A Manchester United supporter who would love to get rid of Liverpool Football Club (and Jordan!) believes the year ahead for bridging will be strong but competitive…

Jason McGee-Abe spoke to Andy Thurston, Underwriting Case Manager at West One Loans...

B&C: How long have you been in the industry and how did you get to where you are now?

AT: I’ve been involved in bridging since the beginning of 2010, starting off at Tiuta in their property department where I was auditing properties and monitoring developments. I joined the underwriting department later that year and moved to West One in January 2012.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

It was always to be a footballer and after that probably a PE teacher but clearly neither of these materialised.

What is the most significant difference you have seen in terms of bridging over the years up to now?

Having only been in the industry for 2 years it is difficult to say, however there have clearly been more lenders entering the market. I would say that monthly interest rates are decreasing due to an increase in competition.

Which sports team do you support, if any, and why?

Essex County Cricket Club and Manchester United, which I get plenty of stick about! My dad started following them from a young age and I followed suit.

If you could change one thing about the sector, what would it be?

From an underwriting point of view I would like to see more information being disclosed on a case from the outset. It can become frustrating further down the line when information is revealed that changes the structure of a case or means that we can no longer proceed e.g. poor credit, bankruptcy, use of funds, regulation etc..

If you could have one superpower, what would you choose and why?

The ability to fly would be cool, being able to avoid traffic jams and the underground would be amazing.

What was the last film you saw and what did you think of it?

I saw War Horse with my girlfriend last weekend. Actually really enjoyed it, good film!

What would you put in room 101 if you had the chance?

Liverpool Football Club and Katie Price, or Jordan. The world would be a better place.

What do you expect to happen in the bridging finance industry in 2012?

I expect to see some new lenders enter the market and for the industry to continue to grow. More lenders entering the market is likely to push interest rates down and the emphasis on providing a good service to brokers will increase. It doesn’t look like high street lenders will alter their lending criteria in the near future so I would expect to see the levels of lending amongst bridging lenders remaining strong.

If you could do anything you wanted this Sunday, what would it be?

It would probably involve a Sunday roast, a couple of pints at the pub and a lazy afternoon on the sofa watching the football.