Charterbank retains ‘In-House’ valuations post expansion

By David Craik 14th October 2022

Short-term lender Charterbank Capital has pledged to continue offering its unique ‘informal, in-house valuations’ to clients after extending its UK coverage.

The Exeter based business which provides products such as bridging loans and property development and refurbishment finance, announced in June that it had increased its coverage to include the whole of England and Wales.

Director Tom Branson said despite the move the company would retain its ‘much valued’ valuations model and had expanded its in-house team of surveyors accordingly.

“When Charterbank first launched 11 years ago, we set out to serve introducers with fast, utterly reliable short-term property finance with a personal touch,” he explains.

“Being privately owned and run, with no external credit lines or influences, we only had our own requirements to satisfy.

Unlike the majority of the industry which uses third-party valuers, in-house valuations were an obvious fit for us and that remains true to this day. We want to let brokers and clients know that nothing has changed now that we have gone nationwide.”

Branson says its ‘in-house’ valuations, which include extensive desktop valuations and on-site inspections, gives it 100% control over if and when a valuation takes place.

“If a case is particularly complex, unusual or borderline, we can bespoke our procedure and attend to the valuation at the ‘right’ moment in the process,” he states.

“At a moment’s notice our process can be altered. Offers can be issued before or after the valuation depending on the case. If a matter is particularly urgent, we may decide to commence the legal work and the valuation both on the same day.”

Branson says Charterbank’s valuation strategy and privately funded status has helped the company achieve its aim of ‘steady, considered growth’.

He explains: “When we first launched our aim was to serve the Southwest mainly because there were so few lenders who genuinely covered the region.

Over the years our loan book and appetite for growth increased meaning that we gradually covered the greater South and the Midlands.

We are proud to be unique and pleased to be serving our Broker network and the whole of England and Wales in this way.”