What personal talent or skill is most valuable in your role at Norton Broker Services?
It’s all about building trust. Brokers have a lot on their plate, and they need someone they can rely on who will answer the phone, give a straight answer, and help get things sorted. At Norton Broker Services, we put a big emphasis on the human side of service. Whether you’re dealing with a straightforward second charge or something completely off-piste, I want brokers to feel like they’ve got someone in their corner.
What skill would you most like to improve?
There’s always more to learn, especially when it comes to the trickier end of the market. I’m constantly brushing up on lending structures, particularly around second charges and bridging. With so many clients sitting on equity or juggling renovation delays, that knowledge really helps us spot solutions other lenders might miss.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Breaking the news when something can’t go ahead, usually because of a curveball like a valuation issue or a solicitor causing delays. That said, we’re lucky at Norton Broker Services to work from a well-established, specialist lender panel that reflects the kinds of clients we attract. It’s broad, representative of the market, and allows us to be true experts in the options we offer.
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What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love helping brokers turn tricky cases into real outcomes. Norton is known for handling the kind of deals that just miss out on the high street, whether it’s adverse credit, self-employed income or quirky properties. When you can get something over the line that another lender wouldn’t even look at, that’s a good day.
What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve ever had?
An old boss once told me: “People buy into people first, then the product”. That’s stuck with me. At Norton, we’re not faceless. We offer proper one-to-one support, not just a portal login and good luck. If you’ve got a case that needs talking through, I’m always happy to jump on a call and get stuck in.
How do you stay on top of what’s happening in the market?
I follow the trade press and use LinkedIn, but honestly, it’s a lot about brokers keeping me in the loop. They’re the first to flag when something shifts, whether it’s landlords struggling to remortgage or homeowners needing a second charge to finish a renovation. The market’s always moving, so staying close to the ground helps us respond quickly.
What is the most unusual deal you’ve worked on?
One of the most unusual deals I’ve worked on involved converting a historic commercial property into a mix of residential and retail space. The commercial tenant was locked in on a long lease and handled their own fit-out, which added a nice twist. We used bridging finance for the initial works, then secured planning for a second phase of development to the rear of the site. It wasn’t a typical structure, and there were a few planning and funding hurdles to navigate, but it came together well in the end. Definitely one that stood out.
Tell us about a tricky case and how you fixed it?
One that sticks in my mind was a simple buy-to-let (BTL) on paper, but the client wanted to raise funds using equity in another property. There was £400,000 sitting there, but their existing lender wouldn’t allow a second charge. We explored all sorts: bridging, equity release, polite persistence, but nothing worked. In the end, I was able to move them to a more flexible lender from our panel for a remortgage. It wasn’t plan A, but it did the job.
What got you into this line of work?
I’ve always enjoyed speaking to people and solving problems, so the broker-facing side of the mortgage world felt like a natural fit. Business development gives me a nice mix of variety, responsibility, and a few curveballs to keep it interesting.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing in property?
I’ve worked in property development, dealing with high-net-worth clients, which was fun, but full of highs and lows. These days, I like being the one helping brokers find answers without all the drama of site management, delayed deliveries and unreliable tradespeople.
