Member Article

Interview: Wirral’s The Equfund Group on its philosophy, projects and ethical investment

Wirral’s The Equfund Group invest in affordable housing projects in the North West, it was incorporated in 1990 as Portman Loans Limited, part of the Portman Building Society group.

It was acquired in 1996 by Daniel Mahon and, after a name change to Equfund (RTB) Limited, became the first company in The Equfund Group.

The Group’s profit for the financial year (ended 31/12/13) was £1.86 million and its annual turnover in 2013 was £2.3 million.

Founder Daniel Mahon spoke exclusively to Bdaily about the projects, the successes of the company and its new ethical lending financial arrangement.

Daniel said: “We adopt a long-term benefits philosophy. Each and every project we undertake must be good value for money and deliver sustainable long-term returns, but our decisions are not unduly influenced by short-term decision making and to have a requirement for a project to reach profitability in the immediate short-term.

“We have a skilled, committed and hard working team that know our values and are protective that we maintain this culture as we grow. Attracting the right talent and developing our current team of workers is a challenge we continue to meet daily.

“Additionally, all staff know the names of each of our tenants, their family and work situations as well as their children too. A big success of our company is the ability for our tenants to speak to the same friendly voice if they have any issues. This marks us out when compared to large residential landlords and Registered Social Landlords.

“We aim to continue to grow, but this must be sustainable growth. We plan to continue buying property assets in the right places, for the right prices, and we’ve designed the business to be agile and well placed to take advantage of the changing dynamics of the residential housing market.

“We have just launched a brand new new ethical lending financial arrangement for retirees called Reap (Real Estate Annuity Plan). Reap is a great alternative for your pension savings and allows people to received a fixed income without the hassle.

“It’s ideal for people who are looking to use their pension pot to assist social mobility in the North West of England and help provide affordable housing in the area.

“We’re incredibly proud of being a socially-conscious company that makes a real difference to the region and its people.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Taha .