Categories

The 2026 Mortgage Strategy Specialist Lending Awards categories are designed to reflect the coverage, depth and expertise of today’s specialist and commercial mortgage market.

Across broker, lender and individual categories, we recognise the organisation delivering outstanding results, the lenders driving innovation and flexibility, and the individuals whose leadership, expertise and commitment are raising standards across the sector.

From specialist buy-to-let and bridging to development finance, complex credit and later life lending, each category has been carefully structured to celebrate measurable performance, customer impact, and market contribution.

Whether you are a broker supporting complex client needs, a lender delivering innovative funding solutions, or an individual shaping the future of specialist lending, there is a category designed to showcase excellence at every level.

Entries will open after the nomination period has ended. Nominations are currently open - explore the full list of categories below and find the right opportunity to showcase your achievements in specialist and commercial mortgage lending before submitting your nomination.

The eligibility period runs from 1 January 2025 up to and including 31 December 2025.

Click below to view the category section, and click here to submit your nomination.

Broker Categories 

Which brokerage not only surpassed its sales targets in this area but kept its customers delighted throughout the eligibility period, while continuing to promote later life as a sector? Who ensured that clients always received the best advice and fully understood the product?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as an adviser in the later-life market
  2. Excellent understanding of regulation
  3. Clear communication to the client on the nature of the market
  4. Enhancements to the business to improve both customer and staff experience

Which broker for short-term lending proved that it fully understands this specialist area and continued to expand during 2025? Which firm showed significant improvement in its lending operations, outperforming rivals?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as an adviser in the short-term lending space
  2. Examples of solutions provided for borrowers with varying requirements
  3. Demonstrable focus on customer outcomes
  4. Growth in business and proposition in the past year

Which firm continued to expand and show improvement in its specialist buy-to-let operation last year, from both an advice and a customer service point of view? Whose performance truly exceeded that of its rivals?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as an adviser in the specialist buy-to-let space
  2. A proven record of successfully navigating regulatory change
  3. Enhancements to the business to improve both customer and staff experience
  4. Commitment to TCF
Which commercial broker demonstrated deep market knowledge, an understanding of risk tolerance and a problem-solving mindset during the eligibility period? Who can point to solid lender relationships, direct decision-maker access, clear communication, strong ethics and alignment with clients’ goals?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as an adviser in the commercial space
  2. A proven record of successfully navigating regulatory change
  3. Enhancements to the business to improve customer experience
  4. Commitment to TCF

Which packager/specialist distributor demonstrated extensive lender knowledge in 2025? Who structured cases creatively with clear audit trails, demonstrating compliance and governance strength, especially in specialist and complex lending?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as a specialist distributor
  2. Examples of solutions provided to clients with varying requirements.
  3. Clear communication with brokers and clients
  4. Consistent completions in complex cases

Which brokerage outperformed its rivals in continuing to expand and show improvement in the second charge market during 2025, from both a sales and a customer service point of view?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as an adviser in this specialist space
  2. Doing the right thing by the customer
  3. An ability to overcome any challenges facing the market

Which broker firm offered a truly specialist experience during the eligibility period? Who can comfortably handle complex specialist business, with strong lender relationships, whole-of-market access and a record of delivering excellent outcomes for clients?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as an adviser in this specialist space
  2. Doing the right thing by the customer
  3. The ability to deal with complex borrowing requirements confidently and authoritatively
  4. A record of producing the right outcome for underserved clients

Which admin team clearly outperformed its rivals last year, demonstrating a sound understanding of mortgage products, regulations and lender policies? Who employs robust processes for document handling and tracking, makes smart use of tech to reduce errors, and has strong controls around data protection and confidentiality?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise as a mortgage administrator
  2. A proven record of successfully handling large volumes of business efficiently
  3. Enhancements to the business to improve both customer and staff experience
  4. Commitment to TCF

Lender Categories 

This category covers both telephone BDMs and those on the road. It takes account of a team’s entire performance in its support of, and availability to, brokers. Which lender's BDM team provided outstanding service to brokers and their clients during the eligibility period?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Teams should demonstrate:

  1. Expertise across the mortgage industry
  2. Consistent production of fast, reliable and clear responses to queries
  3. High service levels and availability
  4. Demonstrable training provided by the lender

Which commercial lender provided the best service during 2025, managing relationships to the highest level and showing great transparency in its communication? Whose lending process was both speedy and flexible, outperforming that of its rivals?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. A wide suite of products that caters for most investor/borrower needs
  2. Clear communication on all product details
  3. Abundant and effective educational opportunities for intermediaries
  4. Commitment to TCF

Who provided the best later-life service, products and all-round intermediary proposition during the eligibility period? Which lifetime lender best communicated to brokers and borrowers all aspects of its products and service?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. A suite of products appropriate for all reasonable circumstances
  2. Clear communication on all product details
  3. Abundant and effective educational opportunities for intermediaries
  4. Commitment to TCF

Which second charge lender not only gave an excellent performance in 2025 but is taking significant steps to ensure this continues? Who proved to be a leader in this field last year, with innovative products and top-class service?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. A collection of products to suit a multitude of borrower types
  2. Clear and straightforward communication on all external collateral
  3. Plans to innovate in product choice and service offered to clients

Short-term lending has become an increasingly competitive area of the mortgage market. Which short-term lender provided the best overall service and proposition during the eligibility period, outperforming its rivals while continually striving to improve?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Clear communication on all product details
  2. Efforts to innovate in the sector
  3. A wide variety of flexible offerings
  4. An operating system that is intuitive and easy to use

Which specialist buy-to-let lender gave a consistently excellent performance during 2025, with tailored product offerings, underwriter contact and intuitive systems? Who displayed innovation and provided the best service to brokers and their clients?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Service that exceeds expectations
  2. A regular stream of innovative and genuinely useful products
  3. Clear communication and updates on cases
  4. Commitment to TCF

Which lender prides itself on designing and providing loans for borrowers that mainstream lenders typically avoid? Who championed flexible product design last year, along with smarter affordability assessments and ‘broker-first’ tools?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Evidence of a customer-focused ethos at all business levels
  2. A history of producing innovative and creative solutions
  3. Excellent broker support
  4. Responsiveness to broker needs

Which lender gladly serves borrowers that mainstream lenders choose to avoid, either through its use of manual underwriting or by applying specialist criteria? Who offered the best service and overall intermediary proposition during 2025?
This item is not available

Submissions should be completed by an internal senior staff member working directly in the sector.

Firms should demonstrate:

  1. Total dedication to TCF
  2. Evidence of a customer-focused ethos at all business levels
  3. A history of producing innovative and creative solutions for difficult cases
  4. Excellent broker support

Individual category 

Who is a standout individual in the specialist lending sector? Who, for example, has made a huge difference to the wellbeing of their staff, or championed a specific industry cause, or carried out significant work for charity?

The judges for the MS Specialist Lending Awards 2026 will consider several shortlisted names for this category. They will then choose a worthy winner of the Specialist Lending Outstanding Achievement Award.
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