In the evolving mortgage market, sourcing platforms are becoming increasingly vital in assisting advisers to navigate the complexities of first charge and equity release products. Warren Bleechmore, Principal Consultant at finova, emphasises that through enhanced collaboration and technological innovation, these platforms can empower brokers to provide more comprehensive and compliant advice to their clients.
As the boundaries between first charge and equity release continue to blur, the mortgage landscape is undergoing significant transformation. At the same time, regulatory expectations are evolving — with the FCA making it clear that advisers must consider all appropriate options to ensure the best outcome for customers.
This shift presents both opportunities and challenges — particularly in the way sourcing platforms support brokers to deliver high-quality, compliant advice.
We believe that technology can and should be an enabler of better advice. But this can only be achieved through strong collaboration between lenders, sourcing platforms, and technology providers — working together to connect the ecosystem more effectively and address the practical challenges brokers face.
A more complex advice journey
Recent feedback from advisers across the market highlights the increasing complexity of the advice journey — particularly when it comes to navigating later life lending options.
Brokers are often required to use multiple sourcing systems to build a full picture for their client. This is largely due to the varied nature of product data and how certain features — such as interest-serviced equity release products — are handled across platforms. Differences in product modelling, API functionality, and data coverage mean advisers may still need to supplement their research with manual checks or direct lender engagement to ensure accuracy.
These challenges don’t stem from a single source — they are the result of an evolving market, changing product types, and an ecosystem that hasn’t yet fully aligned around how information should be shared, standardised, and connected.
A shared opportunity to evolve
Rather than viewing this as a limitation, we see it as a shared opportunity — for all parts of the industry to work more closely together to deliver a more integrated, consistent, and efficient sourcing experience.
From our perspective, there are a few key areas where positive change can happen:
Towards unified sourcing experiences
As advisers increasingly operate across both first charge and later life lending, sourcing systems could evolve to support a more unified approach — enabling brokers to compare all available options in one place without having to switch systems.
Consistency in product modelling
Improving consistency in how certain product types — such as interest-serviced equity release — are represented across platforms will help ensure brokers can compare products on a like-for-like basis, leading to better outcomes for consumers.
Stronger data connectivity
With greater standardisation in lender data feeds and improved API functionality, sourcing platforms can be better equipped to display accurate, real-time information. Technology providers like us can play a key role here — helping ensure that data flows between lenders, sourcing systems, and brokers in a reliable and structured way.
Collaboration is key
These are not issues for sourcing platforms to solve in isolation. Nor are they purely technical challenges. They require a joint effort across the industry — from lenders, technology providers, sourcing platforms, and advisers — to create a more connected, consistent mortgage ecosystem that supports both better advice and regulatory compliance.
At finova, we’re committed to playing our part in that journey — helping to bring different parts of the ecosystem together and ensuring technology continues to evolve in a way that empowers advisers and benefits customers.
By working collaboratively, we can move toward a future where sourcing platforms not only support compliance but actively enhance the advice experience, delivering more confident decisions, better client outcomes, and a stronger, more connected mortgage market.
The views of contributors are not necessarily those of the Council
