Bright Branch Out For Homebuyers

Paul Hancock and Julian Entwistle

A Sheffield finance firm has launched a one-stop shop for mortgages, remortgages and related insurance.

Bright Finance has established a business unit called Bright Mortgages to provide a comprehensive mortgage service for people in a variety of circumstances.

Julian Entwistle, 46, who previously worked for Lloyds TSB and Britannia, has been appointed Managing Director of Bright Mortgages to take the new business forward.

Bright Finance, based in Chapeltown, is becoming known nationally as a leading innovative player in the consumer credit industry, processing more than £1 billion in loan applications last year.

Bright Mortgages will work with a mortgage packager and five leading specialist lenders, to offer a variety of mortgages. This will allow the business to provide mortgages with broader criteria that are not offered by typical High Street lenders.

"We have a wide range of products to suite customers' needs....."

A variety of mortgage-related insurance packages will be available from Bright Mortgages including life, mortgage payment protection and buildings and contents, while a panel of solicitors has been chosen to deliver a rapid, high quality service.

Julian, who has moved from Portsmouth to Sheffield to set up this business unit, said: "This is a major new opportunity for the company to add to its secured loan operations. Many customers have asked Bright Finance for mortgages in the past, and the business has had to refer them all to other brokers. Bright Mortgages will bring much of this in house and will look to expand the volume of mortgage business rapidly."

A team of experienced and fully qualified mortgage consultants from Bright Mortgages will be available over the phone to review customers' mortgage situations and to discuss the best options available to them. They will then source the deals which suit their requirements and advise customers on their insurance protection needs.

Julian added: "We have a wide range of products to suite customers' needs, including re-mortgages to consolidate debts or raise additional finance. We also offer mortgages for home buyers and those investing in buy-to-let.

"Some customers are concerned about how to balance their income and expenditure, we can often help by offering mortgages that enable customers to replace higher interest rate loans and credit card debt, and therefore reduce their monthly interest payments. As a responsible company however, we would always encourage all borrowers to carefully weigh the benefit of lower monthly payments against the longer repayment period of a remortgage and only take on commitments they can afford.

"People also need to recognise that with secured credit like mortgages their property can be at risk and we advise all customers to protect their mortgage repayments against unforeseen events such as unemployment, accident or sickness, and to have adequate life insurance where needed.

"Where a customer has a lack of protection we have arrangements in place for this, if customers want them, with leading insurance companies."

All the solicitors, insurance deals and lenders have been selected to offer a high quality package of products and services at competitive costs. This has been set up to enable Bright Mortgages to provide a quick and efficient service.

"This allows Bright Mortgages to react very quickly when customers are in a hurry to raise finance," says Julian. "In many circumstances binding decisions on mortgage deals can be offered within a day and in some situations it is even possible to release funds within a week of submitting a full mortgage application."

In order to deliver an efficient and rapid service, Bright Mortgages has eliminated the need for application forms to be completed by hand. Instead, the whole process can be managed over the phone and by electronic links that have been established with all the insurance and mortgage companies involved. Free valuations are also available for many of the mortgages offered.

Anyone wishing to contact Bright Mortgages should call 0871 731 1168 or visit www.brightfinance.co.uk for more information.

Posted: 29th January 2007