Landmark bridging qualification wins industry support

Landmark bridging qualification wins industry support




At last week's AOBP Forum, industry lenders were quizzed on an IFS-backed bridging qualification.

At last week’s AOBP Forum, industry lenders were quizzed on an IFS-backed bridging qualification.

At the event, the Association pitched the concept of an accredited training programme for professionals in the short-term lending industry.

The majority of the Forum’s attendees, 49 per cent, approved of the qualification, with only 37 per cent on the contrary.

Commenting on the subject at the Forum, Marc Goldberg, Director at Lancashire Mortgage Corporation, stated: "As a responsible lender, I think we most definitely would support it. Would we insist our introducers to have it? No.
    
“What we have to be careful about is that there are more brokers and more lenders who aren’t part of the AOBP than who is. I think if you insisted on it, it would create a black market, which is something that we don’t want to do.
 
He added: “Although, I support it and would help out anyway I could, offer training and would certainly welcome brokers and packagers to get the IFS backed qualification, we as a company wouldn’t insist on it for our packagers.”

Andrew Bloom, Director at Masthaven Bridging Finance commented on the benefits of the qualification. He said: “My view is that anything which increases the knowledge and awareness of bridging must be a positive thing, but that’s a very easy answer to give.

“Education has to be the number one benefit, it will educate people to the benefits of bridging and educate people [to recognise where ] bridging is inappropriate for their clients.

He added: “The real question is, what type of bridging qualification [is it] and would it be relevant, applicable and useful. Is there sufficient people out there who want it?”

“We must find the balance of finding a qualification that is worthwhile and attractive for bridging professionals to have.

Andrew then explained that as the bridging market moves into a world of increased regulation, the exam could provide knowledge on the foundations of the sector however it may be limited on how it could sufficiently inform on any changing rules.

The Forum, the Association’s first event of the year, welcomed eight of its affiliate lenders to field questions in front of AOBP members.

 

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