How to build a 90-day plan for joining a mortgage network

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Joining a mortgage network is a business change with regulatory, operational and commercial consequences. Treating it as a single application can leave advisers trying to resolve technology, client communication and staff training issues after the new arrangement has begun. A 90 day plan gives the firm time to ask better questions and prepare its people without rushing important decisions.

The plan does not need to predict every task before the network has completed its checks. Its purpose is to create ownership, deadlines and a record of the points that still need to be agreed. The exact timetable will vary according to the firm’s current status, its existing contract and the scope of business it conducts.

Days 1 to 30 should define the business case

The first month is for deciding what the firm wants from a network. Review current costs, compliance support, case volumes, lender relationships, technology frustrations and plans to recruit. Speak to advisers, administrators and managers because each group will see different weaknesses in the existing setup.

Turn the findings into a short requirements list. Separate essential requirements from useful extras. For one firm, a responsive compliance team and a clear process for approving promotions may be essential. For another, the main need may be better management information across several advisers and branches.

Choose support around the growth plan

A network should be assessed against where the firm is going, not only where it is today. A sole adviser planning to add staff needs to understand how charges, supervision and technology access change as the team grows. An established business may need stronger reporting, structured development support and help maintaining consistency across advisers.

The search phrase join mortgage network can lead to many propositions, so advisers should ask how each one supports their next stage of development. Stonebridge, for example, describes a model with no monthly adviser fees or fixed adviser costs and a pay-as-you-earn approach. The important step is to confirm the complete terms and test how the model would work under realistic forecasts for the firm.

Use more than one scenario. Calculate the likely position during a normal month, a quieter period and a month with higher completions. Include any technology charges, deductions or optional service costs. This turns a headline proposition into a practical cash flow comparison.

Days 31 to 45 should focus on due diligence

By the second month, the firm should be examining the network’s evidence. Check its status on the Financial Services Register and read the proposed agreement carefully. Review the regulated activities covered, the responsibilities of each party, termination provisions and any conditions that could affect future plans.

Ask how the network carries out initial and ongoing oversight. The FCA requires principal firms to assess and supervise their appointed representatives. A network should be able to explain its approach to competency, file quality, financial promotions, complaints, continuing professional development and customer outcomes.

Due diligence should work in both directions. The network will need to understand the firm’s people, business model, finances and controls before accepting responsibility for its regulated activity. Prepare accurate information and allow time to answer follow-up questions. Delays are more likely when records are incomplete or responsibilities within the firm are unclear.

Days 46 to 60 should map the client journey

The change should be viewed through each stage of a client’s case. Map how enquiries arrive, how consent and identity checks are recorded, where the fact-find is completed, how products are sourced and how recommendations are documented. Continue through application, progress updates, completion and later reviews.

Mark every point at which the new network’s process or technology will change the current method. This exposes work that a high-level project plan can miss. Templates may need replacing, website wording may require approval and introducers may need updated information. Staff may also need new ways to record contact or escalate a concern.

Data deserves a separate workstream. Confirm what information can be migrated, who will perform the transfer and how access will be controlled. Mortgage and protection records contain extensive personal and financial information, so security and data protection responsibilities must be clear before files are moved.

Days 61 to 75 should prepare the team

Training is more effective when it follows job roles. Advisers need confidence using sourcing, fact-find and suitability processes. Administrators may spend more time in document collection, case progression and client communications. Managers need reporting and oversight tools that help them see where work is delayed or incomplete.

Arrange practical sessions using sample cases rather than relying only on a general system tour. Keep a shared list of questions and assign someone to obtain confirmed answers. If the network provides online help, telephone support, group training or videos, decide which resource fits each stage of learning.

Stonebridge says its Revolution platform includes sourcing, lead management, sales progression, compliance functions, reporting and a client portal. A firm considering membership should identify which of those tools replace existing systems and which need to operate alongside them. Duplicate data entry should be found before launch rather than accepted as a permanent inconvenience.

Days 76 to 90 should test readiness

The final fortnight should be used for controlled checks. Confirm that users have appropriate access, templates are current and key workflows can be completed. Test a case from initial enquiry through to the point at which it would be submitted. Check how staff request help and how urgent issues are escalated.

Review communications that clients and professional introducers will receive. They should explain any relevant changes without creating confusion about the advice relationship. Website details, privacy information, email wording and business stationery may also need attention, subject to the network’s requirements.

Create a short launch checklist and a separate list of post-launch measures. Useful measures may include outstanding training, file review findings, average response times, unresolved system issues and staff feedback. The purpose is to identify where support is needed, not to create reporting for its own sake.

Keep the plan active after the joining date

The first day under the new network is not the end of the project. Schedule reviews after the first week, first month and first quarter. Compare the experience with the reasons for moving and deal with gaps while the transition is still fresh.

A well-managed 90 day plan gives the firm a clearer view of the network and gives staff time to prepare. It also makes the recruitment conversation more useful because questions are tied to actual clients, cases and business goals. That preparation helps the new relationship begin with fewer assumptions and a shared understanding of what good support should look like.