Nathan Ellis-Calcott, BDM - North, at The Loans Engine

FR: Has the advent of a new regulatory landscape for secured lending changed business for you?

Yes, but only in a positive way.  We are seeing a greater level of enquires through the Intermediary route due to increased confidence with the regulations in place.

FR: What do you predict for the regulation of secured lending?

The MMR has clearly changed the mortgage world with Intermediaries finding it harder to place clients down the traditional re-mortgage route. Regulation of the secured loan sector will only enhance its reputation.  It is important to keep ahead of the curve with regulation and I feel the industry is in good shape to continue to be so.

FR: What do you enjoy most about working in the industry?

The diversity of each individual case, finding and tailoring a solution to a client’s specific requirements proves to be rewarding.   Giving the Intermediary that confidence of service is a major reward for me.

FR: What can brokers do to improve their client offering?

Brokers would do well to partner with a company that allows them access to a sourcing system to provide their clients accurate quotes.  As a business they would want to be able to this quickly, compliantly and effectively.  There are a number of sourcing systems out there that allow a broker to gain quotes. There are only a few who pre-qualify the clients with a soft credit search facility so it’s important to partner with the right company.

FR: If you had to give one piece of advice to someone starting out in the industry, what would it be?

Compliance is a key component for a company, research in depth who you wish to build a career with. We all know that some companies still currently take a more relaxed view towards compliance but they won’t be able to get away with this forever, I’d therefore advise someone to always look for best practices and learn your craft. Never cut corners to try and climb the ladder.