Office address: Upper Bond Street, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 1NZ
Website: www.intermediaries.hrbs.co.uk
Year established: 1983
Company type: financial services
Employees: 9
Expertise: buy to let mortgages, specialist mortgages, standard mortgages
Parent company: N/A
Key people: Barry Carter (CEO), Laura Sneddon (head of mortgage sales and distribution), Lizzie Atkins (team leader), James Green (manager), Georgia Smith (telephone business development manager), Lisa Paxton (TBD manager), Richard Cunningham (TBD manager)
Financing status: N/A
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society focuses on providing tailored mortgage and savings services. Its intermediary arm, H&R for Intermediaries, specialises in manual underwriting to provide customised mortgage solutions for strong but unconventional customer cases. The intermediary, with a team of 10 employees, stands out by avoiding automated decision-making and instead, senior management reviews unique BTL and residential enquiries daily.
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society (H&R) traces its origins to the Rugby Provident Building Society, which was founded in 1861. Over the decades, it evolved and merged with other societies, becoming the Hinckley & Rugby Building Society in 1983.
The intermediary arm was established to cater specifically to brokers, enhancing its service offerings. Today, it remains committed to innovation and growth within the mortgage industry. They streamline the process for intermediary partners by allowing quick assessments via tweets with basic client information.
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society offers a range of mortgage products designed to meet diverse client needs. Key offerings include:
residential mortgages: tailored for homebuyers seeking flexible and competitive rates
buy-to-let mortgages: designed for investors looking to expand their property portfolios
interest-only mortgages: suitable for those preferring lower initial payments
offset mortgages: helping borrowers reduce interest payments by linking savings accounts
self-build mortgages: ideal for clients building their own homes, with staged payments
joint borrower sole proprietor mortgages: supporting family members to buy homes together
expat mortgages: catering to UK nationals living abroad
holiday let mortgages: for investors in short-term rental properties
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society values its employees as its greatest asset, fostering talent to ensure excellence in products and services. The company emphasises teamwork, respect, and support, empowering individuals to realise their potential and shape their future. At H&R, they focus on personal growth and development, providing benefits such as:
option to purchase an additional three days of annual leave each year
a minimum of 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with increases based on tenure
annual discretionary performance-based bonus
an extra day off for your birthday and enhanced family leave pay
group income protection and private healthcare coverage
three paid days per year for community or volunteer work
life cover at four times the basic salary
access to comprehensive wellbeing and mental health support
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society is dedicated to environmental sustainability through a comprehensive climate strategy. Their approach includes promoting energy efficiency, engaging the community in green initiatives, and supporting members in reducing their carbon footprints. This commitment is evident in their efforts to integrate sustainable practices into both their operations and community outreach, including:
installation of solar panels at the head office
offering green mortgages for sustainable home improvements
educating local schoolchildren about sustainability
supporting local green canopy through tree planting
providing funding solutions to enhance home energy efficiency
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society is committed to supporting local communities through various charitable endeavours. Their efforts include financial contributions, fundraising, and volunteering to aid local groups and initiatives. Through these activities, they aim to enhance the wellbeing of communities and support essential local organisations, with other initiatives like:
partnering with Leicestershire Cares to support vulnerable individuals and promote community development
offering a Community Sponsorship Scheme to provide financial assistance to local organisations and projects
engaging employees in volunteer activities to support and strengthen local communities
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society is dedicated to continuously improving the diversity of their workforce to create a fairer and more enriched environment for their employees, benefiting members through varied skills, experiences, and innovative ideas.
joined the Disability Confident scheme
signing in the Women in Finance Charter
introduced ‘Wellbeing pyramid of support’
Barry Carter was appointed as CEO of Hinckley & Rugby Building Society in January 2024. Carter has two decades of experience in private and retail banking, including a tenure as COO at HSBC Private Bank. He holds qualifications as a Chartered Banker, Chartered Certified Accountant, and is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments.
Key People assisting Carter in the operation of Hinckley & Rugby Building Society:
Laura Sneddon, as head of mortgage sales and distribution, leads the strategy for sales growth and market expansion
Lizzie Atkins, serving as internal sales team leader, oversees the internal sales operations and team performance
James Green, national account manager, manages key accounts and relationships on a national level
Georgia Smith, as a telephone business development manager, focuses on generating new business opportunities through phone outreach
Lisa Paxton, as telephone business development manager, is responsible for driving sales and business growth over the phone
Richard Cunningham, also a telephone business development manager, works on developing client relationships and increasing sales via phone communication
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society aims to continue its growth and innovation within the mortgage industry. The recent partnership with Complete FS, a mortgage distributor and packager, is expected to enhance broker support and streamline mortgage packaging. This collaboration will provide brokers with improved resources and processing efficiencies.
Also, the introduction of the Flex Together mortgage affordability solution aims to assist family and friends in securing mortgages together. This initiative supports flexible financial arrangements, broadening H&R’s customer base. Hinckley & Rugby Building Society seeks to keep supporting brokers with innovative solutions and maintaining strong industry partnerships.
New offering includes a couple of two- and five-year fixed rate options
Owner-occupiers, holiday lets and two year fixed deals all get sweeteners
It digitises manual processes involved in property transactions
One extends its product end dates, the other launches new fixed rate options
It aims to support borrowers with adverse credit histories
The new range includes two- and five-year fixed rate deals at up to 95% LTV
It also launches a couple of new five-year fixed rates
Cuts have been applied across the mutual's Income Flex, Credit Flex, and buy-to-let products
It offers up to 5.5 times the applicant’s income with no minimum income requirement
He brings over three decades of experience to the role