BondMason looks to non-P2P investments

PEER-TO-PEER investment manager BondMason is increasing its exposure to non-P2P lenders to broaden its offering.

The firm aims to get its clients a seven per cent return by selecting P2P loans across approved platforms on their behalf, but chief executive Stephen Findlay says he is now looking outside the industry to provide more diversification for investors.

“We now do more than 50 per cent of our lending through non-P2P platforms,” Findlay told Peer2Peer Finance News.

“We are increasingly working with specialist lending companies such as bridging finance lenders that don’t have a P2P lending website or service.

“These established lending companies like to work with BondMason as we can provide access to capital from the ever-popular P2P lending community, and our clients can access returns from loans which aren’t normally available to them. So it’s truly a win-win scenario.”

Read more: BondMason raises minimum investment and fees

BondMason is also working to increase awareness among financial advisers and recently partnered with professional body the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) to compile a report on the P2P sector.

“The investment management industry and IFAs have been rightfully cautious about advising their clients on P2P lending given the breadth of options and range in quality of the lending platforms,” said Findlay.

Read more: BondMason launches SIPP 

“The BondMason direct lending market report is the first impartial and in-depth report into P2P and direct lending in the UK.

“We are pleased the CISI has recognised the quality of the report by providing continuing professional development (CPD) accreditation.

“This is another step forward for P2P lending as it begins to come of age, and hope that it enables advisers to help their clients to better navigate this asset class, as investors and lenders coalesce around higher quality operators.”

Read more: BondMason focusing on pensions over IFISAs