How to build a better directly authorised business

There is no doubt that the mortgage market remains tough for many intermediary firms, despite some evidence that it is moving in the right direction. FSA figures show that the number of firms operating in the sector has more than halved, from 3,394 in June 2007 to 1,641 as of March 2011. While there has been some consolidation and not all these firms or advisers have left the market, these figures are pretty damning if not entirely surprising. In reality, some advisers may have felt it necessary to seek the perceived security of larger intermediary firms or leave the market altogether...