Online financial advice service OpenMoney has appointed James Brocklebank as head of mortgage proposition, as the firm extends its offering to include mortgage advice.

According to its CEO and co-founder Anthony Morrow, OpenMoney has added mortgage advice to its “growing list” of services to fulfil its ambition of becoming the “one-stop-shop” for people’s financial affairs.

Brocklebank, previously a mortgage broker, will lead the development of the new service, expected to launch next year, which will initially target first-time buyers and cover the entire house buying process, from building a deposit to the day the mortgage is fully repaid.

Prior to joining OpenMoney, he held positions with Santander, Yorkshire Building Society Group and has been involved in proposition development for fintech mortgage specialists Mojo.

Commenting, OpenMoney CEO and co-founder Anthony Morrow said: “Buying a house is likely to be the biggest financial decision most of us will make, but many people are struggling to get onto the property ladder at all. For those who do, the process is often confusing, expensive and time consuming, with multiple parties to contact and chase.

“We aim to make the entire journey easier and less stressful with clear, continuous, communication and at a low cost. From setting deposit goals and providing mortgage, insurances and mortgage protection advice, to linking to conveyancing, we want to support customers all the way through to their final repayment.

“James’ experience as a mortgage broker and developing fintech mortgage solutions will be invaluable as we shape our competitive offering over the next few months. Initially the service will be aimed at first-time buyers, to help more people achieve their dream of home ownership, with the full range of products added over time.”

On his appointment, Brocklebank added: “All too often mortgage advice is limited to getting the best rate and mortgage for a client. This is of course vital, but we are not going to abandon our clients there. Our aim is not to just provide a quick service and get a cheap two-year rate, we are going to provide true holistic mortgage advice in a modern way, when and where a client needs it.”

Share Story: