Financial advisory service expands into Ilkeston

Two Ilkeston mortgage advisers say they feel like they have come home after setting up in business together in the town.

Business partners Dan Law and Dave Smit both grew up in the town and have now returned to open their own branch of UK mortgage adviser Finance Advice Centre.

Based at the old police station, in Wharncliffe Road, Finance Advice Centre helps customers with a range of financial products, including insurance and loans, and specialises in offering mortgages from across the whole market.

It was founded in 2014 by former Derbyshire cricketer Matt Cassar, who also has strong roots in Ilkeston, having settled in the town after moving from his native Australia in 1993.

He played alongside Law and Smit at Ilkeston and Rutland Cricket Club before earning himself a professional contract with Derbyshire the following year.

Law and Smit have 25 years’ combined experience in mortgages and say that while the housing market in Ilkeston is buoyant, many people are struggling to take advantage of it because their credit histories or employment status means that they fail the criteria demanded by mainstream lenders.

At the same time, while mortgage and financial advisers are growing their services online, there is still a strong demand for face-to-face meetings when it comes to money matters.

Smit said: “Both Dan and I are from Ilkeston so we’re both thrilled to be setting up in business in the town and are looking forward to putting our local knowledge to good use.

“We have known Matt since he arrived in England and have worked with him at Finance Advice Centre for the past 12 years. We pride ourselves on being able to access the whole of the mortgage market in order to get deals for customers who have been rejected by the big-name lenders and we are looking forward to helping people in Ilkeston who have found themselves in a similar situation.”

Ilkeston’s Finance Advice Centre is part of the Finance Advice Group, which serves customers from across the UK and operates two other Centres, in Nottingham and at its head office in Derby.

Cassar said: “I’m delighted that Dave and Dan have agreed to set up a Finance Advice Centre franchise in Ilkeston. It is the second franchise in our group and it has hit the ground running, thanks to their expertise and local knowledge.

“All three of us have strong Ilkeston connections and we recognise that the town is showing great potential due to the new railway station and plans for new housing in the area.

“Dan and Dave are the exactly the right people to establish Finance Advice Centre in the town and reach out to local people who haven’t been able to access mortgages because their financial histories are holding them back.”