London has more than 12 years’ experience in the mortgage market, including roles at NatWest, Santander and the Post Office.  

His most recent role was mortgage consultant at buy to let broker firm, Mortgages for Business, a position he held for nearly three years. 

Barry Searle, managing director of Mortgages at Castle Trust, said: “Charlie has an excellent combination of experience and expertise that will ensure he is able to add value and help brokers to get deals done.  

“I look forward to working with Charlie as the latest addition to our expert and dedicated team.” 

London added: “It’s a great time to join such a dynamic business with a very exciting future. I’m looking forward to introducing more brokers to the benefits of working with Castle Trust.” 

Halifax and Accord confirmed business development managers (BDMs) will not be making in-person meetings for the time being. 

Halifax asked brokers to keep up to date with case tracking through emails and to only make contact “where absolutely necessary”. 

A statement sent to brokers by Halifax this afternoon said:

“We have today taken the decision to temporarily suspend all intermediary visits and meetings by our BDM (business development manager) team.

“Our priority, along with the safety of our colleagues and partners, is to ensure that our processing teams can continue to focus on providing you with the best possible service.”

 The lender added that advisers should get in touch with the Halifax Premier team for cases £500,000 and above as usual.

Lloyds Banking Group noted that the timeframe was difficult to judge but it’s policy would likely be in place for a while, although it would be reviewed frequently.

Mike Jones, managing director of intermediaries and specialist brands said: “From Monday 16 March our business development managers (BDMs) will be meeting brokers over-the-phone instead of face-to-face.

“By avoiding time travelling, BDMs will have more time to provide support to brokers via telephone.

“This will enable us to focus on supporting our intermediary partners and to continue conducting our business in the safest way possible.”

NatWest 

NatWest BDMs are also not attending any events with more than 20 people.

A spokesperson for NatWest told Mortgage Solutions that the lender was restricting all travel except that which is critical to business. It also said it would limit the scheduling and attendance of events for colleagues. 

The lender said it was “actively managing” the evolving impact of the coronavirus. 

Accord 

Accord said its field-based BDMs will not be visiting broker offices and pre-arranged meetings will be rescheduled to take place over the telephone or digitally where possible.  

However, its underwriters, service delivery colleagues, telephone BDMs and business development advisers will be working and available as normal. 

Accord also confirmed its team will not be attending any industry events, roadshows or conferences until further notice.  

Yesterday Keystone Property Finance and Vida Homeloans announced their plans for minimising disruption and potential exposure to the virus.

Following an emergency Cobra meeting on 12 March, prime minister Boris Johnson advised those who were showing symptoms of the virus to self-isolate for seven days. The government is considering the suspension of major public events. 

What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role?

I cover the Midlands area which stretches as far north as Stoke-on-Trent, down to Oxford. I work with around 1,100 registered broker firms.

How do you establish and maintain a good relationship with brokers?

My job is to make the broker’s role easier and that means going that extra mile. Especially when you’re dealing with complex cases you need to be able to be able to work in close partnership with brokers and think outside the box to find a solution for their borrowers.

What personal skill is most valuable in doing your job?

Being reliable is so important in this industry. Brokers need to be able to rely on you and feel confident that you’re going to make their job easier – not more difficult. I really enjoy working with people and that helps too.

I guess I must be doing something right, because I’ve just found out that I’ve been nominated for the British Specialist Lending Awards as a Rising Star.

What personal skill would you most like to improve on?

I never want to stop learning and gaining knowledge of the industry. That’s important for my job satisfaction but also vital to the brokers I work with too.

What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given?

It was from our head of sales, David Eaves. He said you should treat everyday as a day to learn, and that’s so important because the industry does not stand still, it’s always changing – as are the needs of borrowers and the challenges brokers face.

What is the most memorable property deal you’ve been involved in?

I handled a case last year – it was for over a million pounds and because of the complexities involved I worked with the broker to find a solution for the borrower which took several months. It was a challenging case, and pretty much all of our team got involved. The broker was impressed by the patience and perseverance we showed and over the moon when we found a solution for them.

If you were head of the FCA for the day, what would you change about regulation in the mortgage industry?

To help more first-time buyers onto the property ladder. Last year I bought my first home, but a lot of my friends are struggling. They come to me for advice and a bit of a moan about how difficult it is.

What was your motivation for choosing business development as a career?

My first business development role was with a utility company. Although I enjoyed the sales side of the job, it was phone-based and I needed more interaction with customers. I hadn’t really considered financial services until it was suggested to me by a family friend who took me under his wing and acted as a mentor. The rest, as they say, is history and I’ve never looked back – it’s the perfect job for me.

If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?

To be a national account manager at The Mortgage Lender. That’s my next step up.

What did you want to be growing up?

A professional footballer. I was lucky enough to play for my team, West Bromwich Albion as well as Derby County and Burton Albion.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

To have superhuman strength – it seems like it would be a useful (and impressive) superpower to have.

And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?

I don’t think I’ve had any really strange questions as a BDM – yet. But personally, the strangest is being asked to take part in not one, but three, Crime Watch re-enactments.

It reinforced the importance of a good BDM and the value of face-to-face engagement with brokers, as well as highlighting some of the attributes that make a good BDM and where brokers can sometimes get frustrated.

Building strong partnerships is very important to the growth of our business and this means we invest a lot in creating a team of BDMs.

So, I thought it would be interesting to offer a lender’s perspective on the role of BDMs.

We have a BDM team of six people, who work with more than 1,300 individuals at over 250 firms.

All our BDMs have been sourced from within the business and have a strong understanding of Investec’s culture, as well as a set of complementary skills.

It takes a year to train each new BDM to the level we require – they will still be out on the road visiting brokers during this time, but in order to be considered fully skilled, it takes a year.

Most BDMs are there to develop business, to promote the brand to the intermediary circle and to effectively discuss cases at a high level.

Our team also undertake regular floor walks of some broker firms and deliver educational presentations, but they take their role to the next stage.

Subject to due diligence and credit consideration, they have the ability to discuss the structure of a deal with a broker and provide indicative terms.

They work with brokers to provide a ‘yes’ or a quick ‘no’ regarding whether a case will be one for Investec, before handing over deals to the bank’s team of private bankers.

This means they free up the bankers to write the business rather than go looking for it, which gives us scale and enables us to work more efficiently.

Each BDM is assigned accounts they individually manage, and they sometimes also work together on cases, depending on who is on the road and who is in the office.

So, it’s a very involved role that bridges the gap between our private bankers, brokers and their clients.

The information provided by the BDMs is crucial to ensuring our private bankers can get the best outcome, and this partnership is imperative to running our business at the level we do.

What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role?

I cover the whole of Scotland, working with around 1,600 brokers, the majority of whom deal with the complex side of buy to let. There are occasions when I’m driving through the most beautiful scenic spots which is a huge bonus to the job.

How do you establish and maintain a good relationship with brokers?

I’m a really forward and chatty person so establishing relationships is the easiest part of my job. To maintain good relationships it’s important to listen, take on all feedback and do everything you can to ensure positive outcomes.

What personal trait is most valuable in doing your job?

Positivity. In between appointments, driving, calls and emails it can be hard to keep your head above water, but I think a positive attitude goes a long way.

What personal trait would you most like to improve on?

Assertiveness. I’m a bit of people pleaser and always want to help even when it’s strictly not down to me to fix the problem. It’s certainly not a bad trait but it’s where I see my work life balance slipping.

What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given?

Never go to your boss with a problem. Go to them with a problem and two solutions.

What is the most interesting/memorable property deal you’ve been involved in?

One deal that springs to mind was a large portfolio landlord who was moving their properties from a personal name to limited company, while purchasing a few new properties. As we dealt with the purchases first, I suggested the broker and client may want to consider a forward funding facility, which allowed us to underwrite a future line of credit.

After undergoing an interview with our underwriters, due to the experience of the landlord we were able to offer a £3m facility, which meant when he decided to incorporate his properties into his limited company we only required valuations and a quick credit search.

If you were head of the FCA for the day, what would you change about regulation in the mortgage industry?

More lending for sustainable and innovative design in housing. It would be great to see industry support for new methods of construction to allow for progress in reducing CO2 emissions while providing new homes in an affordable manner. There are some really cool designs but there is still a tentativeness about veering from the tried and tested methods.

What was your motivation for choosing business development as a career?

My dad actually has a very similar job in engineering, so I guess it’s in the blood.

If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?

There is a show about real estate agents in New York that compete to sell these whopping big city mansions and throw big parties to show off the properties. I’d be excellent at that and their million-dollar commission would be nice too.

What did you want to be growing up?

A nurse … which I did go to study for a short time. It was amazing but only being 18 I was just too young and wasn’t cut out for it.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

To fly … I hate airports.

And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?

I’m always asked what time of year I’m born … especially around Christmas, and yes its 12 December. I actually used to have a boss called Rudolf and in December our colleagues would have a field day.

What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role?

As an office-based business development manager (BDM) I have a wide and varied geographical remit and help thousands of brokers and companies.

My day can include helping brokers from as far afield as Inverness, Newport or Dorchester to name but a few.

How do you establish and maintain a good relationship with brokers?

For me it’s all about understanding what people want and need from me as a BDM, and adapting accordingly.

Everyone is different and if you can quickly fathom what makes people tick and what they want to achieve from an interaction then you’re halfway there.

Good relationships don’t just happen. It’s about building trust and respect by demonstrating a great service and delivering results for brokers and their customers.

What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?

Listening. It’s vital to listen to the needs of brokers. As a lender operating in areas less well served by the wider mortgage market, some of the queries we receive can be more complex so listening carefully and understanding the details is crucial.

What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?

I used to play the piano a lot but my enthusiasm has waned over the years. It would be good to rekindle my enjoyment and spend some time improving my skills again.

What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given?

It’s not the most ground breaking but it holds true: simply think about what makes you happy and do more of it.

What is the most interesting/memorable property deal you’ve been involved in?

Probably my own. When I bought my first house 10 years ago, it was a repossession – which obviously pulled at my heart strings a little bit.

However, once I’d been in the property a while, interesting things kept coming to light, including how the owners had raised capital for the purchase and how they’d disappeared abroad without telling their friends or family.

If you were head of the FCA for the day, what would you change about regulation in the mortgage industry?

Anything to make life simpler for brokers and customers.

What was your motivation for choosing business development as a career?

I’ve done a variety of roles in my career, teaching, sales and business and marketing analytics. What these roles had in common was working with people to solve problems and in some ways, the BDM role is a hybrid of all of those things.

I like the hustle and bustle of the mortgage industry and ultimately I’m playing my part in helping people have the home they want.

If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?

A property developer. My own house was a massive project and it’s always nice to be able to see the fruits of your labour. Plus, I’d be creating homes for people to enjoy.

What did you want to be growing up?

I wanted to write music for film and television. It’s still my dream job.

If you could have one super power, what would it be?

Mind control would be a good one. You’d be able to do all the noble stuff like delivering world peace, but also give yourself an easy and highly amusing life at the same time.

And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?

I was once asked if I could come and talk to primary school children about the importance of dental flossing. That was a strange question, but thankfully, it turned out they had the wrong number!

Also, I had a new business inquiry about an aerospace engineer who had a second job as a pizza delivery driver. Possibly the strangest job combination ever.

Dealing with BDMs from lenders is a core part of the job for intermediaries, from discussing product changes and individual cases to clarifying aspects of the lender’s criteria.

But intermediaries have emphasised that the standard of support on offer is incredibly variable, and outlined some of the ways that good BDMs can really make a difference.

Accuracy builds trust

David Sheppard, managing director of Perception Finance, said the “absolute must” for a BDM is accuracy of information, noting that as an industry “we thrive and succeed based on all parties being open and correct with the information being provided”.

He continued: “I have had multiple incidences of inaccuracies from BDMs and as a result I have been unable to trust them again with any future questions.

“I would much rather a BDM is honest and says they are unsure of the answer without checking than to blindly say yes or no to something in error.”

Leave us alone when we don’t need you

Andy Wilson (pictured), director of Andy Wilson Financial Services, said that it was key for BDMs to be available when intermediaries need them, but to “largely leave us alone when we don’t”, meaning no pestering with product updates and general news.

He added: “We realise that their offering is the centre of their universe, but it is for every other BDM too, and we don’t want to be swamped.”

Distance doesn’t help

Sheppard argued that lenders who offer both field and telephone-based BDMs have an advantage, as they can cover for holidays, share workloads and ensure that advisers get the answers needed promptly and accurately.

But he added that lenders who have moved to solely telephone-based BDMs may be missing a trick, as there are advantages to local field-based people, not only because they understand the area but they can also do more than simply answer adviser questions.

“All lenders should be equally as interested in business volumes as much as the quality of the broker firms they are dealing with and I am not convinced that a distance relationship can cover off the latter in full,” he concluded.

Wilson agreed that lenders who offer both provide an “extra valuable resource for queries”, though acknowledged that with his office in a fairly remote location, the firm does not get to see many BDMs face-to-face.

“Many have visit quotas to fill, and travelling off the beaten track to see us uses lots of their time. While they are always welcome, we get more value from the better telephone-based BDM support people,” he continued.

A last resort

Jane King, mortgage adviser at Ash Ridge, suggested that she rarely gets “the luxury” of a BDM because lenders perceive her as a small firm.

As a result, other than the odd visit when a new BDM comes into the area, she tends to only deal with telephone support, adding: “I have noticed over time that they really have very little authority to do anything other than provide information.”

King argued that when she has really needed some support, such as appealing valuations or chasing up on overdue applications, too often these BDMs “don’t really seem interested in helping or lack the knowledge to do so”.

She continued: “They also seem to change very frequently and tend to move from one lender to another. I just don’t really bother with them unless I need a case update and have no choice but to contact them.” 

The strength of a good telephone-based BDM

However, Wilson noted that telephone-based BDMs are often easier to get through to than field-based ones, and tend to respond to issues more quickly.

He added: “It is also beneficial to have one point of contact who we can get to know, albeit by voice only, and who can get to understand us as brokers.

“Some relationships are particularly strong, including those with the Nationwide, Leeds Building Society and HSBC Bank. BDMs there add value to their lender offering and can help the placement of tricky or difficult cases.”

Kaylee Foley joins as business development manager (BDM) for the North West and Anum Mahmood joins as BDM for the geographical area of Home Counties North. 

Foley joins from Metro Bank where she was a BDM and brings 14 years of financial services experience to the role. She has also worked at RSC New Homes and Co-op Bank.  

Mahmood also joins from Metro Bank where she was a BDM. She has worked in financial services for the last seven years including roles at The New Homes Group and Alexander Hall. 

They will manage broker relationships in their territories and focus on supporting lending in the areas TML serves. These include buy to let, the self-employed, impaired credit and complex incomes. 

David Eaves (pictured), head of sales at The Mortgage Lender, said: “Kaylee and Anum both join our sales team at an exciting time. They both add valuable experience to the team, and we’re delighted they have joined us.”

Kendall (pictured) spent the last two years with Fiduciam, where he dealt with the lender’s complex short-term loan cases up to £25m. In his new role, he will report to Sundeep Patel, head of intermediary relations in London. 

Kendall, who is originally from Manchester, said: “I’ve been offered a great opportunity to join Sundeep and his team in London and I’m excited about this new venture. Together’s size and product offering is impressive and I can’t wait to get started.”  

Patel added: “Ash will be a fantastic addition to the team in London as we continue to expand across the capital. We have great ambitions to grow as a business and increase our successes, so this is a great time for him to join at this key period of expansion.”

Until now, the bank’s bridging products were only available if the security property or properties were based in England or Wales. 

UTB’s business development manager Paul Mansell, who serves brokers in the North East and Scotland, said he was looking to increase his contacts in Scotland. 

Mansell added: “I’ve been working with several great brokers in Scotland and it’s clear there’s a growing demand for bridging finance. I’m looking forward to helping my existing broker contacts develop their bridging business as well as meeting new contacts throughout 2020.” 

Mike Walters, head of sales – mortgages and bridging at United Trust Bank (pictured), said: “We’re continually enhancing and improving UTB’s property finance offering and I’m excited that we can now provide bridging for Scottish properties.  

“We see huge potential to develop the bridging market in Scotland as we have done across many other parts of Great Britain over the last few years with considerable success.” 

The Lending Channel, a broker firm based in Perth, Scotland completed UTB’s first bridging loan in the country which was a regulated loan of £160,000.to facilitate a house purchase.

Alistair Ewing, managing director at The Lending Channel, said: “We’ve enjoyed an excellent working relationship with UTB for a number of years and we were delighted when they decided to launch their short-term finance proposition in Scotland.”