The Intermediary – March 2025 - Flipbook - Page 41
I N T E RV I E W
properties may well start to become attractive
again. The one thing I can guarantee is that any
property that looks attractive, professional
landlords will be looking to buy.”
For those first-time landlords coming to
the market, this trend is still evident – Neale
says many in this group are looking ahead to
building a portfolio in the future, particularly to
fund pensions down the line, for example.
There is, then, still an abiding preference in
the UK to invest in property in various forms.
“The difference now is that professional
landlords just have to work a little bit harder
and diversify their portfolios,” Neale says.
Disrupting bridging
With the launch of its bridging proposition
imminent, and regulated bridging in its sights,
Quantum Mortgages is looking to disrupt the
short-term lending market. This starts, for
example, with the somewhat rare journey
of going from a term lender to launching in
the bridging market, which gives Quantum a
slightly different perspective on the sector.
Neale says: “Our criteria will largely mirror
our BTL terms – we’ve got pretty much a
guaranteed exit. That means we will lend on a
lot of properties most bridging lenders won’t,
because we’re comfortable with the exit.”
In its mission to “do bridging very
differently,” Neale says the firm has done
extensive research, which left him “not very
impressed.” He cites a lack of transparency and
certainty in some of the short-term lending
market, as well as outdated processes and
paper forms.
One of the things he feels will set Quantum
apart will be clear and certain terms, without
the kind of renegotiation of terms that in some
instances ends up with clients paying a higher
rate to boost commission.
“We are bringing our principles from term
lending into the bridging sector,” Neale says.
“There’s a product and instant terms, and if the
information on the application is right, we can
guarantee we will lend on that product at that
rate. It replicates a term journey – open, honest
and transparent.”
This, he says, will take brokers used to “doing
deals” in the traditional way some time to get
used to. But ultimately, it is about ensuring a
“fair product,” which is naturally the direction
the market is moving in, not least due to
increasing regulatory scrutiny. Neale sees
Quantum as being part of a cadre of “very good,
ethical bridging lenders out there” that are at
the forefront of improving the market, which
ethical brokers will welcome.
He adds: “Do we want to be the biggest
bridging lender out there? No. Do we want to
disturb the bridging market? Absolutely.”
Culture is key
Underneath Quantum’s offering is the drive to
be an “open, honest, common-sense lender,
which treats intermediaries with respect.”
Neale explains that to provide this type of
service as standard, a firm must ensure it has a
good internal culture.
“One of the reasons we exist is to create a
good place to work for talented, hardworking
people,” Neale says. “We want people to
thrive, make decisions themselves, and help
intermediary partners.”
He highlights the importance of not just
recruiting the right people, but having values
that exist “not just on a poster,” and having
management present on the “shop floor” in the
day-to-day running of the company. He says:
“We don’t hire ‘egos’ in this business, or look
for corporate empire builders.”
Without working to targets or a specific
brief on representation, Quantum has built a
team that consists of about 55% women and
more than 30% people who identify as ethnic
minorities, which Neale says speaks to the
firm’s pledge to “respect individuality” and
simply “hire great people to do great work – it’s
not rocket science.”
Specialist future
No conversation about the future would be
complete without the green agenda. This,
Neale says, has been part of Quantum’s fabric
since its launch. However, he suggests that
there is still work to be done to figure out the
right products to make the change needed
across the market. For example, most green
mortgages simply provide a discount for energy
efficient properties. While valuable, this does
not help improve lower rated stock, instead
causing heightened demand for the small
percentage at the top of the scale.
For Neale, the future will be about funding
the cost of bringing properties up to standard
– not least due to regulatory requirements.
While products such as bridging will be part
of the solution to this, more than anything,
landlords need the Government’s expectations
of them to be “set in stone.”
Beyond the impending urgency of green
concerns, Neale concludes that whatever new
development or disruption arrives, Quantum’s
biggest lesson since its launch is “to stick to our
core values and always remember why you’re
doing something.” ●
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