Dear member, 

As part of the continuing strategy to raise awareness of the Equity Release Market and to engender a positive recognition of how it can (and should) form part of general later life planning considerations, The Council has agreed a collaboration with the organisers of the Mortgage Business Expo 2017. 

The Council and Equity Release has featured on the MBE seminar programme for the last few years and attendance and feedback has been very good. However, delegates visiting the Expo, only hear about us if they attend the relevant seminar, which is not always possible. Therefore, we are very excited to be pioneering a new idea called the Equity Release Hub.

Concept of the Equity Release Hub

• The Equity Release Hub will consist of stands and an informal seminar platform with presentation equipment (all AV provided), and will be positioned in a specific area of the exhibition hall designated for the sector. The Council will arrange for a series of short, quick fire speaker slots throughout the day, which will be televised around the arena near coffee break out areas, if the stage area is not already located near to break areas.  

• Near to that stage will be a pod of four small 2×2 stands, which members of the Council are invited to book at a subsidised rate which will include the hire of the stand and supply of relevant electrics, furniture and literature stands and overhead banner. 

• The Council will also support these small stands by providing additional relevant literature associated with guidance and learning, which will supplement any of the literature that member firms wish to bring.

Who will this suit?

• Firms wishing to engage with the mortgage market but have found the cost of attendance on a stand prohibitive or have not had opportunity to engage in this way in the past. 

• Firms representing distribution and legal communities, as well as provider firms. 

Further Information 

• The Council will be there also on a stand to facilitate membership and any other socio-economic queries that might arise. 

• The idea is to make the Equity Release Hub as viable for all members as possible on a ‘hire alone’ or on a ‘share a stand’ basis. 

• The aim of participating in the Equity Release Hub is to engage with peer groups to inform and discuss the merits of ER and ideally help explain how an individual/firm can become active or develop their ER business model. 

• Any member firms who have already booked on to the event can discuss with the organisers to have their own larger stands potentially located near or around the hub, or request a presentation opportunity in the Equity Release Hub, should they wish to do so. 

• The cost of each 2×2 stand (which can be shared between member firms) will be £1,200 + VAT. 

• This will only be a viable option if all 4 stands are booked. 

 Next steps 

• If you would like to participate in this opportunity whether to book a stand and/or speak at the event please contact our Communications Manager, Alex Ritchie at [email protected] ASAP. From there all exhibition stand bookings should be done directly between you and the event organiser at MBE, [email protected] based on the above agreement.

 If the hub idea proves a success, we intend to roll it out across the other Expos in Bristol and London later in the year. If a member firm wants to pre-register to join for all 3 then let Mike know, so that he can keep that on record and pass on any multi-booking discount to you. 

We hope this is an opportunity that whets your appetite and is a confirmation of how the Council aims to provide support, to ensure the growth of the sector.