GoCardless integrates with Acre to simplify mortgage broker payments

Mortgage and protection brokers will be able to manage and collect fees from their clients more efficiently via all-in-one platform Acre, following its new partnership with bank payment provider GoCardless.

Prior to its integration with GoCardless, brokers on the Acre platform had to navigate a three-step process, starting with looking up how much the client owed in Acre, then collecting the fees off-platform, and then going back to Acre to reconcile the payment.

Now, direct debit for recurring payments and GoCardless’ Open Banking payments feature for one-off payments, ‘Instant Bank Pay’, have been integrated into the Acre platform, enabling brokers to manage, collect and reconcile payments in one step.

“More often than not, we see brokers relying on outdated, manual processes to collect fees, receiving emails with credit card numbers that get typed into clunky card terminals in a physical office,” said Justus Brown, chief executive officer of Acre.

“From today, brokers can instantly send clients an online payment link or set up Direct Debits via our customer portal, making the whole process frictionless, more secure and easier for all involved.”

Acre’s platform allows mortgage and protection brokers to manage a client’s mortgage process from start to finish in one place, by offering case management capabilities and “smart dashboards”.

Pat Phelan, managing director of UK and Ireland and chief customer officer at GoCardless, added: “Brokers today have enough on their plate; they don’t have time to deal with hours of manual admin or late payments.

“That’s why we’re excited to offer bank payments with Acre, helping brokers save time and money, stress less and get paid on time.”

GoCardless recently published research which showed the extent to which first-time buyers and the self-employed are disillusioned by the mortgage application process.

Its survey found that 41% of British consumers believe lenders are relying on “outdated” methods to assess mortgage affordability.