Online Mortgage Advisor Charity Awards 2020 – The Winners!

After an incredible evening at our annual Charity Awards last week, we’re proud to announce all of the winners from the night.

Our Great Gatsby-themed Charity Awards was held on Friday 31st January 2020 at Derbyshire County Cricket Club, close to our headquarters in Derby.

The ceremony is quickly becoming a key event in the mortgage industry social calendar, as it offers a fantastic opportunity to network amongst the best in the business.

Not 1, but 2 worthy causes

We also raised some serious cash on the night for two causes close to our heart.

The night’s silent auction, raffle and live auction – not to mention some generous donations – raised a total of over £4,700 for Mercy Hands Uganda UK and Lee Welland.

Mercy Hands Uganda UK is based amidst eight poverty-stricken villages in Mpigi District within Kafumu Parish. Its goal is to make a difference and improve the quality of life for generations to come, by building and maintaining a school and housing for teachers.

Lee is a close friend of Online Mortgage Advisor’s Managing Director, Pete Mugleston. He’s battling an aggressive form of cancer that requires cutting edge treatments, which are making a real difference.

Pete says: “I love our awards event, not just because we get to see so many of our broker partners in one place and have a few drinks, but because we have so many people come together and celebrate worthy causes close to our hearts, and the money raised makes such a difference.

“Last year, we were able to make improvements to the classrooms in Uganda and now the children don’t have to walk two hours every morning for water. This year, the money will help Lee get cancer treatment in Vienna, and the rest going towards digging a well for the community in Uganda – I can’t think of many more things for donations that essentially come from the profits of our network partners to go to, it doesn’t get better than that.”

And the winner is…

Each award is based on the advisor’s or company’s performance throughout the past year, recognising our commitment to finding the right mortgage advice for everyone.

Pete explains: “Another thing I love about our awards is how well received they are by the brokers and lenders, and how they recognise front line performance. Not many events I know of reward directly in line with written business – our awards are based purely on stats as a meritocracy; brokers and lenders ranked against their peers who have the same opportunity. We don’t share it about, the same broker won best advisor two years in a row, because he’s the best and deserves it!”

Safe Hands

Acknowledging the most KPIs hit by a broker

“The key thing for me is existing clients, looking after them, giving them the best advice, reviewing what they’ve got. Not touching base every 2-5 years, keep it more regular than that.”

AIP Machine

Awarded to the broker with the most AIPs

“Most of the people that come to us have been to other lenders or brokers before. The fact that you are getting a decision in principle for them, they are ecstatic, so they keep coming back to you.”

Insurance Hero

For the most policies

“I had 15 years of protection sales in the motor trade, but, while some of the questions can be used in mortgage protection, there really aren’t any more similarities. The mortgage industry has changed so much over the last 15 years and, in particular, the last ten, that I think coming into the industry now is easier than changing from what the process used to be.”

Customer Feedback Champion

Recognising the most 5 star reviews

“Referrals are massively important, because they tell me that I’m doing a good job and I’m doing the right thing for them.”

Support Team Choice

As picked by Online Mortgage Advisor’s Support Team

“The best approach is to take the enquiry off the Support Team, and talk to the customer and see how I can help.”

Best New Company

For the most business for firms joining in 2019

Best New Broker

Awarded to the broker starting in 2019 with the most business

“It’s a case of chasing in a timely manner and, when you do make contact with a customer, get to know them and make an early recommendation based on what they are telling you, so the customer knows you are listening to them.”

Best Overall Company

Acknowledging the most business of any firm

“We have some great success stories and that’s all thanks to Online Mortgage Advisor. They’ve changed our brokers’ lives, not just the customers’ lives.”

Best Overall Broker

Recognising the most business of any broker

Best Specialist Lender

For the most business by a specialist lender

“I think we’ve got great innovation of our products with our heroes and professionals products. We also have fantastic, consistent, excellent service.”

We also introduced two new awards for 2020, going to very deserving winners:

Best Lender

Awarded to the lender with the most business

“They’re a good lender, they’re very easy to deal with, their turnaround is unbelievably quick and they just make it so simple.”

Best BDM

As voted for by Online Mortgage Advisor brokers and staff

“This prestigious award means the world to me. I spend my days maximising all opportunities and helping advisors to the best of my ability. Being awarded Best BDM was overwhelming, but also much appreciated. I look forward to continuing to help advisors resolve complex cases forevermore.”

Onto the festivities

We were incredibly honoured to put on a roaring night for all of those in our network.

We couldn’t have done this without our fantastic main sponsor, Bluestone, and the other brilliant companies that sponsored the event: Experienced Energy Solutions, Precise Mortgages, Criteria Hub, Principality, Kensington and Norton Home Loans.

“The Online Mortgage Advisor event 2020 was remarkable and Bluestone really felt the love on the night. In my opinion, the annual Online Mortgage Advisor Charity Awards is the best night in the specialist lending calendar. One not to be missed!” – Harsha Dahyea, Bluestone

There were some rare finds in both our silent and live auctions, with signed Abbey Road photographs by Paul McCartney and Anthony Joshua’s signed boxing glove!

We also gave away some great prizes in our raffle, including an Amazon Echo and £100 cash.

We hope all those that attended had a wonderful night and look forward to more industry events in the future!