We are committed to having strong rates across the range

In fact, he paid it off a year ago. He has never had a mortgage with Accord, but he started his career as a mortgage broker, and therefore would always recommend using a broker for a mortgage.

As Mr Duncombe points out: "My daughter has been using a broker at my recommendation." 

His responsibility at Accord is to oversee the development of the business, by supporting intermediaries and coming up with the right kind of products.

A key part of that plan is to offer a slightly different underwriting service, which takes a more benign approach towards unusual customer circumstances.

Remortgages are still very strong, and on the buy-to-let side people are looking to get the best product but there's still a lot of activity in the remortgage market.Jeremy Duncombe

Mr Duncombe says: "Every case has an individual underwriter. We will ring up and thank [the broker] for the case, so they have a discussion at the outset, and the underwriter gives the broker their phone number so in the future, the broker can pick up the phone [and call] the underwriter.

"It allows us to build a proposition off the back of that."

One example of an unusual case is where there is someone working in the City, and they have a basic salary and a bonus.

Mr Duncombe says: "Most lenders would accept 50 or 60 per cent of that bonus. We could see that it was regular, and we would be comfortable with the job that they had, and our underwriters could take more than 60 per cent of that bonus."

Similarly, if a newly qualified teacher has not yet started working, Accord will try and be more flexible in offering them a mortgage than other lenders.

Mr Duncombe says: "We will not always have the cheapest rates, but we are committed to having strong rates across the range - consistent products and consistent service, backed up by a really strong sales team."

Accord offers a whole range of products across the mortgage sector, including new build and buy-to-let mortgages. Mr Duncombe explains: "The purchase market has dropped off significantly; it's still an important market, but from an affordability point of view, individuals are going to have to be more flexible.

"Remortgages are still very strong, and on the buy-to-let side people are looking to get the best product but there's still a lot of activity in the remortgage market."

The first-time buyer (FTB) market is also showing a lot activity, driven in large part by Help-to-Buy. "Without Help-to-Buy, we would not have been able to build 250,000 new houses a year. We need Help to Buy for people to get into the market, and it has worked.

"It comes to an end in 2020, and it will need to be looked at what replaces it.

"First-time buyers are a growth market and they take a big proportion of new houses - across the whole country first-time buyers are growing - we've seen a growth of business in the north and midlands.

"London has flattened, and you've seen a lot more movement out into the suburbs, and into the midlands and the north. In Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, house prices are growing significantly and it's more affordable there for FTBs to get onto the housing ladder."

A big change in the mortgage industry has been the move to product transfers - offering advisers a proc fee for staying put with the same lender when the borrower comes to the end of his or her deal.

This stops the endless churning onto other mortgages with different lenders, and keeps the borrower with the same company.

Mr Duncombe notes: "We pay 0.3 per cent proc fee for the product transfer. Lenders recognise the value with that transaction, but it's important that the broker considers what's the best deal for the customer.

"The important thing for the customer is they're getting advice. If that advice is to stay with the lender, then great. What we have seen in the past is customers not getting advice and not necessarily ending up with the best product. They should still have been given the choice."

Before working at Accord, Mr Duncombe spent five years at L&G Mortgage Club as director of mortgages, where he was in charge of the mortgage club. Accord was on the panel. Does he now have a special relationship with L&G?

He says: "We work with all the mortgage clubs - there's not a preferential rate for anyone. We have a good relationship with all the mortgage clubs."

And he adds that despite L&G being a very large, listed company and Accord being part of Yorkshire Building Society: "It's not necessarily that different. If you look at how many staff YBS employs, it's around 3,000 staff. Being a mutual is a different culture but, ultimately, what Accord stands for is 'real help for real people'.

"It's making sure we do help customers. Our brokers are our customers; what can we really do to help the broker?"

Melanie Tringham is deputy features editor of Financial Adviser and FTAdviser.com