The new function was designed to strengthen the firm’s application process and improve support for brokers and borrowers.
The team is headed by James McDonough (pictured, second from left), who has rejoined Hope Capital Property Finance. McDonough brings more than 12 years’ experience across regulated and unregulated lending, with a background in underwriting operations.
He is supported by specialists Michael Trafford (pictured, left), Joe Jacques (pictured, second from right), and Dyl Roscoe (pictured, right). Trafford, who joined Hope Capital Property Finance in 2022, has moved into the new team from his previous position as sales specialist, while Jacques and Roscoe are new appointments with several years of financial services experience.
Jacques has joined from Santander, where he specialised in fraud detection and financial crime prevention, while Roscoe has joined from Metro Bank, where she worked as a lending specialist.
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Efficiency gains for Hope Capital’s underwriting function
The new pre-application team will be responsible for preparing and packaging applications before they are transferred to Hope Capital Property Finance’s underwriting team. The lender said the dedicated function will help create a more consistent and efficient process, enabling faster outcomes for broker partners and borrowers.
The team will acknowledge enquiries within one business hour and provide updates at key milestones throughout the application process. It will also complete initial due diligence within a five-hour service level agreement, taking enquiries through to application across all deal types.
Additional responsibilities will include arranging valuation and legal quotes before underwriting for time-sensitive cases, packaging and submitting completed applications within 24 business hours of receiving all required documentation, and providing support to both sales and underwriting teams during the handover process.
Hope Capital Property Finance has also introduced a dedicated broker support line to manage post-submission queries.
McDonough, pre-application lead, said: “I’m thrilled to rejoin Hope Capital Property Finance, especially to lead this new team. The pre-application stage is a crucial part of the specialist lending journey because speed is everything.
“A more complete, well-packaged application enables a faster underwriting process, helping us deliver quicker outcomes for brokers and borrowers. I’m looking forward to leading the team as we continue to enhance the service we provide.”
Kim Parker, director of lending operations and commercial strategy at Hope Capital Property Finance, said the launch of the new team represented a further step in strengthening the lender’s proposition for brokers and borrowers.
She added: “Even within its first few weeks, the team has already made a positive impact on both efficiency and service delivery. We know that speed is critical in bridging finance, which is why we are continually investing in improvements that streamline our processes and help our customers complete transactions more quickly.”
