United Trust Bank (UTB) has been named ‘Best Specialist Bank’ and also picked up the award for ‘Best Regulated Bridging Lender’ in a double win at the Bridging & Commercial Awards 2021. It is the fourth time UTB has won the prestigious ‘Best Specialist Bank’ award in this highly competitive category and follows a year of huge disruption in the specialist lending market due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although many lenders chose or were forced to stop or severely restrict their lending in 2020, UTB kept lending and supported brokers with a range of product and process enhancements including the introduction of innovative technology designed to overcome some of the restrictions and challenges created by the pandemic. The Bank’s positive approach was widely welcomed by brokers across the country and UTB delivered a record-breaking performance, completing £1.3bn of new lending in 2020, a 31% increase on 2019.
Harley Kagan, Chief Executive Officer – United Trust Bank, commented: “The last 18 months have created unprecedented challenges which makes winning these awards even more gratifying. This is the fourth time we’ve won the Best Specialist Bank award and this together with the Best Regulated Bridging Lender award is testament to the hard work, commitment and tenacity shown by everyone at UTB working in the most unusual circumstances. Together they ensured that we continued to provide great products and excellent broker and customer service despite the odds being stacked against us.
“The whole team thoroughly deserve the recognition these awards bring. Thank you to the broker community that have supported us over the past year.”