Accountant takes a career break, retrains to become a mortgage broker

This week, Mortgage Introducer is featuring James Hayes (pictured top), director of Mortgage Links, who brings a unique perspective to the world of mortgage broking. After more than a decade as an accountant across multiple sectors—including a senior role at one of the UK’s largest food manufacturers—Hayes made the bold decision to retrain as a mortgage adviser.

Now, four years into his broking career and at the helm of his own firm in Sheffield, Hayes is championing the power of technology to enhance the client experience, while navigating the ongoing challenges of the UK homebuying process. 

Full name: James Hayes
Job title: Director / Mortgage adviser
Company: Mortgage Links
Number of years in the industry: 4 
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

How and when did you become a mortgage broker?

I originally trained as an accountant and spent 14 years working across a variety of industries, including financial services, manufacturing, construction, and hospitality. The majority of my career was within the food industry, where I held a senior role at one of the UK’s largest food manufacturers. After an exciting period facilitating a merger and acquisition, I decided to take a career break to travel.

On returning, I felt it was the right time to pursue a new challenge. I retrained as a mortgage adviser and, after a couple of years gaining experience and building my knowledge, my business partner Kate and I founded Mortgage Links.

In your opinion, what has been the most positive development in broking?

In my opinion, one of the most positive developments in broking has been the rise of technology that enhances the customer journey without replacing the personal advice element. The introduction of smarter sourcing systems, digital ID checks, and open banking has allowed advisers to work more efficiently, process cases faster, and reduce friction for clients.

What’s particularly positive is that this hasn’t removed the value of advice—it’s strengthened it. By taking away much of the administrative burden, brokers can spend more time understanding their clients’ needs and delivering tailored solutions. Clients also benefit from a clearer, more transparent process, with faster decisions and easier access to updates.

I’m also really excited to see where new developments take us over the next few years. It’s great to see instant mortgage offers starting to become a reality, along with automatic verification of income—both of which have the potential to transform the process for clients and make the homebuying journey smoother than ever.

What challenges do you see currently facing the industry, and what solutions would you propose?

One of the biggest challenges facing the industry right now is the length and complexity of the homebuying process in the UK, particularly when it comes to the legal and conveyancing stages. Even once a mortgage offer is secured, clients often face weeks or months of delays due to slow searches, inconsistent communication between solicitors, and the sheer number of parties involved. This not only creates stress for buyers and sellers but also increases the risk of transactions falling through.

It’s encouraging to see recent commitments from government and industry bodies to streamline and modernise the legal process, with aims to reduce these timescales. The move towards more digital solutions—such as online ID verification, improved data sharing between lenders and solicitors, and the adoption of upfront property information—are positive steps in the right direction.

As brokers, we can play a role by setting realistic expectations with clients from the outset, maintaining strong communication links with solicitors and estate agents, and pushing for greater adoption of technology across the process. The ultimate solution will require a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, but if these reforms are followed through, we could see a significant improvement in transaction times, creating a smoother journey for clients and helping to restore confidence in the market.

Can you share a memorable or challenging experience from your career as a broker and the lessons you gained from it?

When we first started the business, one of the most memorable and challenging experiences was setting everything up from scratch. We were in the middle of our direct authorisation application with the FCA, had just taken on our shop-front office in Sheffield, and were trying to get our new CRM up and running. At the same time, we were literally building IKEA office furniture and tethering off my mobile phone because the internet hadn’t yet been installed—all while still trying to look after our clients!

Looking back, it was a hectic and at times overwhelming experience, but it taught me a valuable lesson: building a business isn’t about everything being perfect from day one—it’s about resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving. Those early challenges gave us the foundations and perspective we needed to grow Mortgage Links into the firm it is today.

Could you share any valuable advice for individuals aspiring to become brokers or those new to broking?

My advice would be to embrace the challenge—broking is a hugely rewarding career, but it does come with a steep learning curve. Passing your exams is just the start; the day-to-day job is very different, and that’s where having a good mentor makes all the difference.

Always put your clients first. If you look after them properly, they’ll look after you in return. In our case, the vast majority of our business now comes from friends-and-family referrals, which is a real testament to the importance of building trust and delivering great service.

Broker in Focus is a weekly Mortgage Introducer feature, spotlighting mortgage brokers from diverse backgrounds and locations across the UK. Among those recently featured are Gerard Boon of Boon Brokers, Malcolm Wright of Mainly Mortgages, Matthew Fleming-Duffy of Knight Frank Finance, Siobhan Holbrook of Mortgage Light, Oliver Woodason of Woodason Financial Services, Derek Watson of McGill Mortgages, John Tibble of Aspire Financial Planning, Aaron Scott of Try Financial, Sam Rose of TR Financial, and Richard Bousfield of The Surrey Mortgage Broker.