Mortgage Network UK – Mortgage and Surveying Services (MSS) acquired a significant stake in Connect IFA. This marked an important development for Connect and its place within the UK mortgage network market.
The significance of this investment is not only about scale. Scale without purpose can become distant. Scale with the right structure can create better systems, stronger relationships, broader resources and improved support for advisers.
The partnership with MSS was positioned around growth, operational efficiency, adviser support and wider influence across lending, protection and surveying. For advisers, that matters because a network’s strength is not only measured by how many people it supports. It is measured by how well it helps each adviser perform, adapt, and grow.
Connect’s leadership remaining in place also matters. Stability gives advisers confidence. Growth is easier to trust when the people who built the proposition remain part of its future.
What This Means for Adviser Growth
A good network should help advisers move from activity to direction.
That means helping advisers think not only about today’s cases, but about the business they are building over time. Growth should not be accidental. It should be supported by systems, training, governance and access to opportunity.
For advisers, Connect Network can support growth by helping them:
- Broaden their mortgage knowledge
- Access support for specialist cases
- Strengthen compliance processes
- Improve client conversations
- Build confidence in complex lending areas
- Explore protection and general insurance opportunities
- Use technology more effectively
- Create a more sustainable advice business
Advisers who want to explore the full support route can visit Adviser Services.
What the Future Holds
Pending regulatory approval, this new investment is expected to increase the number of MSS-supported mortgage advisers to around 1,450. The MSS Group, which oversees the Stonebridge mortgage network, has identified this partnership as a major opportunity to accelerate long-term growth. The move is set to strengthen Connect’s financial position and support the expansion of its services across the UK mortgage market.
Connect currently works with more than 250 appointed representative advisers, and this number is forecast to rise steadily as the network continues to expand. The capital investment from MSS, combined with closer collaboration within the wider Connect group, is expected to increase operational capacity and elevate its influence across the lending, protection, and surveying sectors. This aligns with Connect’s long-term focus on scaling its mortgage network and enhancing adviser support.
Stable leadership remains central to this growth phase. Liz Syms will continue to lead the business as CEO, supported by Kevin Thomson as Sales Director and Jane Benjamin as Director of Mortgages. Their collective experience is expected to drive strategic development and ensure the network continues to deliver strong results for advisers and clients.
This strategic partnership demonstrates MSS’s commitment to strengthening its position in the UK mortgage industry and supporting innovation across the broker community.
MSS Representation on the Connect board
The addition of MSS representatives to the Connect board has already provided valuable insight at a non-executive level. This collaboration will play a key role in modernising the mortgage advisory landscape and guiding long-term sector growth.
The initiative reinforces the aim of expanding the UK mortgage network and improving market engagement. It also supports Connect’s commitment to expanding its nationwide reach, helping advisers grow in an increasingly competitive environment.
Another major priority is improving operational efficiency, enabling advisers to work more productively and deliver a smoother client experience. Streamlined processes, enhanced case management, and stronger compliance support are expected to improve customer satisfaction throughout the mortgage journey.
Innovation also remains at the centre of this partnership. Exploring new technology and adopting modern tools will help the network maintain a strong position in the UK mortgage market. This includes future enhancements to Connect’s technology platform and adviser tools, which support case management, compliance, and sourcing.
Ultimately, these combined efforts aim to secure the long-term success of the UK mortgage network and ensure it continues to grow in a fast-evolving financial services environment.
Meet the people
Liz Syms (pictured), Connect’s chief executive, said: “This marks the next step in Connect’s evolution and will enhance our position as a major player in the specialist mortgage network UK market. The operations of both groups overlap without competing, and by working together, we can secure additional benefits and operating efficiencies.
We are looking forward to working with the MSS team, with an impressive background in supporting business growth. The financial stability and l
Logistical support from MSS will enable us to develop our already market-leading proposition further, so we can continue our significant growth.
We have achieved over the past two years.”
Rob Clifford, chief commercial executive at MSS Group and chief executive at Stonebridge, added: “Liz Syms and her team have done a hugely impressive job of building a
fantastic at Connect, which we have admired for years. We are really looking forward to working with them to help support their growth plans.
MSS already has extensive relationships with mortgage lenders as a surveying and valuations partner. We intend to extend the group’s reach by aggregating mortgage lending and building deeper relationships with those lenders.
A Mortgage Network Is a Framework for Better Advice
The mortgage market is not static. Criteria change. Lender appetite shifts. Client circumstances become more complex. Technology moves quickly. Regulation continues to shape how advisers work.
In that environment, a mortgage adviser needs more than access to a panel. They need a framework.
A strong mortgage network should support advisers with:
- Compliance guidance
- Case placement support
- Lender and provider access
- Specialist finance knowledge
- Training and development
- Technology and systems
- Business growth support
- Protection and general insurance opportunities
- A clear route for complex cases
- A community of shared experience
This is where the idea of a network becomes philosophical as well as practical. A network exists because no adviser should have to carry every challenge alone. The value is not only in the products available. It is in the thinking, support and structure around the adviser.
Why Connect Network?
Connect Network is built around the belief that advisers need both freedom and support.
Freedom matters because advisers need room to build client relationships, develop their own reputations, and grow in ways that fit their ambitions. Support matters because mortgage advice carries responsibility. Advisers need the confidence that the structure behind them is strong enough to help them manage risk, improve outcomes and unlock opportunities.
Through Connect for Intermediaries, advisers can access a network proposition shaped by specialist finance experience, adviser development and a long-standing understanding of the UK mortgage market.
Connect’s history matters because it was not created as a generic network. It developed from real advice experience, specialist lending knowledge and a practical understanding of what brokers need when cases do not fit standard criteria.
Build Your Advice Business With a Network That Understands the Journey
A mortgage network should be more than a regulatory structure. It should be a place where advisers grow with confidence, where specialist knowledge is shared, where compliance supports better outcomes and where ambition has a clear path forward.
Connect Network is built for advisers who want support without losing their identity. It offers the structure, expertise and adviser-focused environment needed to build a stronger mortgage business in a changing market.
If you are ready to take the next step, start here.
FAQ: Mortgage Network UK
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is a mortgage network in the UK? | A mortgage network is a regulated structure that supports mortgage advisers and appointed representatives. It may provide compliance oversight, lender access, systems, training, business support and a framework for advisers to write mortgage and protection business. |
| Why do mortgage advisers join a network? | Mortgage advisers may join a network for compliance support, lender access, technology, training, business development and help with complex cases. A network can give advisers structure while allowing them to focus more time on client advice. |
| What should advisers look for in a mortgage network? | Advisers should consider compliance support, lender access, specialist case support, technology, fees, training, culture, business development, protection opportunities and the long-term stability of the network. |
| Is Connect Network only for residential mortgage advisers? | No. Connect Network supports advisers across residential mortgages, buy-to-let, commercial finance, semi-commercial mortgages, bridging, second charge, development finance, protection and general insurance. |
| Why is specialist lending important in a mortgage network? | Specialist lending is important because many clients do not fit standard lender criteria. Advisers may need support with complex income, landlord finance, commercial property, bridging, limited company structures, HMOs, adverse credit or unusual property types. |
| How does Connect Network support adviser growth? | Connect Network supports adviser growth through lender access, compliance guidance, specialist placement support, training, technology and business development resources. |
| Where can clients find a Connect adviser? | Clients can use Connect Mortgages for mortgage and protection advice or Connect Experts to search for an adviser by location, mortgage type, language, gender or specialist area. |