It is important to recognise that many mortgage brokers interact with lenders through aggregators. Aggregators provide services to brokers, such as access to administrative support and information technology systems. They also operate as a single point of contact between large numbers of brokers and particular lenders. In this way, they also provide a service to lenders. Aggregators are currently remunerated by commissions paid by lenders, part of which is typically passed on to brokers.
Under the proposed model, this form of remuneration should not continue. If brokers value the service provided to them by an aggregator, they should pay the aggregator a fee for that service. If lenders value the service provided to them by an aggregator, they too should pay the aggregator a fee for that service. The market should determine those fees. The Treasury-led working group should monitor the activities of aggregators under the new model.