INTERVIEW
SANCUS
Disruption is good for brokers, confident lender assures market Despite an uncertain economy, there’s reason to be optimistic, says the new managing director of Sancus Lending (UK) Limited, Richard Whitehouse. He tells Bridging Introducer’s Simon Meadows how brokers can thrive
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s the newly appointed managing director of Sancus Lending (UK) Limited, Richard Whitehouse might be expected to be upbeat. But it isn’t simply his promotion that sees him on good form. He is optimistic about the future of the business he now leads, and the bridging sector it serves. Not for Richard, it seems, the despondent navel-gazing that some others might feel in the current economy. As the UK economy navigates choppy waters, he believes there are opportunities for brokers to maximise. “Disruption is good news for the broker market,” Richard told Bridging Introducer confidently. “People who need access to money will find that the routes that they normally travel will be interrupted for a whole host of reasons. So, instead, they’re actually going to use a broker who can scan the whole of the market, who understands lenders of which the borrower perhaps doesn’t have experience, finds the best fit, and can understand how to present proposals to
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those lenders and engage with them.” He added, “This is a boom time, in my view, for brokers because of that ability to facilitate access to funding that borrowers, frankly, don’t have the time and, really, the skills to go and service on their own. It’s a bit like early 2020, when COVID hit. There tends to be a large mismatch of borrowers’ expectations versus what the market will deliver for them. And I think working closely with borrowers to help them understand the change in the landscape will help brokers present them in the right light to lenders.” For over six years, Richard has been a key member of the team at Sancus Lending Group, first as a sales director and then more recently as managing director (MD). The group is a provider of alternative property finance, specialising in development and bridging finance for developers, investors, and professional landlords. The group also has offices in Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, and Gibraltar, all manned by local teams. For all his positivity, Richard
BRIDGING INTRODUCER NOVEMBER 2022
“We’re a people business. We don’t rely on algorithms or computers to make decisions. Our experienced team are at the core of how we do business – listening, collaborating, decision making and supporting our clients through every level of the journey, from initial enquiry through to drawdown” acknowledges that he is stepping into the role of managing director at a time of change. The war in Ukraine and the knock-on effects post-COVID have had a significant impact on supply chains around the world, and inflation is now a huge factor. www.sfintroducer.com
