Stonebridge, the mortgage and insurance network, has added Connect for Intermediaries to both its referral and packaging panels.
The new partnership provides more than 1,000 Stonebridge appointed representative (AR) advisers with an additional option to refer their specialist mortgage cases. Connect has access to more than 170 lenders across a range of sectors including commercial, bridging, development finance, business loans, and mortgages for ex-pats and foreign nationals.
Alongside an additional referral option, Stonebridge ARs can also use Connect’s full packaging service for specialist mortgage products, covering complex residential scenarios such as self-employed, adverse credit, and non-standard construction, plus complex buy-to-let cases including HMOs, multi-unit blocks, student lets, and portfolio landlords.
Connect also offers advisers access to semi-exclusive and exclusive products from the range of specialist residential and buy-to-let lenders it works with.
Earlier this year, MSS Group, the parent company of Stonebridge, announced it had acquired a significant stake in Connect.
Rob Clifford, chief executive of Stonebridge, said: “We are very pleased to be starting our strategy to work more closely with Connect, which means even greater choice for our members in helping them meet the specific and complex needs of their clients. We truly believe our members will benefit from the specialist knowledge and expertise the team at Connect has forged over many years.
“As the specialist mortgage market continues to develop and grow, it’s important our network firms and advisers have access to the plethora of services which Connect can offer to even further enhance the service they can offer to their clients.
“A key driver of MSS’s investment was the opportunity it provided for both Stonebridge and Connect to partner for the benefit of the intermediary community and end-customers. We anticipate further announcements for the benefit of our members as we further develop both propositions.”
Liz Syms (pictured), chief executive of Connect for Intermediaries, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Stonebridge and enable their ARs to have the additional option of leveraging Connect’s specialist knowledge and expertise in the property market. We look forward to working with the Stonebridge ARs and helping them and their clients achieve their property ambitions by providing the best possible finance solution.
“Connect can provide Stonebridge ARs with referral services for Commercial, Bridging, Development Finance, and Packaging services for more Complex buy-to-let and Complex residential cases.
“This marks the first step for the Connect and Stonebridge partnership and by working together we are able to develop and strengthen the already market-leading proposition of both networks and drive significant growth.”
