The Association of Short Term Lenders (ASTL) has recruited another new associate member, Wilkins Kennedy LLP.

This takes the ASTL’s membership to 28 this year and its associate membership numbers to 16, achieving a target that was set at the beginning of its financial year.

Wilkins Kennedy LLP ranks amongst UK’s top 20 accountancy firms.

Stephen Grant, managing partner of Wilkins Kennedy, said: “We believe that it is essential for anyone providing insolvency services to have detailed understanding of the specific environment in which the ASTL members operate. Being a member also provides us greater familiarity with the issues in the short term and bridging markets facing both ASTL members and their customers.

“We have extensive experience of dealing with all sorts of problems such as planning issues, covenant breaches, neighbour and boundary disputes, party wall disputes, contamination problems and tree preservation orders to name a few.”

Benson Hersch, chief executive of the ASTL, added: “Wilkins Kennedy LLP is a well-established, award winning chartered accountancy and business advisory firm that will add to the diversity of member firms that the association represents.

“We trust that Wilkins Kennedy LLP will provide the industry the technical expertise and insight required in managing challenges encountered. This mirrors our aim to continue to add value to our members while raising the standards of the bridging industry.”