"Coming out the back of a historically very flat market which was thrown into significant volatility over the past 24 months, has highlighted the importance of talking to homeowners about their own appetite to risk. "
FR: What made you want to join April Mortgages? What does your new role entail?
I started my career as a broker, the first mortgage I ever advised on was for a young couple expecting a baby. Their mortgage application had been rejected by their high street bank. I remember so clearly the day I called them to confirm that I had secured them a mortgage offer and they could move to their new family home. They commented afterwards on how simple they found working with me as their adviser versus applying directly to lenders themselves.
That experience cemented my passion for the mortgage industry. I loved guiding people through life’s pivotal moments, and throughout my career, I've stayed true to that purpose. The financial industry is the largest sector in the UK. I believe while working in the sector, we all have an opportunity to use our roles to make our corner of the industry a little better than it was when we found it. That will always be my driving force.
Fast forward more than a decade after advising on my first mortgage, and a varied career spanning mortgage lending, distribution and green finance, I found myself sitting across the table from Mark Eaton, the COO of April. Mark spoke with incredible passion about April's mission: to simplify the mortgage market. April's goal as a mortgage lender isn’t just about helping people buy a home, but also giving them the peace of mind that comes with long-term stability - helping them stay in their home, too. April is building an approach centred on simplicity - both for customers and brokers alike. That vision resonated with me, and I knew I wanted to be part of its execution.
I joined April in September 2024 to lead our distribution strategy and oversee PR. Working at a start-up, my role is wonderfully diverse. One moment I’m meeting with colleagues to approve new distributor partnerships, the next I’m in a creative session discussing how we can use broker feedback to simplify our processes. It’s an exciting, dynamic environment. Our team all work out of our Euston office, being able to brainstorm ideas and work so closely together allows us to move quickly and make decisions with agility. It's a fantastic culture to be a part of.
FR: April offers fixed rates of 5 to 15 years. Do you see this as the direction of travel for the UK mortgage market?
For me, this is a question about how we support homeowners to manage their own risk appetite. Coming out the back of a historically very flat market which was thrown into significant volatility over the past 24 months, has highlighted the importance of talking to homeowners about their own appetite to risk.
Some customers, as we’ve seen in the pensions sector, are comfortable with high-risk investments, while others prioritise stability and certainty - what you might call peace of mind.
Imagine this as a business transaction - being offered up to six times your annual turnover as a loan, with a rate being secured for only two years, with no certainty on what the payments would be after then, and no way of forecasting future cashflow out. Imagine that same business is offered no ways of mitigating this risk, they have limited access to capital liquidity and can’t insure the risk either.
A deal your business would take, perhaps? But it wouldn’t be viewed as a low-risk decision.
April’s lending proposition provides peace of mind for the long-term, helping customers to buy and keep their home. We support long-term planning with a unique level of flexibility. Mortgages that reward homeowners with reducing rates as their LTV drops, with long term rate certainty, without ERCs if customers want to move or repay their loan from savings or inheritance, with uncapped overpayments helping customers to build equity and reduce their rate – that’s what true peace of mind looks like.
FR: You got your start in the mortgage industry as a broker. How does that inform your plans for April and how important are brokers to April Mortgages?
April is a 100% intermediated lender, we can’t fulfil our purpose of bringing peace of mind to homeowners without brokers, it really is that simple. There is a real culture at April of straightforwardness, our Dutch heritage influences that.
I thought I was reasonably good at viewing things through a broker’s eyes, however my Dutch colleagues are on a whole other level. In my first week I met with our founders, we were discussing minimum submission information and underwrite times. Every time something was suggested, it was pushed back on, continually seeking out the simplest, most light touch way things could be done so that brokers have the best possible experience working with us.
Everything from registering on our very slick system through to brokers calling us and speaking directly to Lou Blair, our head of underwriting. Why complicate it when it could be simple? I love that approach, it's refreshing and as we scale, we will continue to ensure that we stand by our core principle of ‘mortgage more simple’.
FR: What’s next for you as you settle into your new role at April Mortgages?
For the rest of 2024, my focus is on onboarding distribution partners. We won’t be rolling out to the entire market just yet, so it’s crucial that we build high-quality partnerships to ensure customers nationwide have access to our leading products, while maintaining exceptional service. Striking that balance is key.
Being part of a young lender in a start-up environment means there’s huge potential to innovate and experiment. I’m excited about pushing the envelope with our PR strategy and sharing April’s playful, forward-thinking spirit - so keep an eye out!
I’m also expanding our distribution team, bringing in top-tier talent who share our bullish excitement and enthusiasm for the future. I jokingly told a recruiter last week that I would like them to look for unicorns on Mars, the term has kind of stuck. So, if you’re reading this and are indeed a unicorn from Mars, give me a call!
April have some amazing product plans in the pipeline. We have only really just scratched the surface in terms of the art of the possible. We have big dreams, wonderful people and with the right distribution partners, I have every optimism that we can make our corner of the world a slightly better place than when we found it. That, to me, is success.
