Trafalgar Square Financial Planning Consultants

Today we attended the Next Intelligence Conference & Awards, where we were proud to be nominated in four categories….

We were up against some incredible competition & while we didn’t take home an award this time, we’re truly grateful to have been recognised alongside so many outstanding businesses.
A huge congratulations to all of the winners & finalists 🫶🏽

It's always nice to put a face to a name, so over the coming weeks we'll be sharing a series of "Meet the Team" posts, giving you the chance to get to know the experts behind Trafalgar Square.

Today we are starting with Keely Clarke -
"I’ve worked in financial services since 2008 and joined Trafalgar Square Financial Planning Consultants three years ago.
Although I advise across all areas of mortgage lending, my main focus is protection planning, business insurance and private medical insurance.
I’m particularly passionate about making sure clients and business owners fully understand the financial impact illness, loss of income or death can have, and putting the right protection in place before it becomes a problem.

Outside of work, I home educate my two children, which keeps life busy but rewarding."

Energy Performance is currently based on the efficiency of heating a building using gas, as this has been the cheapest & most effective way to heat a property.

However, landlords have often found that their EPC rating has fallen by improving a property with electrical heating systems, such as heat pumps. Consequently, the current EPC system has been ineffective for quite some time.

The new Home Energy Model is instead focused on carbon emissions, with more in depth assessments expected to give a better idea of how energy efficient a property actually is. These assessments will also highlight what improvements are possible depending on the property type and age.

The Home Energy Model will use a new Future Homes Standard assessment, which will involve:
*Measuring all windows rather than relying on assumptions based on the property’s age.
*Carrying out additional assessment of rooms in the roof.
*Introducing a new age band for properties built from 2023 onwards.
*Considering the use of power diverters & battery storage in conjunction with solar panels.
*Recommending the use of heat pumps more frequently.

Landlords will likely need to pay for these additional assessments. Fees & the time it takes for an inspection to be carried out vary based on the size & type of property, but for an average three-bedroom property, you can expect a £65 bill & a 30-40 minute assessment.

*Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage
*Information from Mortgage Finance Brokers

We know a lot of clients have asked us since the start of the year what they should do if their mortgage product is due to end this year. Our answer is this, be as proactive as you can. We will always reach out to you to let you know when your rate is ending but please do not take it for granted if we have contacted you early & the rate ends 3 months in advance. We live in a world where anything can send rates soaring, whether that be our current government’s turbulence or world events.

Some lenders do not display their product end dates on mortgage illustrations but please get in touch if this is the case.

Our step by step guide if your rate is due to end:
Get in touch with your Broker....
*They will review when you are eligible to switch your product.
*They will provide you with rates that are currently available to you now, if applicable.
*Select a rate now to lock in today (tomorrows rate are not promised).
*Once locked in, we can always amend if your rate reduces, meanwhile, if the rate increases you are protected
*Your broker will continue to track & review your rate until the date of your product switch.

For help or advice contact us to speak with one of our expert brokers....

Commercial property continues to open up exciting opportunities for investors looking to diversify & strengthen their portfolios, such as:

*Attractive rental yields
*Long term portfolio growth potential
*A balanced portfolio that's set up for success

Understanding where the opportunities lie & how to finance them is key to maximising your returns in 2026.

Some Commercial property types are:-
*Office spaces
*Retail
*Hospitality premises
*Care homes
*Leisure premises
*Industrial units

Get in touch to discuss any commercial property finance enquiries you might have, we are happy to help....

"I was a first time buyer & Karim kept me calm throughout this entire process. Any questions I had were answered the same day. I heard many stories about how hard the mortgage process was however I experienced the total opposite. Our mortgage was sorted within days thanks to Karim. Very happy with my experience & can’t recommend enough!"
- April

Contact us to speak to Karim or any of our other expert brokers, we are always happy to help....

*Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage

"Base rate has held steady again & mortgage pricing has started to stabilise after a turbulent few months earlier this year.

So rather than another market heavy update, I thought I’d use this month to remind people of the full range of areas we can help with at Trafalgar Square, as there’s often far more overlap than people realise.
⸻
Mortgages & Lending
• Residential mortgages & re-mortgages
• Buy to let & portfolio landlords
• Shared ownership & Right to Buy
• Adverse credit & debt consolidation
• HMOs, MUFBs & specialist investment properties
• Bridging & development finance
• Commercial lending & secured loans
⸻
Protection & Insurance
• Life insurance
• Critical illness cover
• Income protection
• Relevant life cover (Ltd Co tax efficient protection)
• Shareholder & key person protection
• Private medical insurance
⸻
Planning Ahead
• Estate planning
• Inheritance tax planning
• Trusts & policy reviews
• Protecting assets & family finances long term
⸻
As a directly authorised firm, we’re able to access a wide range of lenders and insurers, including many specialist solutions that aren’t always available on the high street.

A lot of clients already have some arrangements in place, but very few have ever had everything reviewed together properly.

If you or someone else could benefit from this message, feel free to forward it on".
-Keely Clarke

How exciting....

We have been nominated & are finalists in not just one, but FOUR categories in the Next Intelligence Conference & Awards.

We have made the final for the following categories -
Buy to Let firm of the year
Rising Star - Karim Francis
Specialist Broker of the year - Juspal Nagra
Overall Excellence

We won’t find out the results until 3rd June, but regardless of the outcome, we’re incredibly proud of our team and the hard work, dedication, and commitment they continue to show every day....

The Halifax house price index showed that the incremental monthly change in April was softer than the 0.5% fall seen in March & on an annual basis, house prices were 0.4% higher than in April 2025, compared to a 0.8% yearly growth in March.

In Northern Ireland, average house prices rose 7.6% over the year to £224,851, followed by Scotland with a 4% jump to £222,448.

Price growth in Wales slowed to 0.7% year on year, with values averaging £230,952.

Within England, Northern regions saw stronger growth. The North East recorded a 4.5% rise in house prices over the year to £183,445, while the North West saw price growth of 3.4% to £248,945.

House prices fell in Southern regions, such as the South East, with a 2% yearly decline to £383,044 & London, with a 1.4% decrease to £536,051.

If you need any help with your mortgage journey, contact us to see how we can work with you....

*Information from Mortgage Solutions
*Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage

For the majority of lenders, mortgage affordability for company directors is based on your salary plus the dividends you’ve taken personally. This income is usually assessed using an average of the last 2 years’ figures, provided the most recent year is the same or higher than the previous year.
If your income has fallen, many lenders take a cautious approach & use the lower figure when calculating affordability. This means that even if your most recent year looks strong, a dip in income can reduce how much you’re able to borrow.

This approach works well for directors with consistent dividend payments, but it can be limiting for those who retain profits in the business or whose income has increased sharply in the last year.

For more information or help, contact us to speak with one of our expert brokers....