Associate Firm

Associate Firms enjoy a closer association with us as we strive to build public trust in financial services and elevate the importance and value of financial wellbeing through mortgage and protection advice. Successful applicants are able to evidence their commitment to clients and broader stakeholders through the use of an Associate Firm mark. Firms also receive the mark as an office plaque and will be listed as an Associate Firm on the website.

Core principles of being an Associate Firm

1. Act in the best interests of clients, using a customer charter to aid transparency
2. Demonstrate integrity, probity and fairness by aligning with the code of professional ethics & conduct
3. Comply with the spirit as well as rules of regulation
4. Comply with the spirit as well as the rules of employment law
5. Invest in your people by funding a policy of ongoing training & professional development
6. Operate a clear diversity & inclusion policy, for both your staff & clients
7. Operate a policy of corporate social responsibility
8. Adhere to transparent governance standards and processes.

As individuals and firms, we have the power to build confidence in our services and earn the trust of our clients; but it is only by uniting behind a shared vision that we can influence the future direction and trust of our sector. The Society of Mortgage Professionals, as a trading style of the Chartered Insurance Institute, has a purpose driven by its Royal Charter commitment, granted by the sovereign on the advice of the Privy Council, to secure and justify the confidence of the public in our profession. We do this by:

• Raising professional standards through knowledge, development and good practice sharing
• Our members commitment to a code of professional ethics, behaviour and culture
• Engaging with regulators and policymakers to improve outcomes for consumers
• Our strapline, Standards. Professionalism. Trust., embodies our commitment to driving confidence in the power of professional standards. Your support will help us achieve this vision.

Eligibility

Associate Firm is primarily aimed at individual mortgage broking firms whose purpose is to provide mortgage and protection advice to consumers. For large national practitioner firms or those with multiple trading entities and/or mortgage networks please contact us to discuss your specific requirements. Support firms can also demonstrate their alignment with professional standards and commitment to practitioners in the sector. Support firms are non-practitioner firms, including but not restricted to:

• Lenders
• Product providers
• Compliance consultancies
• Training organisations
• Advice software providers
• Research firms
• Legal firms
• Financial Planning firms (who may be eligible as Associate Firms of the Personal Finance Society)

Fees

Associate Firms pay an annual licence fee, which for practitioner firms is banded according to the total number of employees:

• 0-10 employees - £250 p/a
• 11-25 employees - £300 p/a
• 26-50 employees - £350 p/a
• 50-99 employees - £400 p/a

For non-practitioner, support firms, including lender, product providers and training organisations there is a yearly flat fee of £650.

Further information

• Contact us 
• Terms and Conditions 
• How to use Associate Firm mark
• Resources to help you highlight why your clients benefit from working with an Associate Firm