The Intermediary – February 2026 - Flipbook - Page 81
M E E T T H E B RO K E R
by the use of technology to keep
applications progressing smoothly
and helping clients manage their
mortgage properly over time.
In what ways could
What are the main
Two key areas are broker support
and valuations. On the support
side, getting hold of business
development managers (BDMs) or
helplines can be very difficult. You
might be working on a complex case,
sit on hold for half an hour and then
be cut off, only get a response a day
or two later when your attention
has moved elsewhere. Live chat is
often promoted as an alternative,
but the quality of guidance can
be inconsistent.
On valuations, there can be a
worrying disconnect between what
valuers say and what properties
are actually worth. I have seen
the same property valued by two
different firms with more than a 40%
difference between them, and both
insisted they were correct.
When you have years of tenancy
agreements showing a certain
rental level and the valuation does
not reflect that, it is very hard to
explain to a client, especially when
it kills a deal they have worked on
for months. Greater transparency
in how valuations are reached and
more willingness from lenders to
challenge valuations, where the
evidence supports it, would make a
real difference.
opportunities for brokers
at the moment?
The biggest opportunities are still
relationship-driven, particularly
personal referrals. If you do an
excellent job and build strong
connections, clients will often sing
your praises and recommend you to
friends and family.
One of my first clients was from
Myanmar, with very complex income
and limited English, and it was a
difficult case.
We eventually got it through, and
he went on to recommend five or
six friends, who then recommended
others. From that one relationship
I’ve developed a small cluster of
very friendly and appreciative
Burmese clients.
It shows that when you do the
basics well, go above and beyond,
and genuinely fight for your clients,
one good outcome can snowball into
many more.
What are the main
issues currently affecting
your sector?
One major issue is how hard
landlords have been hit by tax
changes, which has pushed many
of them to sell properties even
though some portfolio landlords are
taking the opposite approach and
expanding while they see value.
Another big challenge is the lack
of housing supply. There simply
are not enough homes being built,
which means the market is not as
liquid as it could be and transactions
do not move as quickly as they
might otherwise.
Despite these headwinds, there
are still opportunities for investors
and brokers who are willing to
go slightly against the grain and
think long-term.
lenders better support
brokerages?
How do you ensure your
clients fully understand
the mortgage process?
My aim in the first meeting is always
that clients leave feeling confident
enough to make offers on properties
and with a clear understanding of
what will happen at each stage of
the process. I take time to walk them
through the full journey from initial
enquiry to completion in a way that
is specific to their circumstances,
rather than simply showing them a
couple of rate options.
That explanation is then backed up
by the way we work as a firm, with
dedicated people handling different
parts of the journey, so that clients
always know what is going on and
are supported throughout.
What are your views
on the use of artificial
intelligence (AI) in
the industry?
I think AI is already improving
certain aspects of what we do and
will continue to do so. Interestingly,
we have started to see leads come
through ChatGPT, where people
have asked it to recommend a
good broker in London and it has
suggested AS Financial. At the same
time, I do not believe AI will replace
human-to-human mortgage advice.
There is still a risk of incorrect or
incomplete advice if you rely solely
on AI, and it cannot replicate the
personal connection, reassurance
and availability that clients value,
especially when something goes
wrong and needs fixing quickly. In
the short- to medium-term, I see
AI as a set of tools to enhance our
work rather than a replacement
for good advisers who build those
strong relationships.
What are your priorities
for the year ahead?
My priority is to keep building
on what already works: strong
relationships, detailed advice and a
willingness to fight for clients. AS
Financial has grown every year for
the last five years and continues to
grow, which reinforces my belief
that there will always be space for
advisers who put clients first.
Brokers or advisers should treat
every client as if they are your most
important client. Build trust by
seeing things from their perspective,
give thoughtful, high-quality
advice and really fight their corner.
In my experience, combining
determination and persistence
with strong relationship-building
has led to steady growth year after
year, and there will always be room
in this industry for committed
human advisers who look after their
clients properly. ●
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