Finance firm in buoyant mood following industry award

Emerald Finance in Chapel Road, emerged triumphant at the Equity Release Awards, being recognised as winners in the Best Financial Adviser (with fewer than 10 employees) category that has offered a valuable boost to the firm’s team.

Managing director Matt Sutton believed it was vindication for the company’s hard work against an economic climate that has seen it face considerable challenges.

“It’s fantastic to have gained this award as we were up against a number of larger firms, so it was a real surprise to us when we found we had won. We just

didn’t expect it as we’ve only been doing equity release for around three and a half years,” he said, praising Business Networking International organisation for its support.

“We are delighted about this and it gives a nice positive lift to the company and a reward for all the hard work that has been done here,” added the MD, who revealed the equity release element of its business now made up around 50 per cent

of its work.

As he explained, the company, which has previously been shortlisted for a Herald and Gazette business award, had worked especially hard on this field

of financial work.

On a national level there has previously been considerable national criticism of such

schemes, which many commentators observed had often placed clients in a position of potential financial vulnerability if they borrowed too heavily

against their properties.

Mr Sutton, who formerly worked as a senior sales trainer for Vodafone before transferring into a career in finance, said his role heading up the business

in Worthing had been extremely rewarding.

He stressed the FSA regulation of equity release schemes on family properties had improved considerably. In addition, he added that Emerald Finance had pursued a policy of ensuring full consultation with all family members involved

with clients’ decisions over equity policies.

“In the past, equity release has had some really bad press, but it has been a question of educating people better about it and (as an industry) is much

better regulated now.

“Equity release is something that’s become a lot more popular. As families are busier these days, they can’t look after their parents as they’d want to, but they

realise they’d have a much better quality of life in their own homes.”

For more information visit www.emeraldfnance.co.uk