Blimey Loans intends to expand its workforce in the wake of Scotland’s rejection of independence.

The independent specialist financial broker wants to recruit a sales team to increase its reach in Scotland, London and the south of England.

Alistair Ewing, owner of Blimey Loans, said: “We’ve been planning to expand for some time but the uncertainty surrounding the referendum forced us to put this investment on hold until we had some clarity about the Scottish economy, its currency and whether investment in the country was a viable business decision.

“Within the industry we had heard rumours about a major secondary lender planning to immediately pull out of the market if independence was selected.

“It goes without saying that this could have had significant and damaging ramifications for our industry and whether or not we could operate from Scotland, yet alone invest in it further.

“I’m a proud Scotsman, but that doesn’t mean I can’t also be a proud Brit. I think we are strongest together. I know my business is, which is why we’re thrilled to remain part of the UK and announce this investment in our Scottish operation.”

“This survey has identified that many brokers already see the use of smartphones as the way forward for the mortgage industry. The use of smartphones is now ubiquitous and how quickly lenders adopt this technology is likely to play a part in shaping the future of the mortgage market.”

Paul Clampin, director of underwriting at Paragon Mortgages, added: “In the last quarter 85% of all applications to Paragon have been submitted to us online, which shows the way intermediaries are doing business is changing. Submitting applications via the Mortgage Trust and Paragon Mortgages websites is quick and easy, and I expect we will see more business coming through in this way.

“The feedback from intermediaries following the launch of our CaseTracker app has been great, and we hope that people are going to find the android version just as useful for managing their applications whilst on the move.

“Key features of the app include the ability to respond to queries or information requests against applications, and the provision of updates on the status of applications. The app’s primary function is to make the intermediary’s business life easier.”