About
Ben Blyth, MSc, CeMAP, CeRER - Director
I have worked in financial services since 2007, and specifically in specialist mortgages since 2014.
Following the global pandemic, it became clear to me that personalised mortgage advice can be delivered to anywhere, from anywhere and at any time - so our service commitment is to work any way that suits you.
In a world where ‘computer says no’, Houz Mortgages is committed to finding a way for a human to say yes.
I started my career in financial services in 2007 at the Cheshire Building Society, which became part of Nationwide. My early days were spent in the branch network, before I passed my mortgage advice qualifications in 2014. I then spent 5 years in specialist mortgage lending with the Market Harborough Building Society before moving on to be Head of Intermediary Mortgages at another specialist mortgage lender – Darlington Building Society.
My experience working for specialist lenders has given me valuable understanding of how lenders operate and assess mortgage applications. It’s given me a great insight on the other side of the coin to how I now operate as a broker and this is especially useful when helping arrange complex or specialist mortgages.
In 2018 I graduated from Loughborough University Business School with a Masters Degree in Leadership and Management.
I currently serve as a Trustee for the Market Harborough Building Society Charitable Foundation, where we provide grants to charities and community projects in the local area.
What now?
I set up Houz Mortgages in 2022 to serve anyone in the UK who wants expert and personal help with their mortgage and insurances.
Following the global pandemic, it became clear to me that personalised mortgage advice can be delivered to anywhere, from anywhere and at any time – so our service commitment is to work any way that suits you.
In a world where computer says no, Houz Mortgages is committed to finding a way for a human to say yes.
Houz Mortgages
I set up Houz Mortgages in 2022 to serve anyone in the UK who wants expert and personal help with their mortgage and insurances. I’ve long been a believer that mortgage advice should be free for all, no matter what.
Houz Mortgages offers fee-free advice - we will be paid by the lender if you take out a mortgage, and we think that should be enough. We understand that buying a home or moving house can be expensive!
We are keen to keep utilising new technology to innovate and help to simplify the mortgage process. You can read more about the technology we use below.
Going Green & Climate Positive
Using technology allows us to be almost paperless, in fact we only print or use paper when we absolutely must. Because sometimes we need to print, occasionally we drive to meetings and of course we use electricity, we have committed to planting 11 trees per month from day one! 10 of these will be planted around the world where they can have the biggest impact, and 1 in the UK.
We have committed indefinitely to a monthly subscription, so as the business grows we pledge to increase this number per employee to keep Houz Mortgages climate positive!
Technology
Your mortgage journey with Houz will likely begin with a chat, or a phone call. Here are some of the services we use:
Zoom Phone
Our phone service is something called VOIP – meaning calls work securely through an internet connection. It allows us to be always on using desktop and mobile apps – and the line is usually crystal clear. The phone number is a national number, not a premium number – it shouldn’t cost you to call us as calls to an 0330 number are usually inclusive minutes! (Please check with your service provider)
In 2021, the UK had over 40 millions Whatsapp users! So we know it’s a great and easy way to communicate. It’s fully encrypted and allows us to create groups so that if you’re buying together, we can all keep in touch easily.
Video Calls
As well as using Zoom, we can also meet you through any other service you might prefer, whether that’s a Whatsapp video call, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams or any other. Just let us know and we’ll meet you your way.
Adobe
When we need your signature, we’ll use Adobe services to request this electronically – easily done in a matter of seconds on a phone, tablet or computer. No printing or scrambling to find a pen and no delay in getting paperwork back to us.
Data protection
To share important documents, we offer a secure online portal to share this information privately. We also have the ability to electronically verify your ID – removing the need for photocopies and prints.
Just because we feel these are the best services now, doesn’t mean we’ll use them forever. We’re committed to innovating and keeping the mortgage advice journey straightforward.
What people say
This is what people have had to say about using Houz Mortgages…
Testimonials
I happened upon Houz by accident when undertaking research and I'm so glad I did. Ben has been an immense source of knowledge, guidance and support throughout the process of purchasing my first home. Even with things that were outside of his role, he was still willing to help answer questions about anything I didn't understand. Ben made sure I got the best rate possible, and updated this when the rate dropped - to make sure I got the best deal. I cannot praise and thank Ben enough for all of his support through this process and I would highly recommend Houz Mortgages to anyone who is needing mortgage services.
Leah Evans10. November, 2023.Ben was great, super helpful and friendly. Arranged a mortgage which met our needs.
dave stevens8. October, 2023.Excellent service. Extremely useful, friendly and approachable. Professional and supportive throughout the whole process of getting a mortgage, home insurance and life insurance. Ben has been amazing! Would recommend to any looking for mortgage and insurance advice.
J Mayes30. August, 2023.How easy was that? Thanks Ben! At a time of unprecedented turbulence in the mortgage lending world, Ben calmly steered us through our re-mortgage, and took away all the stress and hassle. Ben took his time to understand exactly what we needed out of the process, and quickly found us an excellent product that matched our needs. Working quickly, he then secured us a great offer, before the rates crept up again. Ben's extremely knowledgable, and knows the sector inside out. He's also a bloomin' nice chap. I have absolutely no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Ben if you're looking to work with an honest, hard-working and knowledgable mortgage expert.
Rob Johnson4. August, 2023.After doing some exhaustive mortgage hunting, I decided to reach out to a broker. Houz Mortgages caught my eye as a local broker with a solid reputation and no fees, and I'm very glad I went with them! They went above and beyond to not only find a suitable deal for me, but to keep me informed, help me make a decision when I found myself limited by my choice of solicitor, and even help get completion done in time by reaching out to my lender. They were available through WhatsApp every step of the way and they most certainly made the past few months a lot less stressful than they would have been had I dealt with it all myself. Thank you!
Rick (Riari) Mann3. August, 2023.Excellent service, works for the client, gets best deal on the table, explains process thoroughly, highly reccomend, will be using again for further needs and help
Steve Podesta25. July, 2023.As first time buyers we struggled at first to get our heads around the mortgage process. Ben was a huge help in aiding us in applying and getting our mortgage. He found us the best rate and was always on hand to help. Any time of the day, he would respond to queries and support with any issues we had, from first applying for our mortgage to eventually us being days away from getting our keys, putting us at ease and making the process simple and easy. If you are in need for a professional mortgage broker then give them a call. Thank you
Joe Glover19. July, 2023.Ben helped us with our mortgage and made the whole process very easy. He is very responsive and knowledgeable, made us feel very informed and at ease. Look no further for a professional mortgage broker. Thank you!
Rebecca Collingridge12. June, 2023.Ben was really helpful and gave us the best advice into which rates and mortgage suited us. Furthermore going above and beyond to find out additional information or point us in the right direction for more information. Also informing us throughout of the application of better rates and continuous communication to keep us informed. Thanks Ben for all your help
Sonal Patel15. May, 2023.I had a fantastic experience with Houz mortgages buying my first home. Ben helped me get the best deal available and was always available to talk to if I was unsure about anything. Il will absolutely be remortgaging with them when the time comes. 10/10
Ben Rayton29. March, 2023.