Mortgage Soup fires the questions at Vincent Ricks, business development manager at Norton Broker Services.

Mortgage Soup (MS): What is your role and background?

Vincent Ricks (VR): I joined Norton Group last year as business development manager, with responsibility for mortgages, commercial lending and bridging finance. My role centres on supporting brokers with complex cases, helping them structure deals effectively and ensuring opportunities are positioned correctly from the outset.

My background is somewhat unconventional for finance, which I believe is a real strength. I spent 15 years in property development, initially raising capital for large-scale schemes, including Hadrian’s Tower in Newcastle, the tallest building in the North East, before moving on to funding high-end specialist commercial projects such as care homes for the severely disabled.

Over time, I transitioned fully into development and project management, delivering projects ranging from luxury HMOs and children’s homes to housing for domestic violence victims. I have also led the conversion of office buildings within conservation areas into high-specification residential and semi-commercial schemes. Throughout that journey, I utilised bridging finance extensively, giving me first-hand experience of how deals perform beyond the initial approval stage.

That experience gives me a different perspective in my current role. It’s one thing to quote a bridge; it’s another to understand whether the refurbishment costs are realistic, whether the exit is viable, and whether the overall deal genuinely stacks up. Too often, brokers can spend weeks progressing a case only for a quantity surveyor to dismantle it at valuation stage because the numbers were never truly workable.

Having been on the development side, I can assess quickly whether a deal has legs, anticipate potential challenges and help structure transactions in a way that stands up to scrutiny.

MS: Bridging and commercial finance have seen a surge in growth over the last few years. What key trends do you expect to see going forward?

VR: I believe one of the biggest shifts we’ve seen is the stigma around bridging finance finally starting to fall away. For a long time, bridging was misunderstood, often perceived as expensive or associated with high-risk lending. In reality, when structured properly, it’s an extremely effective financial tool.

Over the past few years, significant increases in material and labour costs have reshaped the development landscape. Traditional buy-to-let refurbishments or straightforward property flips, where investors once targeted 15–20% uplifts, have become far tighter on margin. In many cases, investors have found themselves working far harder for far less return.

That pressure has driven a more strategic approach. Rather than pursuing light refurbishments with limited upside, many developers have pivoted towards conversion projects such as HMOs, multi-unit blocks and mixed-use schemes, where the increase in Gross Development Value (GDV) can justify the higher build costs. Bridging finance has been central to enabling those transactions, giving investors the finance needed to secure more complex projects.

Looking ahead, I don’t see that trend reversing. As the wider housing market continues to rebalance and development economics remain under scrutiny, bridging will become increasingly mainstream. It opens up opportunities that many investors would not have previously considered, from office-to-residential conversions to ground-up schemes.

The key will be education and structuring. Bridging works exceptionally well when the numbers are realistic and the exit is clear. As more investors understand that, I expect to see continued growth in larger-scale conversions and development-led projects, rather than purely speculative flips.

MS: What advice would you give to brokers unfamiliar with the bridging and commercial market?

VR: For brokers who are less familiar with bridging and commercial finance, my first piece of advice would be simple: don’t be intimidated by it.

Bridging in particular has evolved significantly. It’s no longer a niche, last-resort product, it’s a strategic funding tool when used correctly. The key difference compared to mainstream residential lending is that you’re assessing a project, not just a borrower.

My advice would be to focus on three core areas:

1. Understand the full deal, not just the headline numbers.
Loan-to-value is only part of the story. Is the refurbishment cost realistic? Does the exit genuinely stack up? Are timelines achievable? A deal can look strong on paper but fall apart under scrutiny if the underlying assumptions aren’t robust.

2. Scrutinise the exit from day one.
Whether it’s refinance or sale, the exit needs to be credible and evidence-based. Bridging lenders are increasingly focused on this, and rightly so.

3. Engage early with experienced partners.
Complex cases benefit from collaboration. Speaking to a knowledgeable BDM before submitting a case can save weeks of work if there’s a structural issue with the deal. Often, small adjustments to the structure can be the difference between a decline and an approval.

MS: How do you support brokers new to specialist finance and what aspect surprises them the most?

VR: When working with brokers who are new to specialist finance, my approach is very hands-on and education-led. Bridging and commercial deals can appear complex at first glance, so I focus on breaking transactions down into clear, manageable components, such as acquisition costs, build costs, contingency, exit strategy and overall viability.

Often, the most valuable support happens before a deal is even submitted. I encourage brokers to have an early conversation so we can sense-check the numbers together. Drawing on my development background, I can usually identify whether refurbishment costs are realistic, whether the proposed timeline is achievable, and whether the Gross Development Value (GDV) feels justified.

That upfront assessment can save significant time and protect the broker’s credibility with their client.

MS: You’ve moved into new offices. What has been the immediate impact of this new home with the team and your colleagues?

VR: 2026 is a big year for Norton Group. Moving into our new offices has brought an immediate boost in energy. It’s a modern, collaborative space that makes it easier for the team to work together and get things done.

Combined with expanding our teams with experienced specialists, a new website, and refreshed branding, the move reflects how much Norton is evolving.