?
We expect the broadcast to last approximately 45 minutes and it will also be available on demand straight after for those who have missed it.
Coming soon!
#MSAwards20
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Thank you to our sponsors
We’re more than just a provider of residential and buy to let mortgages. We’re a lender who listened to broker feedback and changed. Changes which were motivated by a genuine desire to understand and act on what brokers want. So, if you’ve not worked with us for a while, or ever, you might be pleasantly surprised at how much Accord can offer: • Common sense lending • Direct access to underwriters • Expert BDMs and TBDMs &Dedicated Broker Support • Competitive product range, including New Build and Offset. And much more…
HOME BUYERS PROCESS VIDEO Download to use
HOW BROKERS CAN STILL SUPPORT CLIENTS BY STAYING ACTIVE ONLINE
How brokers can thrive by putting clients first
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Proud sponsor of the Outstanding Contribution Award
Welcome Box
Famous 15
Growth Series
At Bank of Ireland for Intermediaries, we aim to make your life easier. We provide great service and have the right people, products and systems to support you. Our range of standard and Buy to Let mortgages give your clients greater choice. And we can offer a more flexible approach to underwriting for good credit quality customers. All backed by our experienced Business Development Managers. We’re right here for you. Visit boi4i.com to find your BDM.
BDM Finder
BM Solutions is dedicated to supporting intermediaries with competitive products, forward-thinking technology and award-winning service. We’re committed to supporting you and your clients through our experienced team of BDMs. Our award-winning 5-star service comes as standard but we don’t take things for granted. We’re continually refining our products and criteria to suit your needs, so that you have all you need to do business with BM Solutions.
Launched in 2015, Foundation Home Loans is an intermediary only lender, offering a range of competitive Residential and Buy to Let solutions for clients with more complex needs. The F1 range is available for those with no CCJs/defaults or mortgage arrears within the last two years, while the F2 range is for clients with more recent blips on their credit record.
Document Library
Broker Hub
We want to make life as easy as we can for intermediaries. That’s why we’re committed to providing and delivering excellent products and service to you and your clients. It’s easier to do business with Halifax Intermediaries. Our product proposition includes Homemovers, Remortgages, Large Loans, New Build, Help to Buy and Affordable Housing. You can also secure a great new deal for your existing Halifax clients and retain their business with Halifax Product Transfers and Further Advances.
Whether your customers are first-time buyers or experienced landlords, it’s important to find the right products that come with individual support. We’ve designed our mortgages to be practical, flexible and easy to understand, and our specialist team is on hand to help – so expert advice is right there when it’s needed.
Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) is the UK’s most recognised intermediary consumer brand, with over 1,400 advisers covering all postcodes for face to face advice, and six telephone advice centres. Handling over £18bn worth of loans annually, MAB was the first – and is currently the only – mortgage intermediary to have floated on the London Stock Exchange, having joined the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in November 2014. MAB advise on all aspects of mortgages and protection and have dedicated teams delivering more specialist advice in areas such as buy-to-let, new build, later life lending, as well as commercial, bridging and secured loans.
NWIS Coronavirus Hub
Packaging guide
NatWest’s dedicated intermediary mortgage business offers a range of residential and buy-to-let mortgages for mortgage brokers to recommend to their customers including deals for the Help to Buy shared equity scheme. Service is its no.1 priority – that’s why NWIS has a team of over 50 field and phone BDMs covering the UK and a dedicated broker instant messaging service LiveTALK. Its service has been recognised by the industry and was awarded a five-star rating at the Financial Adviser Service Awards 2018.
A leader in the specialist intermediary mortgage market, Kent Reliance for Intermediaries offers a range of buy to let and residential products that may not fit the criteria of mainstream lenders. Providing unrivalled personal service using a national BDM network, it’s perfectly placed to help brokers navigate challenging cases. Its large underwriting team assess each case individually, applying flexibility and common sense to ensure brokers can access best-suited products. OneSavings Bank plc and Charter Court Financial Services combined in 2019, joining Kent Reliance for Intermediaries, Precise Mortgages and InterBay Commercial as its trading brands in the specialist lending space.
The Openwork Group is one of the largest and longest-established financial advice networks in the UK. It started operating as Openwork name in 2005, but has been active in the financial advice market for over 40 years. Over 3,500 financial advisers and 300 staff are at the heart of the business offering a range of support to financial advice firms, financial advisers and customers. Backed by a strong shareholder base and a rich history, Openwork has developed the knowledge and experience to deliver a top-quality home for customer-focused advisers and financial professionals. A core part of Openwork’s philosophy is giving back to the communities in which it operates and is responsible for the day-to-day running and fundraising of The Openwork Foundation, part of Zurich Community Trust (UK) Limited. Since Openwork’s launch in 2005, staff and advisers have raised more than £6.8m for disadvantaged children, both in the UK and abroad.
We’re an award-winning specialist lender offering Residential and Buy to Let mortgages exclusively through intermediaries. We believe in challenging the accepted; we recognise that credit scores don’t tell the whole story, so we review each case on its own merits. That’s why we’re able to help intermediaries with their interesting cases, including the recently self-employed, those with credit blips, complex income, young credit history or previous financial difficulties. With flexible and competitive products, wide ranging criteria, an experienced team and an appetite for lending – we have a commitment to building strong relationships and offering a straightforward, easily accessible service. Interesting case? We’re interested.
The specialist lender you can bank on. Here at Precise Mortgages we’re proud to help customers with complex lending needs as well as those who have been underserved by high street lenders. Whether they’re recently self-employed, a landlord with a large portfolio or have a less than perfect credit profile we have a broad range of specialist lending solutions. As well as Residential and Buy to Let Mortgages we also offer a range of Bridging Finance and Second Charge Loans, ideal for your customers who are looking for a quick way to complete home improvements, raise capital or expand their property portfolio. it’s no wonder brokers are discovering why we’re the specialist lender you can bank on.
At Skipton Intermediaries brokers are their top priority, as the majority of their lending is done through the intermediary channel. That’s why they’re committed to delivering the right solutions for today’s mortgage market, and understand that the way to help brokers deliver for their clients is through a personal, common-sense and flexible approach. It’s what Skipton calls Real Life Lending, and they pride themselves on building strong relationships with their key intermediary partners. It’s what Skipton do best, and what they are committed to doing throughout 2020 and beyond.
Help to Buy Rate Sheet
COVID Lending Guide
Vida Flex
Criteria Guide
Residential Rate Sheet
Buy to Let Rate Sheet
Vida Homeloans is the specialist mortgage lender for residential and buy to let customers who may not fit the criteria currently demanded by high street banks, such as the self-employed, customers with multiple jobs, first time buyers, expats and buy to let investors. Vida uses the latest financial technology to support and inform human underwriting decisions. Vida’s criteria-driven lending proposition has made a positive impact on the mortgage market, with 14,500 registered intermediaries, 9,000 customers and £1.8 billion in mortgage completions since launch in October 2016. Vida has also completed four securitisations worth £1.5 billion and has received twenty-three industry awards.
Virgin Money provides award-winning customer service through a range of channels including digital (online and mobile), intermediaries, contact centres and a national network of Stores and customer Lounges. Now part of the wider Virgin Money UK PLC group, with our powerful brand and customer-focused culture, we have created a business which delivers our unique approach to banking and financial services to millions of customers across the UK.
For more information on our Awards sponsors, please visit their interactive profiles below.
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MARKET UPDATE
THE GLOBAL RE-BOOT
investment PODCAST
Established in 1865, HSBC has become one of the world’s leading international banks. For over 150 years HSBC has connected customers to opportunities, enabling businesses to thrive and economies to prosper, as well as continuing to invest in growth and innovation to make banking simple, safe and sustainable. Deeply rooted in the UK, our dedicated ‘HSBC UK for Intermediaries’ channel offers the flexibility and functionality needed to provide a high-quality service to our Intermediary partners and their customers. Our processes have been transformed thanks to our broker platform – digital integration has reduced our packaging requirements, income and expenditure requirements as well as our time to offer. We have also increased the size of both our field-based Business Development Managers and UK-based telephony Broker Support Team. HSBC UK for Intermediaries is committed to making further improvements to the broker journey, whilst continuing to provide attractive products for customers wanting to get onto or move up the property ladder through their preferred channel of choice.
Click on the logos below to find out more
Proud sponsor of Best Small Broker
Proud sponsor of Mortgage Personality of the Year
Proud sponsor of Best Broker for Buy-to-Let
Proud sponsor of Best Network 300+ ARs
Proud sponsor of Best Broker for Digital Innovation
Proud sponsor of Best Mortgage Lender
Proud sponsor of Best Network up to 300 ARs
Proud sponsor of Best Technology Provider
Proud sponsor of Best Large Loan Lender
Proud sponsor of Best Mortgage Administrator
Proud sponsor of Best Specialist Broker/Distributor
Proud sponsor of Best Mortgage Club
Proud sponsor of Best Mortgage Broker
Find out more:
Accord Growth Series:
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furloughed Customers Packaging Guide
Our Products
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SURVIVING IN THE HIGH LTV SPACE
HOSTED BY REBEKAH COMMANE, EDITOR, MORTGAGE STRATEGY JOINED BY JEREMY DUNCOMBE, DIRECTOR OF INTERMEDIARY DISTRIBUTION, ACCORD MORTGAGES
PODCAST: Surviving in the high LTV space
AVAILABLE NOW
Accord Mortgages director of intermediary distribution Jeremy Duncombe joins Rebekah Commane to discuss lockdown life, the challenges in the high LTV mortgage market and keeping the lines of communication open with brokers.
We’ve got BTL covered from A to Z and are here with expert support. With attractive 2 & 5 year fixed rate products, plus no upfront application fees and ZERO product fee options available. What’s more, our broad lending criteria means we’re sure to have something suitable for your BTL clients - highlights include: • No minimum income for Standard applications, £25K gross for professional landlords • Unlimited background portfolio • Income top-ups acceptable • Maximum age 95 years at completion of mortgage • HMO’s to 6 bedrooms • MUFB’s – up to 6 units
Brighter Music Moments
Virgin Money is bringing music and money together in a way that only we can, delivering unique experiences, unforgettable events and creating exciting music content. The Virgin Money Emerging Stars programme is designed to identify, support and promote the UK’s most exciting new music artists. Find out more and watch our video!
Staying connected to your mortgage clients on social media
Setting your mortgage intermediary business up for success
Protecting you and your clients from fraud
setting your mortgage intermediary business up for success
protecting you and your clients from fraud
bdm finder
our products
helpful documents
Q&A: 'It's a true partnership'
SPECIAL REPORT: Diversification in a new reality & Q&A: 'It's a true partnership'
Diversification in a new reality in association with openwork
For brokers who rely solely on mortgages for their income, now could be the time to think about upskilling, says Natalie Thomas
'it's a true partnership' in association with openwork
Openwork commercial director Chris Thorndycraft discusses the business’s response to Covid-19, its focus on collaboration and its drive for diversification
read now
In association with Openwork
In association with Accord Mortgages
In the first in this HSBC mini-podcast series Rebekah Commane speaks to HSBC head of intermediary mortgages Chris Pearson about the challenges faced in lockdown, adopting new technology, new hurdles on the horizon and non-vanilla clients.
HOSTED BY REBEKAH COMMANE, EDITOR, MORTGAGE STRATEGY JOINED BY CHRIS PEARSON, HEAD OF INTERMEDIARY MORTGAGES, HSBC UK
Talking Therapy: Maintaining industry relationships in challenging times
EPISODE 1
WEBINAR: Leading your broker firm effectively: growth, change and risk
In association with Virgin Money
watch now
PODCAST: Talking Therapy: Maintaining industry relationships in challenging times - Episodes 1, 2 & 3
In association with HSBC UK
HOSTED BY REBEKAH COMMANE, EDITOR, MORTGAGE STRATEGY JOINED BY CHRIS PEARSON, HEAD OF INTERMEDIARY MORTGAGES, HSBC UK David Baker, Managing Director, LIFT-Mortgages
EPISODE 2
In the second installation of this mini-podcast series, ‘Talking Therapy’, Chris Pearson and managing director at LIFT-Mortgages David Baker join Rebekah Commane for a really honest, no holds barred chat on the frustrations and challenges faced by both lender and broker in these challenging times with a view to working together to improve relations moving forward.
EPISODE 3
HOSTED BY REBEKAH COMMANE, EDITOR, MORTGAGE STRATEGY JOINED BY CHRIS PEARSON, HEAD OF INTERMEDIARY MORTGAGES, HSBC UK richard howells, managing director, sesame
In the final installation of the mini-podcast series, ‘Talking Therapy’, Richard Howells, managing director of Sesame joins Chris Pearson to discuss the importance of networks in supporting brokers, particularly in tough times, and how lenders and networks can best work together to ensure brokers have easy access to lender products to offer the best client services.
Gary Adams and Pepper Money sales director Paul Adams speak to Liddle Perrett’s Jade Topliss and SRC Financial Services’ Megan Thirkettle, both shortlisted for our ‘Best Mortgage Administrator’ award, about how they keep delivering top customer service in these unusual times.
HOSTED BY GARY ADAMS, DEPUTY EDITOR, MORTGAGE STRATEGY JOINED BY PAUL ADAMS, SALES DIRECTOR, PEPPER MONEY MEGAN THIRKETTLE, MORTGAGE & PROTECTION ADMINISTRATOR, SRC FINANCIAL SERVICES JADE TOPLISS, ADMINISTRATOR, LIDDLE PERRETT
Administrators: a key role in a seamless mortgage process
Mortgage Strategy deputy editor Gary Adams and Virgin Money’s Nicola Goldie discuss the best ways to effectively grow and lead a broker firm with The Mortgage Mum director Sarah Tucker and Brook FS, under MAB managing director Michelle Brook, both of whom have successful stories to tell.
HOSTED BY GARY ADAMS, DEPUTY EDITOR, MORTGAGE STRATEGY JOINED BY Nicola Goldie, Head of national accounts, Virgin Money Sarah Tucker, Founder and managing director, The Mortgage Mum Michelle Brook, managing director, Brook FS, under MAB
Leading your broker firm effectively: Growth, change and risk
WEBINAR: Administrators: a key role in a seamless mortgage process
In association with Pepper Money
Lender
Click on the categories to learn more
Best BDM Team
Best Buy-to-Let Lender
Best Equity Release/Lifetime Lender
Best Large Loan Lender
Best Mortgage Lender
Best Secured Loan Lender
Best Short-term Lender
Best Specialist Lender
This category covers both telephone BDMs and those on the road. Which lender's BDM team provided the best service to you and your clients in 2019?
About
Location
The shortlist in full across the broker, distributor, lender and provider categories. Best of luck to all finalists!
Lender categories
Provider
Broker
Distributor
Individual Performance Awards
Best Conveyancing Firm
Best Mortgage Protection Provider
Best Surveyor/Valuer
Best Technology Provider
Provider categories
Best Broker for Buy-to-Let
Best Broker for Digital Innovation
Best Broker for Equity Release
Best Broker for Protection
Best Broker for Short-term Lending
Best Mortgage Broker
Best Secured Loan Broker
Best Small Broker
Broker categories
Best Mortgage Club
Best Network up to 300 ARs
Best Network 300 +ARs
Best Specialist Broker/Distributor
Distributor categories
Best Mortgage Administrator
Mortgage Personality of the Year
Outstanding Contribution Award
Shortlisted companies
Which buy-to-let lender showed innovation and provided the best service to you and your landlord clients in 2019?
Which equity release or lifetime lender provided the best service, products and all-round intermediary proposition in 2019?
The large loan market is an important area for many brokers – which large loan lender went that extra mile in 2019?
Sponsored by
Taking service, products and all-round intermediary proposition into account, which lender should be crowned the best overall for 2019?
This category celebrates the secured loan lenders that provided an excellent service in 2019 and are taking steps to ensure that this remains so in the future.
Short-term lending has become an increasingly competitive area of the market - which lender provided the best overall service and proposition in 2019?
This category is aimed at those lenders providing loans to borrowers the mainstream lenders shy away from, either through their use of manual underwriting or applying specialist criteria. Which of these had the best service and overall intermediary proposition in 2019?
This category is for the providers of sourcing systems, client relationship management systems and any IT system focussed on the UK mortgage intermediary market. Which system innovated and went that extra mile to ensure its product stood out from the crowd in 2019?
This category is for all protection providers. Which firm did the most to improve its products, systems and service in 2019?
This category covers individual conveyancing firms and large panel managers — which provided the most consistently good service in 2019, irrespective of size?
This category covers individual surveyor/valuer firms and large panel managers — which provided the most consistently good service in 2019, irrespective of size?
This award is for firms that proved in 2019 that they continued to expand and show improvement in their buy-to-let operations, both from an advice and customer service point of view.
Click on the company logo to learn more
Brightstar is the UK’s leading specialist distributor, helping brokers to grow their business by providing the knowledge and resources needed to diversify into new lending areas. In a market that’s more complex than ever, it’s hard to be both up-to-date and proficient on every type of lending - that’s where we come in. Winners of more than 90 national awards, including The Sunday Times Best Small Company to work for in 2019 and 2020. Partners with over 150 lenders, we can offer a range of exclusive products, enhanced SLAs and onsite underwriters. Our purpose is to support every broker and IFA, so they never have to turn a client away and to always work to make it easy. #MadeEasy
Billericay, London, Manchester
Number of Brokers
28
DA or AR Status
Directly Authorised
Specialist Areas
Specialist residential mortgages, Complex buy-to-let mortgages, Second charge mortgages, Short term lending, Development finance, Commercial finance, Later life lending, Unsecured loans
Number of Clients
14,500
Dynamo’s roots in the industry are well-established having been arranging mortgages since 2006. Originally founded by Ying Tan as The Buy to Let Business, today Dynamo’s broad proposition enables us to look after all of our clients’ varied mortgage requirements as well as arranging personal protection and general insurance. We benefit from close relationships with many lenders, both mainstream and niche, ensuring that our clients benefit from exclusive products and the very best rates. As a company, Dynamo is passionate about providing both expert advice and a very personal level of service and is proud of its coveted 5-star rating on Trustpilot.
Camberley, Surrey
50
Directly authorised
Buy to let, residential, commercial, short-term and development finance; protection; general insurance
At L&C, the customer is at the heart of everything we do and we understand this is probably the biggest financial decision they’ll ever make. Our aim is to provide our customers with the help they need to find the best mortgage deal for their circumstances and take the hassle out of the process. Over 2 million people have come to us for mortgage advice. Our fee free service compares 1000s of deals from over 90 lenders. L&C’s experts are available over the phone and customers can also start online with our Mortgage Finder tool and see results in real-time.
Bath, London and Newcastle
350+
New Build, Help to Buy, Buy to Let
2.9m
Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) is the UK’s most recognised mortgage broker, winning over 150 national awards for the quality of its advice and service. Handling over £16bn worth of loans annually, MAB’s 1,400 advisers offer expert mortgage and protection advice on a local, regional and national level to consumers, both face to face and over the phone. MAB was the first – and is currently the only – mortgage intermediary to have floated on the London Stock Exchange, having joined the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in November 2014.
National (head office is in Derby)
1,400
First time buyer mortgages, remortgaging and home moving, buy to let, later life lending and wealth management (inc. pensions), protection (inc. life cover, income protection, home and contents insurance)
Established in 1990 with three men and a dog, we’ve been around long enough to recognise that there’s no one-size-fits-all for your property finance needs! Working closely with lenders to find bespoke property finance solutions, all our clients benefit from a dedicated broker and client relationship manager, giving them direct points of call for information and expert guidance, right through to completion. We have dedicated buy to let, commercial and residential broker teams to ensure our clients get the expert advice they need, whatever their property investment requirements.
Kings Hill & Wilmslow
21
Specialist Buy to Let, Commercial & Residential mortgages. Short-term bridging and development finance.
One 77 Mortgages are a broker that utilises the best of todays technology whilst maintaining the one thing we all enjoy and need, human interaction and qualified advice at the end of a phone.
Chippenham
16
All areas of property finance from residential purchases and remortgages, BTL, commercial, development and bridging as well as protection and GI sales and advice.
20,000
National mortgage specialist The Buy to Let Broker is on a mission to help landlords UK wide invest smarter, save more and live better. Offering expert advice in all realms of the Buy to Let market for over seven years, The Buy to Let Broker has grown into a powerhouse of mortgage expertise with a 21-strong team of passionate specialists and customer service connoisseurs. Highly regarded for its exemplary service and pragmatic approach, under Matt Hardman and Matthew Rowne’s committed leadership, the company has gained a hoard of awards, a dedicated client base and the full respect of the sector.
Southport, UK
9
Appointed Representative of HL Partnership Ltd
Buy to Let, Limited Company Mortgages, HMO, MUFB plus all areas of Bridging Finance
1,000 per year
Impact Specialist Finance is a multi award winning Specialist Mortgage Distributor / Packager. Established in 1991 and family owned, Impact Specialist Finance arrange Complex Prime mortgages, Buy to Let Mortgages, Bridging Loans, Commercial Finance, Debt Management, Secured Loans and more.
Horsham, West Sussex
7
Mortgages & Remortgages, Buy to Let, Adverse Credit, RIO and lending into later life, Exclusive products, Limited access lenders, Commercial Finance, Bridging Finance, Development Finance, Complex Prime, Specialist retirement planning, Self-employed and contractors, Expat mortgages, Foreign Nationals
17
This award is the territory of those broker firms that are setting the standard in either integrating technology into their everyday business, developing that technology, or both.
At Age Partnership, we believe that people who are at, or approaching, retirement deserve to get the best out of life and their finances. Each of the services we provide are designed to do this. Established in 2004, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, with over 500 employees, we have tailored a range of financial solutions specifically for the over 50s. Our core service remains providing independent Equity Release advice and we are proud that we have achieved market leadership to become the UK’s Number One Equity Release Adviser.
Leeds
Over 150+
Age Partnership Limited is a business which is directly authorised by the FCA.
Equity Release, Pension Income, Mortgages, Lasting Power of Attorney, Wills, Pre-paid Funeral Plans, Home Insurance
In our main areas, Equity Release and Pension Income, we have completed over 116,500 cases. Overall, we have had over 2,600,000 enquiries across the business.
Equity Release Mortgage Advice is a subsidiary of JLM Mortgage Services. JLM is one of the fastest organically grown mortgage networks in the UK. Our founding Director Rory Joseph has over 24 years’ experience in the mortgage market and extensive knowledge in this particular area. All advisers are CeMAP and CeRER qualified, in order to provide our clients with the most holistic advice possible. Our customer service is built on an enviable track record of transparency and ensuring customers are fully informed throughout the whole process.
Hertfordshire
4
AR
Later life lending
160
Key is the UK’s largest equity release advisor and, as a founding member of the Equity Release Council, has helped shape industry best practice and has been the benchmark for excellent customer service. Last year, Key split its advice proposition into separate brands – Key Equity Release, offering fee free advice on more than 80 equity release products and The Equity Release Experts, which provides a whole of market service. This evolution is designed to offer customers real choice as to the service that’s right for them without compromising on quality.
Preston and Solihull
Over 150
Over 150 DA advisers
Later Life Lending Advice
Key has helped over 1 million customers with their retirement finances
Responsible Life are a specialist in later life lending. As the first to introduce a service dedicated to all of the products available to over 55 mortgage borrowers, Responsible has positioned itself as a consumer champion dedicated to choice. Founded in 2010, the Responsible name was coined as the business believes in its obligations and duty of care to its customers throughout their lifetime, evidenced by our gold standard of quality control and suitability reviews in 100% of cases. Our expansive nationwide coverage and informative, educational approach to advertising ensure our customer demographic have access to products that they need.
Plymouth
90
Later life lending, lifetime mortgages, equity release, retirement interest-only mortgages
We have helped over 500,000 people decide whether later life lending products are right for them
Viva started as a company 7 years ago to offer whole of market Lifetime Mortgage advice. It is our ethos to treat clients as if they are our own parents and our strapline is Long Live Retirement. We live and breathe these statements. To this end we have worked extremely hard to build a well-known and reputable business where clients and lenders alike know that they will not only get the highest levels of advice and service, but also at a fair price. We now offer all later life mortgage solutions to fit every need.
St Albans
14
Appointed Reps of Stonebridge
Later Life Mortgages
1,000
Best broker for equity release is for the brokerage that in 2019 surpassed sales targets in this area, continued to keep customers happy and continued to promote equity release as a sector.
Our strategy is to build a high-quality, broad market, M&P advisory business, in preparation for a future capital event. Lockdown has made it difficult to say exactly when that will be. We launched in 2017 with circa 30 M & P advisers, purchased from a wealth business. Our first school report might have said, could do better. There was scope to improve and we have. Our technical support and administration services are now first class and support advisers at all stages of their careers. Lead generation from multiple sources drives activity, increasingly from our own, consumer friendly, website. Extensive training and knowledgeable leadership have enhanced adviser skillsets enormously. Turnover has rocketed 200% in three years, to just short of £6M, despite lockdown. Our strategy is working, all metrics show growth and will continue to do so, we are not resting.
Just Mortgages’ customer-centric approach focusses on making sure every client has the protection they need. We ensure our brokers have the tools they need to offer the best protection advice and this is evident in our results: more than 85% of clients now take out a protection product – an increased percentage of a rising total, with sales reaching nearly 10,000 last year. Our in-depth broker training ensures that no client takes out a mortgage if they cannot also afford to protect their home if the worst should happen. Life and critical illness sales increased 43% over the past year while income protection sales increased 35%
Head office - Colchester
492 brokers made up of 160 employed, 332 self-employed brokers including those on courses about to be qualified to work with Just Mortgages
Appointed Representative (Openwork Ltd)
Protection: Life assurance, Critical illness, Income protection, GI / Buildings & contents Mortgages: First time buyer, Home mover, Purchase, Remortgage, Buy-to-let, Equity release
40,000
Many other mortgage brokers view their role as ‘selling’, but at Key Solutions we believe that clients deserve more than that. We see our role as giving knowledge and advice to help clients make an educated purchase decision. If the client chooses not to use us, then that’s ok. If we’ve made their lives easier and better we genuinely feel fulfilled. It’s more important to us that clients get what’s right for them, it’s not what’s in it for us.
Weston-super-Mare
15
FTB/remortgaging
2,000+
18
This category is for firms that can prove strong performances in protection advice and conversion rates, ensuring appropriate cover for customers.
Connect for Intermediaries help mortgage brokers to help their clients find the right finance and solutions so they can achieve their property ambitions. Connect have a large panel of over 140 lenders available to its Network members across the specialist areas of BTL, Commercial, Bridging, Development, Second Charges, Adverse and Later Life Residential, Equity Release, Business loans and Expat Finance in addition to mainstream products. This means we offer a large range of options to help with even the most complex cases. For brokers not part of Connects Network, we also offer a referral and packaging service enabling other brokers to access our expertise.
Hornchurch, Essex
200
Directly Authorised Network
BTL, Bridging, Commercial, Complex Resi
10,000 plus
Crystal Specialist Finance is a national firm based in Tamworth, Staffordshire and an award-winning Specialist Finance distributor, providing Commercial Finance, Bridging Loans, Second Charge Loans, Development Finance and Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Mortgages.
Tamworth, Staffordshire
50 staff
Commercial Finance, Bridging Loans, Second Charge Loans, Development Finance, Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Mortgages
Laybourne is a real estate debt advisory firm that helps high net worth individuals , property investors & developers with their specialist funding requirements. We believe in taking a consultative approach with our clients and aim to understand their end goals whereby together we can achieve them through the right funding packages for their projects.
Canford Cliffs
5
Development finance, bridging finance, commercial mortgages, specialist buy to let mortgages
We are award-winning property finance professionals. With an established reputation throughout London and beyond, LDNfinance brings together market-leading residential, commercial, development, and protection specialists to obtain efficient funding and insurance solutions for our clients, no matter the complexity. Our clients value our service because we are flexible in our approach and adaptable to their needs, with the experience and expertise to recommend the ideal finance arrangement for any situation. Working closely with our trusted network of traditional banks, private banks, and specialist lenders, our strong relationships ensure our clients receive the best solutions and terms for their circumstances.
London
16 (including 2 protection advisers)
Residential & BTL, Specialist: Commercial, Development & Bridging, Protection
2,500 clients
Pure Property Finance launched in 2013 and is a specialist finance brokerage that sources and arranges funding for a range of uses, including property development, bridging finance, commercial mortgages, buy-to-let, residential and second charge loans. We help property owners, investors and developers find the right deal for their needs and work with them to ensure long term success.
Cardiff and London
Property development finance, Residential and commercial bridging finance, Second charge mortgages, Commercial mortgages, Buy to Let mortgages
100+ returning clients since launch
SPF Private Clients is one of the UKs leading financial services intermediaries, established in London in 1997. At the core of our business is high value mortgage advice but we are also experts in many other areas of property finance from new-build mortgages through to bridging finance, commercial funding and overseas mortgages. We have access to a wide range of competitive mortgage options and have long-established relationships with all the lenders, having worked with them for the past two decades. Our clients range from first-time buyers, through to foreign investors and portfolio landlords. In addition to mortgage advice we also have an insurance division and wealth management team.
London (City and West End), Manchester, Oxford, Bath, Guernsey
67
Short Term Finance, Overseas Mortgages, New Homes, International Buyers, High Value Mortgages, Agricultural Finance, Real Estate – Debt Advisory, Equity Release
The award is for firms that proved in 2019 that they continued to expand and show improvement in their short-term lending operations and provided solutions for borrowers with a variety of requirements.
Formed in 2009, Coreco have established themselves as one of the hottest brands in the industry, well known for their pioneering use of social media, podcasts and press coverage. Coreco are a multi-award winning, professional mortgage brokerage with a passion for financial education who want to help change the way the mortgage broking profession is perceived and empower people to make better financial decisions. All of this is done in a down-to-earth manner which aims to make what can be a stressful process, smooth, calm and even fun. The truth is we do not make outrageous claims about how good we are, we prefer to let our client’s comments and testimonials speak for themselves.
32
AR of MAB
All types of Mortgages, Specialist Finance, Buy to Let, Commercial, Protection
1,000's
Which broker went the extra mile in 2019 to improve all elements of their business and demonstrated advances in innovation, business growth and service to customers to take home the title of best mortgage broker?
Fastest growing and one of the largest 2nd charge loan brokers in the UK providing homeowners access to a wider suite of lending options. Direct to consumer marketing has enabled Believe Loans to establish itself in the top 3 brokers in the UK with its lending partners, and rapid growth in 2019 has meant Believe Loans is a key player in the growing 2nd charge lending space. Believe Loans offers a multi-channel approach which services a wide range of clients including clients who have been declined for both Unsecured and Residential first charge lending.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
8 Mortgage Advisors directly employed by Believe Loans (45 Total Staff).
Appointed Representative status.
Niche/Specialist Homeowner Lending and Credit Impaired customers.
971 completions (2019) for £33.4 million in borrowing.
Enterprise Finance provides fast, flexible access to the UK’s specialist finance marketplace. We specialise in second charge mortgages, bridging finance, development finance, complex Buy-to-Let and commercial mortgages. Our aim is to cut out the complexity, and provide a service you can bank on.
Borehamwood
We don’t have brokers - 10 advisers
We are directly authorised with the FCA
Second charges, Bridging Finance, Development Finance, Commercial Mortgages and Complex Buy to let
Whole of market – Over 14,000 mortgage advisers
Fluent for Advisers, part of the Fluent Money Group, are a multi award winning business and the UK’s largest specialist broker. Our suite of products includes secured loans, mortgages and equity release. We have an excellent reputation and relationship with our Lenders and we use this to create additional products in areas where we can see customers are being underserved. We continue to take a strong message to the intermediary sector via our field account managers and our team of internal business development officers, championing the use of specialist lending products. The Fluent Money Group represents the best example of a modern specialist brokerage.
Bolton
350
Secured Loans, Mortgages, Equity Release, Residential BTL
Established in 2008 Positive Lending has assisted mortgage brokers with over £1.4bn in lending since inception. Their slick processes and fair fees for advice and processing has secured them many contracts with various mortgage networks in the UK – supporting over 9000 Appointed Representatives in the UK today. Positive Lending has previously won 6 Mortgage Strategy awards – 4 for Bridging finance and 2 for second charge mortgages.
Ringwood, Hampshire
35 staff – 23 advisors and 12 support staff
Specialist residential and BTL mortgages, Second charge mortgages, Bridging finance, Commercial lending and Development Finance
I have answered this as number of AR’s – we have 9,000 registered brokers.
The award is for firms that proved in 2019 that they continued to expand and show improvement in their secured loans operations, both from a sales and customer service point of view.
Our aim is simple, and that is to make things happen for our clients and to make the complicated seem simple. This is no mean feat in an industry bogged down in acronyms, process and multiple stakeholders, but working to our strengths and holding our clients at the heart of everything we do is what makes the service at Crystal Clear very special indeed. Our tenacity for the best outcome for our clients and the focus around continual process improvements for efficiency and service make us proud of what we deliver for our clients, and also proud to be part of this complex, but exciting industry.
Guildford, Surrey
1 at present, but looking to expand with 2 more advisers in 2021
AR of Quilter
Specialist in Self-Employed clients, Equity Release and Business Protection
circa 800 active clients
Fox Davidson is a specialist mortgage brokerage based in Bristol. Securing finance for homeowners, businesses, investors & property developers, enabling them to live, work, invest and build all over the UK. The brokerage is unique as it specialises in non-standard lending situations ranging from fluctuating income streams to unusual properties.
Bristol – main office London, Exeter, Bath
3
AR: Mortgage Intelligence
Complex income, Unusual properties
2,000
Rachel Geddes is Business Principal as well as a Mortgage and Protection Adviser of Global Mortgage Management trading as Mortgage Advice Bureau – City of London. Rachel joined the financial services industry over 15 years ago originally starting out in the North West of England. Prior to forming Global Mortgage Management trading as MAB-City Of London, Rachel worked with major brands such as Santander and Countrywide advising clients on their mortgage and protection needs. Service is at the heart of everything her and her business does ensuring every client has the best experience through the life of their mortgage term not just the transaction.
Appointed Representative status
Buy to let overseas/international mortgages, first time buyer mortgages, remortgaging and home moving, bridging and commercial finance
More than 231 but most are joint applications so individually, 462 people
Prestige is a modern, boutique style firm with a dedicated focus on the client’s needs. We are driven individuals that together form a close-knit team who care as much for each other as we do our clients. Our attention to detail and high level of customer service has resulted in not only exceptional results, but partnerships with some of the most prominent names within the property market. As a result, Prestige is very proud to have consistently achieved a 5-star Google status based on customer feedback. We continue to set our standards high and adapt in these constantly changing times.
Central London and we partner with London Estate Agent Douglas & Gordon sharing there office space who have 16 offices in central and SW London.
5 brokers and we have taken on 2 trainee brokers this year
AR Primis
Residential & BTL Lending
Over a thousand
Xpress Mortgages, is well established and has been run by Rachel Lummis since it launched in February 2006. Currently with four Advisers, based centrally at offices in Byfleet Village, Surrey, Xpress Mortgages has grown to help clients by arranging and administering thousands of mortgages over that time. Xpress Mortgages is Directly Authorised and specialises in Buy to Let and Residential loans, with a particular focus on retaining clients through high levels of service and attention to detail. Maintaining a working model throughout the current Pandemic and helping clients navigate their way in these changing times, has meant Xpress Mortgages continue to grow the client base, whilst ensuring existing clients remain well served and prosper in these most uncertain of times.
Byfleet Village, Surrey
4 advisers
Buy to Let and Residential loans
This award is to recognise the best small broker firm with five or fewer mortgage advisers. Which stood out by improving advice, navigating market change and delivering the best customer service in 2019?
Which mortgage club provided the best overall proposition to your DA firm in 2019?
This award is for networks with up to 300 ARs. Which network did the most in 2019 to expand its sales, improve its communication and improve the proposition it provides to both its ARs and lender partners?
This award is for networks with more than 300 ARs. Which network did the most in 2019 to expand its sales, improve its communication and improve the proposition it provides to both its ARs and lender partners?
Best Network 300+ ARs
This category is for firms providing specialist advice/support to mortgage intermediaries or advising clients directly on specialist cases. Which firm provided the best service and did most to expand and develop the service it provided in 2019?
Shortlisted administrators
Having provided the most efficient and effective admin service possible is only the first qualification – who has also introduced new processes? Who do you trust to develop key relationships? In short – who could your company simply not go without?
Richard Booth
Nouveau Financial
Jennie Boreham
The Horsham Mortgage Centre
Alexandria Deadman
Mortgage Matters Direct
Kyrie Llewellyn
iProcess Mortgages
Megan Thirkettle
SRC Financial Services
Jade Topliss
Liddle Perrett
Which character in the mortgage world should be named personality of the year?
The winner of this category will be announced during the video broadcast.
Who has gone above and beyond in the industry to prove that they deserve to win this sought-after contribution award?
14500
20,000 now
1,402
Methodology
The Judges
Winners
Click on the arrows to scroll through our Judges
Adrian Moloney
Alan Cleary
Alex Beavis
Alice Watson
Sales Director
Managing Director
Head of Mortgage Products
Head of Marketing Insurance
OneSavings Bank
Precise Mortgages
Skipton Building Society
Canada Life
Andrew Ferguson
Andy Dean
Anne O’Leary
Ben Thompson
Managing Director, Buy to Let
Head of Intermediary Support & New Build
Research Analyst
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
West One Loans
Nationwide
Mapa Research
Mortgage Advice Bureau
Brian Murphy
Buster Tolfree
Cammy Amaira
Carolyn Thornley-Yates
Head of Lending
Commercial Director - Mortgages
Director of Sales and Marketing
Head of Sales and Marketing
United Trust Bank
Tipton & Coseley Building Society
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society
Charles Morley
Chris Pearson
Craig Brown
Craig Calder
Director of Mortgage Distribution
Head of Intermediary Mortgages
Director, Intermediary
Head of Barclays Intermediaries
Metro Bank
HSBC UK for Intermediaries
Legal & General
Barclays
Dale Jannels
David Whittaker
Debbie Kennedy
Donna Bathgate
CEO
Chief Executive Officer
Protection Director
Chief Operating Officer
One Mortgage System
Keystone Property Finance
LV=
Equity Release Council
Esther Dijkstra
Esther Morley
Gavin Diamond
Hans Geberbauer
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Commercial Director - Bridging
Lloyds Banking Group
Premiss Consultancy
Foundation Home Loans
Ian Carswell
Jackie Bennett, OBE
Jacqui Gillies
Jamie Pritchard
Regional Manager
Director, Mortgages
Marketing and Proposition Director
Head of Sales
BM Solutions
UK Finance
Guardian
Jane Benjamin
Jeremy Duncombe
Jo Breeden
Jonathan Samuels
Director of Intermediary Distribution
Chief Executive
SBG
Accord Mortgages
Crystal Specialist Finance
Octane Capital
Jonathan Sealey
Kevin Roberts
Maria Harris
Martin Stewart
Director, Mortgage Club
Director
Hope Capital
Digital Cat Consultancy
London Money
Nick Morrey
Nicola Firth
Peter Borley
Peter Izard
Product Technical Manager
CEO & Founder
Director of Retail Operations
Business Development Manager
John Charcol
Knowledge Bank
Just Group
Investec Private Bank
Rachel Lummis
Ray Boulger
Richard Beardshaw
Richard Bond
Mortgage & Protection Adviser
Senior Mortgage Technical Manager
Personal Finance Director
Xpress Mortgages
Rob Evans
Rob Jupp
Robert Hunt
Robert Owen
MD for Mortgages & Bridging
Paymentshield
Brightstar Group
Paradigm
Robert Sinclair
Roland McCormack
Sally Laker
Simon Cockerill
Mortgage Distribution Director
AMI and AFB
TSB
Mortgage Intelligence
Kent Reliance for Intermediaries
Steve Cox
Steve Seal
Vikki Jefferies
Ying Tan
Sales and Distribution Director
Proposition Director
Founder and Chief Executive
Fleet Mortgages
Bluestone Mortgages
PRIMIS
Dynamo
Firms from within the UK mortgage industry were invited to put themselves forward for consideration in the public vote by completing a short form. Subject to approval from the Mortgage Strategy editorial team, firms were then taken forward to the next stage – the public vote.
STAGE ONE SELF-NOMINATIONS
Shortlisted brokers and distributors were invited to attend a short video interview with our judges (adapted for 2020!), while shortlisted lender and provider entries were debated by a second industry panel to decide the winners.
STAGE FOUR JUDGING
The entire UK mortgage industry were next given the opportunity to have their say and cast their votes for their top firms of 2019, or nominate any firms not already on the list.
STAGE TWO THE PUBLIC VOTE
All votes were thoroughly reviewed by the Mortgage Strategy editorial team, and the firms with the highest number of votes in each category became our longlist. Longlisted firms were invited to submit entry forms, which were then sent to our expert panel of industry judges for review – their scores and comments created our shortlist.
STAGE THREE ENTRY PROCESS
Click on the categories to reveal the winners
The winner of this category was praised for its “excellent expertise” – especially so in the specialist space, and how service driven it’s “really good people” are. Perhaps the highest praise was that the team is “very influential at all levels to get deals done.”
About Carrington is a boutique Wealth Management firm, committed to delivering unbiased and professional financial planning advice, to our like-minded clients. We love people. Our focus is on putting our clients firmly at the centre of our business, building long-term, collaborative relationships. Working together, we help them plan for their future. We encourage blue-sky thinking, supporting clients in realising their dreams and aspirations. We want to hear their stories; and to give them the confidence and clarity to make the decisions that are right for them and their families.
Location One Chapel Place, London, W1G 0BG Number of advisers 4 active advisers, 7 DipPFS qualified team members in total. DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £200m AUM Number of clients 283 clients
About Chadwicks are a forward looking advisory practice committed to realising the potential of our colleagues, our clients and our wider community. We are a learning organisation; discovery sits at the heart of our business and we give people time to follow their curiosity, wherever it may take them. We nurture agile and inquisitive minds to better help our clients navigate a rapid changing world.
Location Norwich Number of advisers 4 plus two trainees DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice c.£100m Number of clients 150 wealth management; c.5000 group pension scheme members
About At Equilibrium, we specialise in financial planning, tax mitigation and investment management – but so do plenty of other firms. So, what makes us different? Making wealthy people wealthier is part of what we do, but it’s not our purpose. Our purpose is to make our clients’ lives better by giving them the confidence to make better financial decisions and ultimately lead better lives.
Location HQ in Wilmslow, Cheshire and additional office in Chester used for client meetings Number of advisers 9 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice over £900m Number of clients over 1,200
About Launched in the summer of 2018, Longhurst is an award-winning lifestyle financial planning practice based next door to the Silverstone F1 race circuit. Due to our location, we have a natural (but not exclusive) niche advising those in the motorsport, engineering, and technology spaces. This is in part supported by our regional business podcast, 'Inside Silverstone'. Our focus is to collaborate with our clients on a deeply personal narrative that excites and inspires them; to install and build financial confidence; and to empower them to live life to its fullest – a life lived without regret.
Location Silverstone, Northamptonshire Number of advisers 1 regulated adviser DA or AR status Appointed Representative Assets under advice £25m Number of clients 35
About As innovators and nurturers of the next generation, Murphy Wealth is known for its ambitious flare and award-winning financial planning team based in Scotland. As a proud family business with more than 43 years of history, Murphy Wealth now boasts a team of next generation planners from its investment in educational partnerships and professional development. CEO Adrian Murphy was awarded Financial Adviser of the Year in the 2019 Growth Investor Awards and has been increasingly acknowledged for his bold futuristic vision, making an impact in both the industry and the wider community. Murphy Wealth has taken Life Planning and Behavioural Insights onboard to develop a unique proposition with the client truly at its heart.
Location Glasgow, Scotland Number of advisers 4 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £120m Number of clients 280
About Progeny is a professional advisory firm providing integrated financial and legal services for private clients, businesses, family offices and charities. Progeny is a connected model, bringing together financial planning, asset management, tax, HR and private and corporate legal services into one independent business with the vision to be the most trusted advice firm in the UK.
Location London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Buckinghamshire, West Sussex, Salisbury and Lancashire Number of advisers 50 Assets under advice AUM 2BN Number of clients 3,500
Next Generation Advice Firm of the Year
There is no size restriction on this category, which aims to reward advice firms demonstrating a genuinely innovative approach to financial planning, as well as staff development, training, and commitment to professionalism and improving the wider advice profession. Firms should demonstrate how they have successfully incorporated technology to improve the quality of advice they give and to increase business efficiency. This award is open both to face-to-face advice firms incorporating technology, but also full digital or 'robo-advice' solutions - though they must provide fully regulated financial advice as part of the business.
About Alexander is a Senior Paraplanner with Succession Wealth, having worked within the financial services industry since 2004. He is a career paraplanner, who is passionate about the role they can play alongisde the finacnial planner in the advice process. His qualifications include the Diploma in Financial Planning and alinged with his willingness to learn, is currently studying to achieve Chartered Financial Planner status. Alexander lives in Salisbury with his wife and their young daughter, who is already showing more poise on a longboard and skill with a racket than her dad ever has.
Location Weston-super-Mare Advisers 33 DA or AR status DA Assets under advice Mortgages, protection, GI Number of clients 10,000+
About Following A-Levels George commenced working as an Accountant, completing the AAT qualification before moving into Financial Services. George is Diploma qualified and now one exam away from completing his advanced studies. For the last 5 years he has been heavily involved in the day to day operations of the firm as it continues to expand. His involvement varies from helping to train new members of the administration team, to preparing reports and reviews for the advisers at the firm. He does stress it is a team effort and would like to thank them for the nomination for the award.
About Kerry has been working in the financial services industry since 2003, starting at a large estate agent followed by an insurance company, and has been paraplanning since 2010. She currently works as the Technical Manager for Seabrook Clark, an award-winning chartered IFA and discretionary fund manager in Exeter. Kerry is FCA authorised, Diploma qualified and is working towards Level 6. Kerry enjoys the varied nature of the role and the new challenges it regularly brings, and is keen to keep promoting paraplanning as a career in its own right, especially to people outside the industry.
About Lindsay joined EQ’s Technical Consultants team in January 2015, having worked in financial services since 2007, and is a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. She has a particular interest in trust and estate planning, and continues to develop a proficiency in this area. With a background in languages, Lindsay is a polyglot and enjoys improving her language skills. She is also a PADI qualified Scuba Diver, with numerous dives made worldwide, from the warmer climes of the Caribbean to Icelandic fissures. She especially enjoys wreck dives and is hoping to complete the specialist Wreck Diver course soon.
About Sam joined the industry in 2005 as a general office administrator for a small IFA in Warwickshire. Over the following ten years she gained Chartered status with the CII and an additional Trusts & Estates qualification with STEP. Sam aims to gain her Fellowship by 2021. Over the last 15 years she has been employed as both an in-house and outsourced paraplanner. She is now a Senior Paraplanner for Succession Wealth at their head office in Birmingham, working with several wealth planners and helping to train and support their graduate planners and paraplanners.
Best Paraplanner
This category aims to reward excellence in the field of paraplanning. Paraplanners should have been performing the role for at least 12 months and be able to demonstrate the technical and research skills needed to deliver a top-quality service to the client.
Alexander Ottowell Succession Wealth
George Smith Simpson Wood Financial Services
Kerry Roffey Seabrook Clark
Lindsay John EQ Investors
Sam Tonks Succession Wealth
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About At Key Solutions our culture is our most precious asset and at our very core is our ethos: “we are here to make life easier and better for everyone”.
Location Weston-super-Mare Number of advisers 33 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice Mortgages, protection, GI Number of clients 10,000+
About Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) is the UK’s most recognised mortgage broker, winning over 150 national awards for the quality of its advice and service. It has over 1,400 advisers offering expert mortgage and protection advice on a local, regional and national level to consumers, both face to face and over the phone. MAB was the first – and is currently the only – mortgage intermediary to have floated on the London Stock Exchange, having joined the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in November 2014.
Location National but head office is in Derby Advisers 1400 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice In 2019, we handled over £16bn of Lending
About Fee Free, whole of market mortgage and insurance broker with a tech focus in order to optimise efficiencies for our clients and our staff.
Location Chippenham, Wiltshire Number of advisers 28 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Number of clients 25,000 plus
About Located in the heart of Borehamwood, The Orchard Practice has been helping both the local and wider North London community with all matters financial since 1997. Primarily a long-standing mortgage and protection broker with a wealth arm, in 2011 the firm began redeveloping its pensions and investments proposition to meet increasing demand from both existing clients and new enquiries. Eight years later, while the mortgage and protection business is still running strong, The Orchard Practice is now proud to offer a holistic financial advice service providing everything wealth-wise from pensions and investments to business property relief and family tax planning.
Location Borehamwood, Hertfordshire Number of advisers 2 DA or AR status Appointed Representative of Openwork Assets under advice approx. £25million Number of clients approx. 500
Best Mortgage Adviser
Firms should have been in existence for at least 12 months and be able to demonstrate a good track record as a business and in advising clients on their mortgage needs either as a mortgage specialist or IFA.
About Bankhall is a leading supplier of support services to more than 800 directly regulated financial services firms. From pensions and investments to mortgages and protection, Bankhall has been operating for over 25 years, supporting thousands of advisers to embrace regulatory change and reach their full potential. Our progressive and practical approach enables firms across the spectrum of financial advice to focus on strategic future-proofing and profitability, while also providing the best possible service and outcomes for their customers. And, because we’re part of Sesame Bankhall Group, our clients benefit from access to expertise across the world of financial services.
Location Sale, Manchester (head office) Huddersfield New Delhi, India DA or AR status Directly Authorised Number of clients Over 800 client firms
About Our reputation, built over almost 20 years, is for quality over quantity. We build personal relationships with the financial planners and wealth managers we work with, so their priorities become ours. We offer comprehensive, integrated solutions encompassing compliance, regulatory support and training, as well as access to our unique, proprietary technology. Our tightly integrated software suite drives efficiency and automation, and because we put our clients first, they help direct our innovation. We draw on years of industry experience and the considerable expertise of our team to deliver high-quality solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern financial planning firms across the UK.
Location Horsham Number of advisers 262 DA or AR status Our network is comprised of Appointed Representatives
About NextGen Planners is a community of over 300 financial planners who are actively promoting best practice and who are committed to shaping the profession of the future. The Training Contract ® is an independent, virtual, training programme, designed by planners for planners. This aims to help attract fresh blood to our profession, whilst also levelling up those who are in the profession already. In April 2020, we released our fully virtual Future Leaders Programme, recognised by the Chartered Management Institute, to help budding financial planners become leaders and the future faces of financial planning.
About The Openwork Group is one of the largest and longest-established financial advice networks in the UK. It started operating as Openwork in 2005 but has been active in the financial advice market for over 45 years. Over 3,700 financial advisers and 500 staff are at the heart of the business offering a range of support to financial advice firms, financial advisers and customers. Backed by a strong shareholder base and a rich history, Openwork has developed the knowledge and experience to deliver a top-quality home for customer-focused advisers and financial professionals.
Location London, Swindon & Brighton Advisers 3,744 as at the end of April DA or AR status Appointed Representative status applies to all Openwork Limited and Owl advisers. Assets under advice £11.7bn Number of clients 753.000
About Tenet Group is one of the largest and longest established adviser support groups in the UK, supporting hundreds of advisers across four key support propositions for mortgage and investment advisers, both as appointed representatives and directly authorised clients. It has a strong balance sheet and no external debt.
Location Leeds, Preston, Forth and Cardiff Advisers 1,387 - this is RI numbers only and does not include DA clients DA or AR status Both
About The SimplyBiz Group provides essential support services, software and data that enable professional financial advisers, financial intermediaries and product providers to deliver better outcomes for their customers. The Group was formed in 2002 and, through organic growth and acquisition, rapidly grew to become the UK's largest provider of outsourced regulatory and business support to financial advisers; a position we still hold today. During that time, we created and launched innovative solutions for the lending and credit markets, launched our own asset management company and entered the legal and surveying markets; and are prominent each of those markets today.
Location Huddersfield, Glasgow, Leatherhead, Worksop, Derby, Epsom, Horley and Haddenham. Number of clients 3,700 firms use our regulatory and business support services, whilst 8,500 advisers use our fintech platform.
About threesixty’s experienced team of specialists deliver a range of cost effective, compliance, training and bespoke development support to over 900 directly regulated IFA practices, including over 130 discretionary management firms (more than 9,000 registered individuals). With a focus on investment orientated businesses, clients range from substantial national and regional sized firms to niche boutique investment managers and financial planners. All staff providing compliance or technical advice have attained level 4, with many being level 6 qualified or above. All of our services are fee-based and not influenced by a firms turnover or number of advisers.
Location Manchester Number of clients As of 20 May, 904 directly authorised firms – 131 of those subscribe to our discretionary investment management services
Best Network/Support Service
Firms should have been in existence for at least 12 months and be able to demonstrate a good track record in operating as a network for IFAs and/or restricted advisers and/or offering support service solutions for advisers.
About Gallagher’s Health & Protection Division provides specialist consultancy regarding health insurance, group risk and related benefits. Our highly experienced team focuses on two primary service elements – strategic consulting advice and account management. We hold key intermediary status with all the major health insurance providers which ensures priority service on behalf of our clients.
Location Stevenage/Home Based Consultants Advisers 13 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Number of clients 5000+
About Most know it as life insurance, we call it protecting families. And since 1998, LifeSearch have protected hundreds of thousands of UK families from the financial fallout of catastrophe, critical illness and death. Over 21 years, LifeSearch has grown into the UK's biggest life insurance broker, offering expert, independent advice to customers around life insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, family income benefit, serious illness cover and business insurance In two decades, LifeSearch has picked up hundreds of awards for its culture, expertise and customer service. Boasting a TrustPilot score of 4.9 (excellent), the company is ranked number #3 in the Sunday Times' 2019 list of Best Places to Work.
Location London, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Cape Town DA or AR status Directly Authorised Number of clients Since we set up in 1998 we have insured over 900k lives but can’t nesscarily say all are clients as being protection a % will have cancelled
About Smart Advice Financial Solutions are the largest regional partner of the Mortgage Advice Bureau, based along the M4 corridor and the South. We are experts on all things finance, helping clients over the phone and face to face providing expert advice nationally. We are renown for an exceptionally high level of customer service, our experienced brokers and administration support team, not only simplify the house purchase process but take care of clients for the lifetime of that mortgage, with a dedicated approach to the protection of the mortgage and clients lifestyle.
Location Bath Number of advisers 36 DA or AR status Appointed Representative of MAB Number of clients Total clients circa 10,000
About ?
Location Macclesfield Advisers 14 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Number of clients Annually on average around 2,500-4,000
About Vita was founded by two close friends, Barry Pappin & Paul Reed, who shared the same vision - to be trusted as the fairest and most credible insurance brokerage, giving unrivalled advice from experts that genuinely care about getting the right solution for every customer. Ten years on, and they’ve arranged over £1 billion of cover with the top insurers in the country, differentiating their service based on quality-led advice and sales processes.
Location Cardiff, Wales Advisers 13 DA or AR status Appointed Representative
Best Protection Adviser
Firms should have been in existence for at least 12 months and be able to demonstrate a good track record as a business and in providing protection advice to clients.
The Value Exchange
About At Age Partnership, we believe that people who are at, or approaching, retirement deserve to get the best out of life and their finances. Each of the services we provide are designed to do this. Established in 2004, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, with over 500 employees, we have tailored a range of financial solutions specifically for the over 50s. We offer advised and non-advised services to ensure we can support customers to achieve their retirement objectives. We are the largest Equity Release advisor and one of the largest retirement specialists for pensions, annuities and drawdown.
Location Leeds Number of advisers 161 across both EQR & Pensions DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £50m Number of clients 220 invested clients, 1600 non-advised clients a year
About Henwood Court are a lifestyle based Chartered Financial Planning firm specialising in helping clients transition from work to retirement. Their approach helps its clients identify, achieve and maintain their desired lifestyle, without the fear of running out of money or dying with too much. They focus on achieving life-changing outcomes for each and every person they work with. By design, they only work with a relatively small number of client families; a strategy which allows them devote a significant amount of time and attention to each client relationship.
Location Sutton Coldfield Number of advisers 6 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £160m Number of clients 320
About Retirement planning is what we do and all that we do. Since 1998, we have been providing comprehensive advice in all areas of retirement planning – maximising the retirement funds of our clients. We have established ourselves as a leading adviser in this market and pioneered the use of computer analysis to help financial retirement planning. This has enabled us to deliver a tailored computerised ‘model’ for every client which helps them to engage, visualise and understand their retirement planning strategy.
Location Glasgow Head Office with advisers throughout the UK Number of advisers 11 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice Approximately £425m+ Number of clients 1,500+
About Lowes has been providing independent financial advice to people from all walks of life and across the UK for almost 50 years. The company focus has always been one of personal service, putting the client first and striving to achieve high levels of client satisfaction, verified through biennial client satisfaction surveys, the most recent of which had 94% of clients rate Lowes investment advice and client service as 'Good' or 'Very Good'.
Location Newcastle upon Tyne & Hitchin, Hertfordshire Number of advisers 18 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £950m Number of clients 6018
About Tideway provide wealth management and financial advice to the at-or-approaching retirement market. Our emphasis combines the twin disciplines of financial planning and investment management to select and blend investments to optimise returns, control risks and lower tax on an ongoing basis. Portfolios are constructed with an emphasis on providing a secure income from a diversified portfolio, and wrappers such as low-cost SIPPS, ISAs and Offshore Bonds are used to provide tax efficient returns.
Location London Number of advisers 8 DA or AR status Tideway Wealth is an Appointed Representative of Tideway Investment Partners Assets under advice £350 million Number of clients 575
About Wingate Financial Planning are a multi-award winning Chartered Financial Planners based in Caterham, Surrey. We are holders of the Investors in People Gold Standard, and are a firm who care deeply about helping our mainly retired, or retiring, clients understand and fulfil their lifetime aspirations.
Location Caterham, Surrey Number of advisers 8 on private client team DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £300mn+ Number of clients c. 580
Best Retirement Adviser
Firms should have been in existence for at least 12 months and be able to demonstrate excellence in the decumulation-phase advice proposition they offer their clients in retirement.
About Joining Equilibrium in 2015 as a Client Manager (Paraplanner), Ben quickly recognized that the power of financial advice goes far beyond just investments or tax. Whilst he was happy to pass exams and achieve chartered status, this was a false summit on the path to being a great adviser. It gave him the “how” but not the “why”. Since becoming an adviser in 2017, he has committed to Equilibrium’s shared purpose of “making people’s lives better”. His focus is on developing the skills needed to help clients achieve financial confidence and to make better decisions for them and their families.
About Chloé Moran is a paraplanner at boosst financial. She is passionate about financial planning, diversity and inclusion and educating the next generation on personal finance. As part of this, she plays an active role in the financial planning profession, writing a bi-monthly column for Financial Planning Today, is part of the PFS mentoring program and is often asked to sit on panels at events. Chloé has won multiple industry awards and has also been recognised by three separate bodies as a “rising star”. She holds the Chartered Financial Planner title and is now working towards becoming a Certified Financial Planner.
About Daniel Martin is Director and Financial Planner at MDM Wealth Ltd in Rugby, Warwickshire, where he is helping to run a family financial planning business offering independent financial advice to families across the West Midlands. After successfully attaining a first class honours degree at Coventry University in Finance and Investment, he now returns to the University as a Mentor on their Wealth Management Mentor Scheme. In addition he also, sits on the schools advisory board. His passions outside of work are playing semi-professional rugby, keeping fit and spending time with friends and family.
About Drew was named Succession Wealth’s Planner of the Year in 2018 and a Rising Star of the Business in 2019. Having joined financial services in his native New Zealand, Drew achieved diploma status prior to entering the profession as a paraplanner in 2014 which then saw him quickly progress to an independent financial adviser role. Drew achieved Chartered and Fellow status in 2019. Outside of work, Drew is kept busy with two young boys.
About George graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a degree in History (2015). Since graduating, he has worked at the James Hay Partnership, before joining Succession. After achieving the Diploma in Financial Planning through the Chartered Insurance Institute, George joined the inaugural Succession graduate programme to continue his journey to becoming Chartered and aid his further development. George aims to build deep meaningful relationships with clients to help establish their goals and develop a plan to make these achievable. Outside of the office George spends his time attempting to play golf, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
Rising Adviser Star of the Year
This award intends to recognise a financial planner making waves in their firm, coming up through the ranks with a dedication to professional development and becoming a truly top-quality adviser. While many candidates will be younger than the average adviser, there is no age restriction on this award, which is also open to new joiners to the industry from other careers, or who have just made the move to adviser status, but are making a big impact in the profession.
Ben Rogers Equilibrium
Chloé Moran boosst (for work at Rose & North)
Daniel Martin MDM Wealth
Drew Nutsford Succession Wealth
George Thomas Succession Wealth
About Balance: Wealth Planning is a Chartered Financial Planning firm that offers goals-based, holistic financial planning, based in the East Midlands. With a forward-thinking team of 10, we all share a common passion to provide clear and easy to understand advice, that enables our clients to do what is really important to them. We approach financial planning with the premise that money is simply a tool to provide us with what we need in life, and we help clients structure their wealth in a way that builds the future they truly want.
Location Nottingham Number of advisers 3 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £90m Number of clients 220
About Bluesky is an established firm of Chartered Financial Planners having been in business for over 20 years. With a strong team ethic we offer a relationship-based service working with our clients to help them answer ‘the big questions’ and to provide peace of mind - whether that be transitioning into retirement or provisioning for others. As progressive financial planners our work often strays into areas beyond those of a typical financial adviser, such as lifestyle coaching and cash-flow modelling. We are experienced in assisting divorcing couples and their legal representatives and are proud and committed members of Resolution.
Location Lower Earley, Reading, Berkshire Number of advisers 3 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £90M Number of clients 310
About We’re Independent and Chartered Financial Planners working with business owners, company directors and senior executives across Manchester and the North West. Depledge SWM are an award-winning firm operating within the highest standards of the BS 8577 and ISO 22222 frameworks and in conjunction with Sense Network to provide quality long lasting financial advice. The business has grown year on year since 2014 and has built an experienced team of people which will grow in the year ahead with the recruitment of our third adviser and move to a larger office location that will underpin our future development.
Location Manchester Number of advisers 2 DA or AR status Appointed Representative Assets under advice £161 million (as at the 8.5.2020) Number of clients 290 family groups
About We are a small team of financial planners, wealth managers and paraplanners based in Bridgend, South Wales. At Magenta we focus on the bigger picture. We genuinely care about people and about getting them to where they want to go in life. We just happen to be doing that through financial planning. Financial planning isn’t just about the numbers, it’s about helping people to enjoy life and achieve security and happiness over the long term. We love being able to offer reassurance, and to make people feel confident about their finances and happier about their money. That’s why our tagline is ‘Planning with Passion’.
Location Bridgend, South Wales Number of advisers 2 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £85m Number of clients 264
Small Advice Firm of the Year
Firms should have been in existence for at least 12 months and be able to demonstrate a good track record in providing overall advice to clients as well as a good business record. The firm should have a maximum of five advisers.
Location London Number of advisers 4 active advisers, 7 DipPFS qualified team members in total. DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £200m AUM Number of clients 283 clients
About EQ Investors (EQ) is an award-winning, boutique wealth manager providing financial advice and investment management services to individuals, small businesses and charitable endowments. We are a Certified B Corporation, the international standard for companies who believe in business as a force for good. Making a positive contribution to the wider community is a core part of our business philosophy. EQ operates a matched giving programme to help its clients and staff raise extra funds for their favourite causes and has set up the EQ Foundation as a registered charity. The EQ Positive Impact Portfolios are a unique proposition for investors who care about how and where their money is invested.
Location London Number of advisers 16 DA or AR status Directly Authorised Assets under advice £1 billion Number of clients 2500
About Insight.Out Financial are a Northern Ireland based business that supports clients across the UK. We have family values and inclusivity as our core ethos and this is the framework for all of our client services, systems and controls. We provide specialist pension advice as part of our financial planning service, and pride ourselves on achieving the highest levels of professionalism.
Location Belfast Advisers One authorised adviser DA or AR status Appointed Representative of Tenet Group Assets under advice c. £40million Number of clients Core of 175 active clients
Diversity Champion of the Year (Advice Firm)
This award intends to recognise a company – large or small – that has gone above and beyond in their efforts to improve diversity across the financial planning and/or investment professions. This could be through either internal projects they have run, or outward-facing initiatives that show a true commitment to putting diversity higher up the agenda and improving outcomes for underrepresented groups.
The Winners
We hope you enjoyed this year’s digital Mortgage Strategy Awards. Congratulations to all our worthy winners and finalists!
Lender category winners
Provider category winners
Broker category winners
Distributor category winners
Individual Performance Award winners
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Which buy-to-let lender has shown innovation and provided the best service to you and your landlord clients in 2019?
The winner was praised over and over for its consistency, “which it has had for a long time”, as one judge put it. “My staff always like dealing with them,” said another, adding that the winner is “friendly and easy to use.” Another judge pointed out that the winner is “a bigger player in BTL than many people realise”.
The judges were quick to point out that the winner of this category does a lot to educate customers as well as having a strong commitment to advisers in the equity release space.
The winner for this category was praised for its “remarkable change in proposition and growth”, a sentiment echoed by all in the room. One judge added that “if you haven’t tried its bespoke products, then you really should”. It’s not often that personal recommendations are made in these situations!
“Who doesn’t like a disrupter?” asked one judge. Others commented on the winner’s new criteria for first-time buyers, remortgages and Help to Buy remortgages, “which is massive”, according to one judge, while another said the winner is doing something truly different to the big lenders.
“They are champions of change for the better,” said one judge, which brought forth zero disagreement. Other praise soon followed: “They are constantly looking to improve, to innovate,” added a judge, “and they clearly wanted to raise standards in this space. They have.”
The winner for best short-term lender was held up as an institution that is helping to keep the industry clean through its transparency, and that, through its education is taking away the mystique of specialist lending, helping to make bridging products “far more affordable for ordinary applicants.”
This winner, to quote one judge, “offers a suite of products that complement brokers’ offerings.” Aside from this, much praise was heard for the company’s “impressive” reinvention and transformation, along with its habit of “going above and beyond” what is asked of it.
The winner of this category was praised for having introduced a “new, much slicker process,” and for acting quickly whenever an issue with a third party crops up. “Not many firms in this space will do that for you,” noted another judge. Another judge remarked that the winner has a highly satisfied client base.
The winner of this much coveted award was praised for having refined and simplified what were “very complicated products with all sorts of different benefits”, demonstrating a willingness to listen to critical feedback from advisers.
All of the judges commented on the winner winning the recent LBG contract, “which means they must be doing something right!” as one judge put it. Others praised its strong technology, its “demonstrable excellence” and the fact that it’s such slick operator.
The judges stated that the winner has the vision to “constantly improve and innovate” its offering, and that its move to integrate a criteria sourcing system with product sourcing will create a proposition that will “benefit both advisers and consumers.”
WINNER
“A true market leader in its field,” was how one judge described this winner, with another saying that its technology development and its aim to go paperless, is “the way to go.” Another judge simply boomed “culture!”, which, in this case, we took for a positive.
The winner of this category was praised for its “impressive transformation plan” which, the judges said, showed a real commitment to change, alongside its investment in technology. “Future proofed and agile” was the overall conclusion.
It was the “wow moments” wot won it, according to the judges. Further praised was extended to the positive ethos of the company that “shines through”, its passion for protection, and the investment in its training and academy initiatives. The winner, the judges decreed, is prepared to always make the extra effort for the customer.
The judges were hugely impressed with the winner, remarking that it packs a hell of a punch for its size and has a “genuine passion for customer delivery and in moving the industry forward.” Those in charge “wake up and immediately begin thinking about how to do their job better,” said another judge.
“Head and shoulders above all,” said one judge when picking the winner for this highly competitive fixture, adding that in every area assessed, it “came top.” The large and varied array of lenders used by the winner was picked out for particular praise.
The judges were unanimous in their praise for the winner completing a massive rebrand on an already strong brand – “brave” was the adjective came up again and again. They also praised the winner’s business success, its culture and “the passion that comes through at every touchpoint”.
The judges were especially taken with the winner’s “really strong” compliance framework. They also pointed out that the broker has a worthy adviser training programme, and that it had a very ethical approach, with the customer outcome “key and at the heart of every decision.”
The winner of this category was described as being “inspiring”, “tenacious”, “authentic”, and many other superlatives besides. Its growth story, with the owner taking it from the living room to the next level on a consistent basis each year, was praised for its ambition.
The judges concluded that the winner’s focus on planning long-term and communicating this effectively to its DAs, plus the investment it makes in its own staff and its technology offering were factors worthy of the highest celebration.
This category’s winner was chosen for its strong quality control in terms of which firms it accepts, its focus on business coaching, the technology it uses and the scope and quality of its support desk. The judges also enthused over it having recently opened an insurance panel.
Primis is, according to the judges, the network with the best technology – with Toolbox especially praised – the best event calendar and the network with the best rating from lenders. “A great achievement,” was the conclusion after a barnstorming presentation.
It’s difficult to argue with such concrete statements as: “Outstanding business philosophy,” and “still the standout operator in this category” – and this within one of the tightest-fought categories in the awards. Spoiler: none of the judges disagreed.
One thing in particular, and the first, that caught the judges’ collective eye in one of Alexandria’s supporting nominations was the mention of her designing and implementing her own systems within the business she works for. Alongside this demonstration of initiative taking and proactivity, a focus on making customers’ lives as happy and stress-free as possible rang like a bell throughout each entry, loud, pure and consistent. This had the judges purring.
If you don’t know this year’s Mortgage Personality of the Year, it won’t be long before you do. This year’s winner has a way with words, both spoken and written, and is known as a champion of brokers, speaking up on the issues that really matter to the industry. Despite taking on more responsibility at work in the past year, he always makes the time for friends, of which he has many. You’ll often finding him on stage, where he’s just as at home voicing his opinion at a conference as he is rocking out with his band. The party hasn’t started until this year’s winner has arrived and we all need a good shindig this year, so it’s only right that the accolade goes to Coreco's Managing Director, Andrew Montlake!
Andrew Montlake
Managing Director, Coreco
John Heron
Paragon
This year’s winner of the outstanding contribution award has made a continuing and significant impact on the mortgage industry for several decades. Having spent the majority of his career at a ‘challenger’ bank, he also held positions at several trade bodies and is known for his expertise and influence on the landlord sector, earning him the title of ‘The King of Buy-to-Let.’ Praised for his openness and mentoring skills, this year’s winner retired at the end of 2019. Congratulations go to … John Heron.
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twitter competition terms & conditions
1. The competition will run from 5.00pm 15/10/20 to 5.00pm 16/10/2020. 2. The prize is 1x bottle of champagne. All elements of the prize are subject to availability, non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. 3. The winners will be notified by response to their Twitter post from the Mortgage Strategy Twitter account (@MortgageStrat) within 7 days. 4. The prize draw is open to any UK resident aged 18 years and over. 5. Employees of Mortgage Strategy, its subsidiaries, and any other companies connected with this draw, along with their families and members of their households, are not eligible to enter. 6. Entries will be limited to one per individual or group. 7. No purchase is necessary to take part in the competition and no proof of purchase will be required. 8. If the winner cannot be traced after reasonable efforts have been made by the organisers, then the organisers will be entitled to dispose of the prize as they think fit, without any liability to the prize winner. 9. Please allow a minimum of 30 days for delivery. 10. The judges' decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. 11. The cancellation of the prize draw at any point is entirely at the discretion of the organisers. 12. Mortgage Strategy accepts no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by you as a result of entering the competition or accepting the prize. Mortgage Strategy further disclaims liability for any injury or damage to your or any other person's computer relating to or resulting from participation in or downloading any materials in connection with the competition.
