The Intermediary – October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 8
RESIDENTIAL
Opinion
Getting case
packaging right
first time
I
n today’s market, speed,
accuracy and transparency
are more crucial than ever
in geing clients from
application to offer, and
ultimately right through to
completion, with minimal friction.
While the market continues to evolve,
with digital efficiencies and improved
lender platforms, there remains one
area that consistently defines how
efficiently a mortgage case actually
progresses: the quality of case
packaging at submission.
While there is obviously a
marked emphasis on the broker
submiing the case to ensure all the
relevant information is included
and accurate, the lender also has to
assume its fair share of responsibility
in guiding brokers in the right
direction, especially in those more
specialist applications.
When a lender and broker
work in sync from day one, with
a shared understanding of what’s
needed and why, the client journey
becomes markedly smoother. But
when documents are missing or
inconsistent, or when basic checks
haven’t been completed prior to
submission, delays are almost
inevitable.
It’s a shared frustration. Brokers
want cases to complete quickly.
Lenders want to issue offers efficiently.
Yet there’s oen a disconnect at the
packaging stage, one that can easily be
bridged with mutual understanding
and aention to detail.
Taking care
Like many lenders, we have a team
that reviews each case on submission.
Their role isn’t to slow things down,
it’s to keep the process moving by
ensuring the key components such
as payslips, bank statements, ID,
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The Intermediary | October 2025
and signed declarations – in our
case, wet signatures – are all present
and correct.
However, all too frequently we
see cases submied with only partial
documentation, maybe just the most
recent monthly bank statement
rather than three full months, or
the full three months of statements
but without accompanying wage
slips. The worrying thing is that, by
not supplying all this information
upfront, it may indicate that the
broker hasn’t yet reviewed their
client’s full financial picture
themselves, and that fact in itself
raises concerns.
If a lender spots gambling activity,
missed payments or undeclared credit
commitments in the bank statements,
for example, that’s not just a red flag
for us – it also potentially points to
gaps in the initial fact-find.
In a few instances, we’ve even
received cases where the broker had no
idea the applicant had a recent County
Court Judgement (CCJ), simply
because they hadn’t seen the credit file.
That’s not to say brokers are being
careless, far from it. Many are under
huge time pressure, juggling multiple
clients and relying on admin support
to process post-advice steps, and that’s
sometimes where the process can
break down. When responsibility for
document collection shis between
teams or becomes an aerthought, the
risk of oversight increases.
The good news is that systems
such as our Mortgage Sales and
Origination (MSO) platform offer
flexibility for advisers, administrators
and supervisors to collaborate on
case uploads. Documentation can
be submied collectively, with full
visibility across the team. But the
system can only be as efficient as the
information it receives.
ASHLEY PEARSON
is head of intermediaries at
Loughborough Building Society
Take something as simple as
verifying signatures. We require a
signed declaration and a copy of a
valid ID, such as a passport or driving
licence. Our team checks whether
the signatures match. If they don’t,
the case can’t progress until the
discrepancy is resolved. In many
instances, that means going back to
the client to complete a change of
signature form, adding unnecessary
time and friction. A simple check at
the outset can prevent that.
While it’s easy to focus on forms
and processes, the heart of good
case packaging is still knowing your
customer. Many advisers now operate
virtually or by phone, so physical ID
checks are less frequent. That makes
rigorous background documentation
checks even more important, not
just to meet compliance standards,
but to ensure you’re confident in the
individual client’s profile.
Complete package
Ultimately, good packaging benefits
everyone. We’ve seen cases reach
the offer stage within days when
everything is submied correctly
from the outset. Conversely, cases that
arrive piecemeal oen stall, dragging
out timescales and causing frustration
on all sides.
This isn’t about shiing
responsibility. Efficient outcomes
require coordinated effort. Strong
relationships between brokers and
lenders thrive on mutual trust and
shared standards. When both sides
commit to a thorough, front-loaded
process, it pays off – not just in speed
to offer, but in delivering the seamless
experience every client deserves. ●
