Digital brokers are shifting the industry toward greater accessibility, but gaps in trust, tech, and transparency remain
Online mortgage platforms are reshaping how advice is delivered across the UK, with remote access, content-driven journeys, and data-enabled triage. But as more firms move beyond lead generation into full-service models, questions remain about quality, consistency, and the limits of digital transformation.
"We realised there was a ceiling on service when you’re not delivering the advice yourself," said Pete Mugleston, founder of OnlineMortgageAdvisor.co.uk (OMA), a firm that transitioned from lead generation to full brokerage.
Information first, not leads
OMA began by offering educational content designed to reach consumers who felt excluded from traditional advice - borrowers with small deposits, credit challenges, or self-employment income. “We saw demand from people who thought they were mortgage rejects,” said Sion Hill, Operations Director. “The market wasn’t serving them.”
Rather than selling contact details to third parties, some platforms focused on converting engagement into action. But while digital marketing can generate high-intent inquiries, consistency of advice remains a challenge. “Every advisor has their own way of doing things,” Mugleston said. “Standardisation is difficult.”
Digital access is a double-edged sword
The shift to online channels has brought flexibility for consumers and reach for brokers. Phone, chat and text have replaced face-to-face meetings, allowing advisers to work across regions and connect with clients regardless of geography. Digital platforms can also route borrowers to the right adviser based on profile rather than postcode, enabling greater specialisation and efficiency.
But that same access lowers the barrier to entry for less qualified operators. “It’s easier than ever to fake it,” Mugleston warned, with cases of incomplete or incorrect advice persisting, particularly in more complex scenarios. While technology can support the advice process, many firms still rely on manual workflows or underpowered CRM systems. “The average brokerage isn’t close to optimising its tech,” Mugleston said.
AI tools such as document checkers and sourcing assistants offer some promise, but their role remains largely behind the scenes. “Customer-facing AI for regulated advice is a long way off,” Hill said. “The nuance isn’t there yet.” And even where the information itself is accurate, technology has limits. “Even if the information is right, you can’t generate ‘Artificial Trust’, and I think that’s what borrowers are looking for, now more than ever,” Mugleston added.
The bigger inefficiencies lie elsewhere
The mortgage journey is just one part of a fragmented homebuying system. Legal, valuation, and property listing processes continue to cause delays, with little incentive for speed or accountability.
“Would we design the homebuying process this way today? Probably not,” said Hill. “But it’s hard to change when no one party owns the problem.”
Variations between jurisdictions, slow council searches, and unstandardised solicitor practices all contribute to stress and inefficiency. “One in three transactions falling through in England and Wales isn’t acceptable,” Mugleston said.
Adaptation, not automation
For brokers, the lesson isn’t to build proprietary systems or chase full automation. It’s to adapt processes, understand client needs, and leverage existing tools for efficiency.
“Different clients need different experiences,” Hill said. “You can’t serve everyone the same way.”
Rather than offering a blueprint, the evolution of firms like OMA highlights industry tensions between scale and service, access and accuracy, digital promise and regulatory constraints.
The future may lie in blending smart triage and efficient systems with human judgment. As Hill put it, “You can’t automate empathy, but you can stop wasting people’s time.”
