The Intermediary – November 2025 - Flipbook - Page 61
I N P RO F I L E
than demographic-first. Palmer says: “It’s about
supporting those that just need that affordability
stretch in order to get the home they need or
want, rather than compromising.”
Supporting that approach requires technology
that can adapt at pace. This, Palmer says, is where
Gen H’s fintech foundations become particularly
significant, as “a lender that builds its own endto-end journey and system.”
Features such as the credit commitments
tool and custom packaging dashboard are
designed to surface information early and keep
communication clear. “By giving the broker the
information during the process, it’s a really slick
experience,” Palmer notes, highlighting that the
intent is to remove friction, not just chase speed.
As workloads have increased and case profiles
have become more varied, brokers increasingly
look for lenders that can offer both flexibility and
operational clarity. Palmer says: “We’re just trying
to make that journey for the broker as seamless
as we can.” That mindset is reflected in recent
enhancements: streamlined onboarding and a
new re-offer tool that allows brokers to easily
request to move clients to a lower rate.
Backing broker resilience
In a market marred by affordability pressures
and unpredictable economic conditions, Palmer
praises the resilience of intermediaries. She
explains: “We see that manifest as a growing
interest in education. Brokers are recognising the
importance of innovation and they’re seeking out
those opportunities because they want to learn
more about what products are available to them.”
Where once much of the market could
be served through standardised high street
criteria, advisers are now increasingly engaged
in navigating nuanced affordability models and
intergenerational support. As product ranges
diversify to address those needs, the broker’s role
becomes even more central. “The more people
need tailored mortgage products, the more the
brokers’ role as the expert becomes invaluable,”
Palmer adds.
For Palmer, the concept of partnership forms
a practical framework for how the sector should
operate. She says: “We all have to work together
to build policy, products, criteria, advice,
protocols, and systems that accomplish what
we’re all here to do.”
This reflects a move away from transactional,
product-led engagement toward more sustained
collaboration. With affordability challenges
widening and customer scenarios becoming
more varied, meaningful progress requires
shared problem-solving, rather than isolated
product development.
Rather than simply promoting solutions to the
market, Palmer emphasises the need for lenders
to actively absorb broker insight and experience:
“We want to hear those criteria questions. We
want that product feedback, because that really
helps us to shape moving forward.”
She adds: “We’ll try and facilitate those
important conversations, bring more brokers into
the fold so that we can all improve in a way that
genuinely works for each of us together.”
Moving forward
Palmer’s focus is on sustainable growth, scaling
Gen H’s presence and capability while preserving
the qualities that differentiate its approach today.
Expansion must not come at the expense of
service or connection, she explains: “We want
to grow, but we don’t ever want to lose that
personal human touch.”
In practice, that means continuing to invest
in distribution relationships, maintaining
responsiveness as volumes increase, and
ensuring that brokers continue to feel supported
rather than pushed toward self-navigation.
The objective is not solely to increase lending
volumes, but to extend the impact of the lender’s
mission. Palmer defines success as enabling more
customers who might otherwise struggle to find
a route into homeownership. She concludes:
“it’s about widening our reach, forming real
partnerships with our distribution and continuing
to provide innovative solutions for customers.” ●
SARA
PALMER
November 2025 | The Intermediary
