It has appointed 20 new staff members in a move aimed at ‘dramatically increasing capacity and capability’ for both brokers and customers.

Shawbrook said the 12 underwriters and eight completion officers would help bolster its buy-to-let, commercial investment, bridging and second charge lending teams.

This, Shawbrook explained, would ensure it was well-equipped to handle increasing demand from a buoyant market, and in the lead up to the stamp duty cut-off.

Gavin Seaholme, head of sales for the Property Finance division, said: “We’re proud to have supported the market throughout the challenges of the past 12 months, working with brokers to find solutions for clients in the most complex of situations.

“The announcement today that we are increasing the capacity within our Lending team is just one way that solidifies our commitment to the market for the long term.

“We’ve strengthened the team with 20 highly skilled people to further enhance our proposition, and I look forward to the swift impact this will have on service level agreements.”