BetterHome Group has agreed to acquire Mortgage Support Services (MSS).
The acquisition follows its investment in HLPartnership in 2024.
MSS is the group behind Stonebridge Mortgage Solutions and a range of mortgage, protection and technology businesses.
The proposed transaction remains subject to Financial Conduct Authority change in control approval.
BetterHome Group says the acquisition represents its long-term commitment to the UK mortgage intermediary market.
It is intended to support the next phase of growth for MSS and Stonebridge, building on their existing teams, member proposition and relationships across the industry.
It remains business as usual, with both continuing to operate as separate mortgage and protection networks, each with its own brand, proposition and culture.
However, BetterHome Group says there “may be opportunities to work more closely together where this makes sense and creates value, with any developments considered carefully and with people, members and customers at the heart of decisions”.
BetterHome Group group chief executive Rudi Botha says: “The agreement to acquire MSS is the next step in that journey. MSS is a strong and well-respected business, with talented people, an established proposition and trusted relationships with its member firms and partners.”
“We have great respect for what Rob Clifford and his colleagues have built and for the culture and commitment to members that make Stonebridge distinctive.”
“Our ambition is to support MSS in the next phase of its growth, building on the strengths of the business and the strategy already in place. An important part of that is creating the right environment for member firms to grow their businesses and continue delivering for their customers.”
MSS founding director Rob Clifford adds: “Having led MSS’s acquisition of Stonebridge in 2015 and been its Chief Executive since 2019, it was of great personal importance to me that we selected the very best partner for the next phase of our growth journey.”
“In BetterHome, we have a new parent which has decades of experience in the mortgage sector, understands the importance of the relationships we have built with our member firms and partners, and fully supports our strategy.”
