Why The Cumberland's intermediary service is strengthening the UK broker chain
The Cumberland is now beginning to slowly expand its residential offering, after supporting holiday let business owners across the country for a number of years.
A slowdown in mortgage approvals driven by difficult economic times represents a stern test for all prospective buyers, whether they are looking for their first house or their forever home. However, The Cumberland’s intermediary service is designed to support this by providing brokers with a relationship-managed service and a single point of contact from day one, allowing brokers to meet clients’ needs with ease. With dedicated relationship managers assigned to each case, The Cumberland’s intermediary team proactively works with brokers through the application in a bid to see it be successful.
Through their personal approach to service, The Cumberland brings huge value for brokers. While many banks incorporate automation as a first point of call in deciding whether to progress an application, it can often be hampered by discrepancies within the request. But by placing the initial review process upon a human, The Cumberland applies a common-sense approach and works proactively with brokers to clarify and resolve any issues.
This allows The Cumberland’s team to look at applications through a multi-dimensional lens rather than simply in black and white. It allows them to recognise the nuances behind the request which a computer would otherwise fail to do. Crucially, the team acts as another supporting rung across the mortgage chain during the whole process, which can be hugely valuable to a broker’s clients at a time which can be incredibly stressful for them.
Through the underwriting process, dedicated relationship managers take a holistic view of each customers situation, basing decisions on numerous factors. By utilising this approach, The Cumberland’s relationship managers remove the risk of a computer immediately declining an application with a reasoned approach which goes beyond a person’s finances.
Relationship managers are vitally important to The Cumberland’s intermediary offering as they take a hands-on approach to each case and forge relationships which will give applications the best chance of coming to fruition. As a direct point of contact for brokers, available at the push of a telephone button, they can drive applications forward while ensuring that brokers and their clients are kept up to date on all developments during the process.
By having relationship managers readily available, brokers know they will secure a personal, efficient service which is designed to help their customers achieve their goals. With the intermediary team implementing an approach which resonates with the company’s Kinder Banking values, they ensure that customers are placed at the heart of what they do. By building strong relationships across the mortgage supply chain, brokers can feel confident that the customers they put forward towards The Cumberland will have the best chance possible of obtaining their lending aspirations.
By placing the onus on people, The Cumberland creates an environment which relieves the stress on applicants while also making the process easier for brokers to navigate. It empowers brokers to deliver, which in turn helps them form strong, meaningful relationships with their customers. At a time when the housing and holiday let markets offer numerous complexities and challenges it is vital to ensure the mortgage chain is as robust as possible.
The Cumberland’s intermediary team is designed to do exactly this, offering brokers an extra level of support and creating an environment where clients are supported in the best way possible.