The report saw the firm’s underlying profit before tax rise to £442.9m, it’s commercial loan book increase by 24% to just under £1.36bn, and bridging originations grow by 5% to £460.1m.

The business also revealed it had introduced a service for complex commercial and bridging loans.

B&C caught up with Neil Richardson, operations director of commercial, bridging and real estate as OSB (pictured above), to discuss the new specialist property solutions team — created to serve HNW borrowers with complex £5m-plus cases by offering direct access to key decision-makers.

“The team, which encompasses the knowledge and expertise of specialist underwriters and real estate professionals, has been specifically developed to support the larger loan cases which come to the business and benefit from an additional layer of support upfront,” said Neil.

The team handles specialist commercial cases and supports short-term lending on both residential and commercial properties — covering everything from large BTL blocks and portfolios to PBSAs, refurbishments, and conversions.

Neil explained the new service was born out of a rise in demand for bridging and diversification.

“We're definitely seeing an increase in clients diversifying and discussing larger complex cases that require a more tailored approach,” noted Neil.

“Investors are looking to a more varied portfolio to help maximise their investment income and looking to build stability as well as opportunity into their businesses.

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“These types of cases go hand in hand, so the nature of the applicants is nothing new to us,” he said, “but through this team, we’re able to discuss the case directly with the broker so that we’re able to quickly signpost any challenges or additional information that may be needed.”

According to Neil, borrowers want the ability to flex their existing borrowing with OSB.

“Investors don’t have static portfolios, they are developing and expanding them all the time in order to maximise business growth and development,” he explained.

Working closely with the HNW team, Neil is confident the new specialist property solutions unit has already “hit the ground running”, quickly learning from its experienced colleagues.

However, the new team is not without its own expertise. At the helm is Peter Greig, head of specialist originations, a registered valuer with over 20 years’ experience.

Peter has shifted over from his role as head of real estate, and Neil believes his deep understanding of the UK property market will be key to handling a wide range of asset classes.

“One of the main reasons we’ve set this team up is to provide an additional layer of support and certainty upfront for the bigger deals, which includes direct access to decision makers,” said Neil.

With the team forming a project group around each case, it works with the specialist finance account manager, broker, and the client to ensure the best possible outcome at the transactional credit committee (TCC).

“The advantage is that Peter Greig sits on the TCC already, so he has an excellent understanding of the requirements and will be able to give reasonable certainty upfront without wasting time or effort,” added Neil.

With the team now in motion, Neil believes it reflects the firm’s broader strategy while driving forward a new wave of innovation.