Square 1 Media, the specialist PR and marketing agency for mortgages, specialist finance, and the wider financial services sector, has today reflected on the success of the 2024 Mortgage Market Debate.
Held on November 20th at The Honourable Society of The Inner Temple, the invite-only event welcomed senior decision-makers from across the UK mortgage and housing sectors to a dynamic Chatham House panel discussion.
The theme of the debate, “What do you think of it so far? What should happen next? The UK mortgage and housing market five months into a Labour Government,” inspired a comprehensive, forward-looking discussion. Attendees gained insights from a panel of experts addressing key challenges and opportunities shaping the industry’s future.
Moderated by Victoria Hartley, Director of Client Services at Square 1 Media, the debate addressed a range of pressing questions relevant to the UK mortgage and housing sectors.
The expert panel featured Esther Dijkstra, Managing Director, Intermediaries, Lloyds Banking Group; Charles Roe, Director of Mortgages, UK Finance; Barry Carter, Chief Executive Officer, Hinckley & Rugby Building Society; and Hamish Simmie, Associate Director of Residential Research & Consultancy, Savills.
Key topics included how the Labour Government can realistically meet its ambitious housing targets and the role of industry consultation. The discussion also explored insights from Savills’ forecast on house price growth and base rate reductions, along with the potential risks to market stability.
Other areas of focus were the evolving responsibilities of lenders towards brokers and customers under Consumer Duty regulations, the potential for specialist products - such as green and flexible mortgages - to shape the future of the lending market, and how technology and AI are reshaping the mortgage process, particularly in terms of innovation over legacy system constraints.
The event's headline sponsor was CLSQ, a leader in property data, technology, and insurance solutions, whose expertise supports over 25% of all UK loan originations. Their innovative approach to integrating geospatial data and underwriting continues to enhance efficiency and decision-making across the property ecosystem.
Spencer Wyer, Strategic Development Director at CLSQ, commented:
“The Mortgage Market Debate is a vital forum for candid and constructive discussions about the challenges and opportunities in our industry. At CLSQ, we value the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and share ideas that can shape the market’s future. Square 1 Media has once again delivered an exceptional event that goes beyond surface-level discussions to tackle the real issues that matter to our industry.”
Paul Hunt, Managing Director of Square 1 Media, concluded:
“The Mortgage Market Debate continues to be a unique space for industry leaders to share insights and challenge the status quo. We are grateful to our sponsors, panellists, and attendees for their contributions to this year’s success. As we look to 2025, we are excited to continue fostering these important conversations to drive progress across the mortgage and housing sectors.”
Square 1 Media extends its appreciation to its supporting sponsors - Cherry, Pegasus Insight, finova, Qualis Credit Risk, and eligible.ai - whose valuable contributions played a key role in the event’s success.
