This week, Mortgage Solutions talks to Amanda Smith, business development manager (BDM) at Darlington Building Society.
Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Darlington Building Society?
I cover the Midlands and East Anglia, two key regions where I support a diverse range of brokers and firms. These areas encompass a broad mix of brokerages, from smaller independent firms to larger networks, each with unique client bases and needs. My role involves not only providing tailored product information and updates but also offering hands-on support with complex cases.
With Darlington Building Society lending nationally across England, Scotland, and Wales, and all cases being manually underwritten with no automated credit scoring at the decision in principle (DIP) stage, my role becomes crucial in ensuring brokers understand how to position our products for clients with more bespoke needs. Whether it’s expat buy to let (BTL), lending into retirement, or new-build mortgages up to 90% loan to value (LTV), I spend a lot of time on the road meeting brokers face to face, building relationships, and helping them navigate our flexible lending criteria.
What personal talent or skill is most valuable in doing your job?
A friendly, approachable attitude and a can-do mindset are key. Having worked with larger lenders in the past, I understand how crucial it is to build trusted relationships with brokers – especially when working with a lender like Darlington Building Society, where our focus is on manual underwriting and offering tailored solutions. Whether it’s a landlord gifting a deposit or a shared ownership case requiring additional support, I ensure brokers feel supported at every step.
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What personal talent or skill would you most like to improve on?
I’d say my organisational skills – it’s definitely something I’m always working on. With such a broad product range, from skilled worker mortgages to complex income scenarios for self-employed clients, staying on top of everything can be a challenge, but it’s something I’m keen to perfect.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
The M6. I spend so much time on that motorway, and it’s so unpredictable – it makes timing difficult. But on a more serious note, handling complex cases can be challenging. Fortunately, with our willingness to assess cases individually and consider factors like gifted deposits, equity release, and intergenerational joint borrower sole proprietor (JBSP) mortgages, we can often find solutions that other lenders may overlook.
What do you love most about your job?
That’s an easy one – meeting new people, hearing their stories, and learning about how they got into the industry. I love helping brokers get tricky cases over the line, meeting new-build deadlines, and ultimately helping clients achieve their dream of owning a home. Our product flexibility, whether it’s lending into retirement up to age 99 or offering BTL mortgages for expats in 14 different currencies, means we can often help brokers where others can’t.
What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever been given, and who gave it to you?
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t have the right qualifications for a job. If you have a great personality and a willingness to learn, any firm can train you.” That advice came from Pete Gwilliam, a well-known mortgage sector head hunter, and it’s something I’ve always carried with me.
How do you stay up to date with market developments?
I stay informed by reading mortgage magazines, attending ‘Morning with the Mutuals’ events, networking with other BDMs, and listening to podcasts like those from Knowledge Bank. Staying current is essential, especially when dealing with ever-changing scenarios like Skilled Worker visas or expat lending, where product requirements and regulations evolve frequently.
What’s the most quirky or unique property deal you’ve worked on?
One that stands out is a case involving a contractor who had only been contracting for one month. Normally, we require two years of industry experience, but although they had over two years’ total experience, 12 months of that was spent working freelance with no income, doing research in the same field. Other lenders turned the case down, but at Darlington, we recognised the value of their experience and future potential. We were able to approve the deal and make it happen. This is just one example of how our manual underwriting can accommodate more unusual cases.
Tell us about your trickiest case – how did you resolve the problem?
We handle a lot of tricky cases, so it’s something we’re very familiar with! One example would be a case that was initially declined. After speaking with the broker and gathering additional information, I worked closely with our underwriters, who were open to reviewing the case again. We’re fortunate at Darlington – as long as we have new information, we can re-present cases. It often comes down to asking: “What would make you feel comfortable lending to this client?” and then providing that information to help get the case over the line.
This approach is particularly valuable when dealing with lending scenarios like zero-hours contracts, multi-income streams, or intergenerational mortgages, where flexibility is key to finding solutions.
What motivated you to choose this career?
Who wouldn’t want a job where you get to meet new people, help brokers with their cases, and ultimately play a part in making clients’ dreams come true? Plus, working with a lender like us, which focuses on manual underwriting and doesn’t rely on automated credit scoring, means I can offer genuine value to brokers by helping them find solutions where other lenders can’t.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
I’d probably be an estate agent. It would be fascinating to view so many different properties, organise viewings, and hand over the keys at the end of the transaction – the biggest purchase most people will ever make. With our wide range of lending solutions – like 90% LTV on new builds and skilled worker mortgages up to 90% LTV – it would be rewarding to know I’m part of making homeownership accessible for so many.
