The Intermediary – August 2025 - Flipbook - Page 23
MEET THE BDM
engineers, healthcare workers,
IT workers, and the various other
professionals who add so much
societal value and now call the UK
home, achieve their vision of UK
homeownership.
What makes Afin Bank
stand out?
Afin Bank is a new digital bank,
specifically built to empower
underserved communities, especially
those contributing to the UK’s
growth and diversity. Financial
empowerment is our raison d’etre,
and all our products, systems and
distribution partners feed into this
purpose. This is evident in how we
tailor our products to support our
target market. Examples include a
minimum six months if UK residency
required for visa holders, acceptance
of complex or forecasted income
for self-employed borrowers, and
enhanced loan-to-incomes (LTIs)
and loan-to-values (LTVs) for
professionally qualified clients.
Our aim at Afin Bank is to deliver a
seamless mortgage journey uniquely
tailored to our client’s needs.
What are the challenges
facing BDMs right now?
A wise banker once said, “appetite
and policy can be two different
things.” There are several instances
where published criteria and credit
appetite differ; this could be very
challenging and frustrating for
BDMs. At Afin Bank, we have the
appetite to support our core clientele
of employed visa holders and selfemployed clients, with our policies
specifically created to support them
on their home buying journey.
What are the
opportunities for BDMs?
The opportunities are endless! Afin
Bank is launching with a suite of
fixed and variable rate residential
and buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage
products for visa holders and selfemployed borrowers. This is just
the starting blocks on our roadmap
towards financial empowerment.
We are equally as excited about our
upcoming product pipeline aiming to
support HNW borrowers, expatriate
clients, and an expanded product
range – watch this space!
How do you work with
brokers to ensure the best
outcomes for borrowers?
Earlier this year, we commissioned
two research studies to uncover
the attitudes and pain points of
our priority audiences, the African
diaspora and the self-employed.
92% of the Africa diaspora feel
underserved by UK banks, with
the main pain points being visa
status, nationality and lack of UK
credit history. 76% of self-employed
workers also feel underserved by
UK banks, with their pain points
being complex or multiple income,
and thin credit history. The banking
industry is failing these non-standard
applicants, with brokers facing
significant challenges supporting
these diverse borrowers.
Afin Bank seeks to remedy that
by introducing greater flexibility
and understanding as part of
our mortgage range. Brokers can
introduce their diaspora clients of all
nationalities, on several visa types,
with thin or no UK credit records to
Afin. For self-employed borrowers,
projected income is considered
together with net retained profits
and director’s loan accounts.
Our broker partners have
welcomed our new proposition, and
we look forward to further refining
our offering with their support.
What advice would you
give potential borrowers
in the current climate?
I had a recent conversation with
a surgeon of West African origin,
currently working within the NHS.
92% of the Africa
diaspora feel underserved
by UK banks”
Despite having a good income
and a healthy deposit saved, they
have been declined a mortgage by
their high street bank due to their
nationality and visa status.
This is prevalent across the UK
within the professional services
sector – scores of doctors, nurses,
accountants, lawyers, and engineers
find themselves stuck in the rental
spiral solely for the reason of
systemic mortgage barriers.
Afin Bank is here to change that
narrative and, together with our
broker partners, right these wrongs
to this underserved segment of
society, who contribute significantly
to the UK’s growth and diversity.
My advice to potential borrowers
caught within this rental spiral –
come to Afin Bank.
What would you like
people to know about
you outside of work?
Outside of work, you will find
me getting my hands dirty in the
garden, getting my feet dirtier
running a Tough Mudder obstacle
course, or cleaning up after my two
rambunctious little daughters – I
wouldn’t have it any other way! ●
Afin bank
Established 2021 (VOP in 2024)
Products
Mortgage and buy-to-let products,
specialising in visa holders and selfemployed borrowers
Contact
Tippie.Malgwi@Afinbank.com
07353 963884
August 2025 | The Intermediary
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