In the Spotlight with Nicola Ledgard, Hampshire Trust Bank

FR: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your new role at HTB?

I have worked in the banking and building society sector for 35 years and the majority of my career has been spent working in property related portfolio management and restructure and recoveries.

I have worked at a number of lenders including Halifax, Cheshire Building Society, Salt Commercial and Nationwide Building Society and joined HTB from Aldermore Bank where I was head of portfolio management for the property division.

I joined HTB to set up and lead the portfolio management team within the specialist mortgages division and will be responsible for the structure, management and growth of the existing portfolio. This means working alongside broker partners to manage and monitor large and complex cases and build long term relationships.

Outside of work, I love to spend time with my husband, four children, two grandchildren, two dogs and cat and like to keep active with regular swimming, walking, cycling and yoga.

FR: How do you see the specialist buy-to-let market panning out for the rest of 2023 and into 2024?

The market is very volatile and there is very mixed messaging in the press from existing landlords, with reports that more experienced landlords are looking to secure bargains while the less experienced landlords with one, two or three properties are maybe looking to exit due to high rates and costs and changes to regulations and legislation.

FR: What do you think sets apart HTB in the buy-to-let sector?

HTB is not a “volume” driven business, which definitely sets us apart from many mainstream lenders. We pride ourselves on providing a more personal and tailored individual approach and specialist service for our customers and thrive on building valuable long-term relationships with our clients.

FR: How important is service and experience when assessing and processing complex portfolio buy-to-let cases?

It is extremely important. Most landlords usually also have a day job and want the process to be as simple as possible with no last-minute complications. Buy-to-let is not a one size fits all solution, therefore it is important to understand the logistics of the deal, the various timescales involved and identify any potential trip-hazards and barriers at the outset.

FR: What opportunities are there still for lenders, brokers and property investors?

There are a lot of brokers and borrowers searching the market to identify and approach lenders they’ve maybe not used before, which means there is an opportunity for lenders to be proactive within their sales and marketing teams. This includes identifying buy-to-let borrowers looking to sell or expand their portfolios. Being proactive means a win/win for all involved.

These opportunities also apply to brokers who need to look outside their comfort zone and try to find lenders offering something a little bit different and more creative than what they may have previously been used to.

For investors, I think there will potentially be opportunities to pick up properties outside of their usual geographical locations, which means discussing requirements with local agents and asking to be kept informed of what’s coming to market. There is also an opportunity to approach lenders and ask them whether they will consider a drawdown facility so they are ready to go as soon as properties are identified.