Market Harborough Building Society

What Market Harborough Building Society does

Market Harborough Building Society (MHBS) is a UK mutual building society authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and PRA, with a wholly owned motor finance subsidiary (Nestra Lending Limited) and headquarters in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. It operates five physical branches and a national digital platform, distributing a full savings range (easy access, fixed term bonds, 30–160 day notice accounts, ISAs, junior ISAs, regular savers, business, charity, club and PlanetSaver environmental accounts) and a specialist mortgage range (residential up to £3m, large loans £2m–£5m, buy to let, holiday let, expat, and regulated bridging finance up to £5m). The Society's commercial focus is on cases mainstream lenders decline — self-employed, expat, HNW, JBSP, non-standard properties and complex bridging — supported by a daily CEO-chaired Credit Committee, a dedicated POD model (field BDM, telephone BDM, underwriter, case manager) per broker case, and the proprietary Case Hub intermediary portal.

MHBS's go-to-market is predominantly B2B through registered mortgage brokers and intermediary networks (with the 2025 Brilliant Solutions partnership expanding that footprint), complemented by direct retail savings via branches, post, and an online service portal. Revenue is generated through net interest spread on the savings-to-mortgage book, transactional fees on bridging applications (£95 application fee, £2,495 fixed fee on larger loans, interest charged daily) and 0.30% procuration fees paid to brokers on product switches. Recent strategic momentum — Scotland expansion (January 2026), a Core Bridging SLA Guarantee, recharged BTL/Holiday Let ranges, a streamlined DIP, and consecutive Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Awards — has coincided with mortgage business growth of 20% for two consecutive years, while B Corp certification and the PlanetSaver (ekko) environmental savings programme anchor its ESG positioning.

Name

Market Harborough Building Society

Legal name

Market Harborough Building Society

Website

https://mhbs.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Market Harborough Building Society is a UK mutual building society offering savings accounts and a specialist mortgage range. It serves retail savers and intermediary brokers with complex mortgage cases, including self-employed, expat, and high-net-worth borrowers, supported by five physical branches and a national intermediary network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mutual Building Society

NAICS

Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Societies (Mutual Mortgage/Retail Banks) (FSABAEAE)

Keywords

• Retail savings accounts
• Residential mortgage lending
• Bridging finance solutions
• Building society services
• Specialist mortgage products

Headquarters

HQ city

Market Harborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Mortgage lending interest: Interest income from residential mortgage loans, bridging finance, buy-to-let, holiday let, and commercial mortgages. Mortgages are offered for complex scenarios and bridging finance up to £5m. Interest rates include variable SVR (reduced to 7.24% from 1 January 2026), fixed rates, and bridging rates starting from 0.53% monthly (approx.).
2. Savings account deposits: Retail savings deposits funding the mortgage lending book. Wide range of savings products including easy access, fixed term bonds, notice accounts (30-160 days), ISAs, junior ISAs, regular savers, business savings, charity and club accounts, and PlanetSaver environmental accounts. Interest paid to savers; spread retained by Society.
3. Broker intermediation fees: Procuration fees paid to intermediaries for mortgage case introductions. 0.30% proc fee for product switches (both residential and let). Proc fees calculated on balance at switch date and paid within seven working days of completion.
4. Bridging finance fees: Application fee of £95 for core bridging finance. Fixed product fee of £2,495 for larger loan cases (£2m-£5m). Interest charged daily on bridging loans.
5. Product switch fees: No product fees for clients on product switches. Proc fees of 0.30% paid to brokers for both residential and let switches.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Market Harborough Building Society is a UK mutual building society that collects retail and business savings deposits (easy access, fixed term bonds, notice accounts, ISAs, PlanetSaver ethical savings) and lends those funds as residential, buy-to-let, holiday let, expat and large loan mortgages, plus short-term regulated bridging finance up to £5m. Mortgage distribution is primarily through an intermediary/broker network supported by a proprietary Case Hub portal, while retail savings and some mortgage products are served through five physical branches in the Market Harborough area and online.

Product overview

Market Harborough Building Society operates as a mutual building society offering a comprehensive suite of savings and mortgage products. The savings portfolio includes Fixed Term Bond Accounts, Easy Access Accounts, Regular Saver Accounts, Notice Accounts (ranging from 30 to 160 days), ISA Accounts (including Junior ISA), Business Savings, and PlanetSaver ethical savings accounts. The mortgage offerings span residential mortgages up to £3m, large loan solutions (£2m-£5m), buy to let, holiday let, expat mortgages, and specialist bridging finance (up to £5m). The society supports complex cases including multi-generation living through Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor products. Digital services include Case Hub for broker case management and a Maximum Loan Calculator. The Thrive Agenda represents their community and sustainability commitment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fixed Term Bond Accounts
• Easy Access Accounts
• Regular Saver Accounts
• Notice Accounts
• PlanetSaver
• ISA Accounts
• Business Savings
• Organisation Savings
• Residential Mortgages
• Large Loan Solutions
• Buy to Let Solutions
• Holiday Let Solutions
• Expat Solutions
• Bridging Finance
• HNW Bridging Solutions
• Product Switch
• Holiday Let Recharged
• Buy to Let Enhanced
• Multi-Generation Mortgage Range

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 working hours to Decision in Principle and 5 working days to formal offer on core bridging finance cases (or £500 donated to charity)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brilliant SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 July 2025New partnership announced July 2025. Brilliant Solutions members now have full access to MHBS's range of specialist mortgage solutions, benefiting from the Best for Brokers Promise, fast and reliable decisions from the daily credit committee, and award-winning service. MHBS supports complex cases and bridging finance scenarios up to £5m through the Brilliant Solutions broker network.
• ekkocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHBS partnered with ekko, an award-winning UK company that integrates sustainability into financial services, to create the PlanetSaver savings account. For every £1,000 saved, MHBS contributes at least £2.70 to vetted environmental projects. ekko partners with leading organisations including Conservation International, RSPB (Lake Vyrnwy Project), and Tusk (CLAWS Conservancy) for global sustainability standards and traceability.
• Conservation InternationalminorOthersPartnered through ekko for PlanetSaver. Conservation International fights to protect nature for people, improving lives by protecting oceans, forests and other living ecosystems. Their reforestation work is supported by contributions from PlanetSaver accounts.
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)minorOthersRSPB works in the UK and globally to tackle the nature and climate emergency. ekko's partnership with RSPB is centred around the protection of peatland and the Lake Vyrnwy Project. Supported by PlanetSaver savings contributions.
• TuskminorOthersTusk is the world leader in wildlife conservation throughout Africa, accelerating the impact of African-driven projects. ekko supports Tusk projects including CLAWS Conservancy, which funds satellite collars for lions to prevent lion-community conflicts. Supported by PlanetSaver contributions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bath Building Society: Small UK mutual building society offering savings and specialist/intermediary mortgage products. Comparable on mutual structure, regional scale, and specialist lending orientation.
• Newcastle Building Society: UK mutual building society with a strong specialist/complex mortgage proposition and intermediary focus. Closest direct peer on size, mutual structure, and specialist lending emphasis.
• Skipton Building Society: Large UK mutual building society offering savings and mortgages including specialist and complex-case lending via intermediaries. Directly comparable on mutual structure, product breadth, and distribution model.
• Ecology Building Society: Small UK mutual building society with a strong environmental/ESG focus on savings and lending. Closest analog on values-led positioning and B Corp-style differentiation, though smaller and more niche.
• Hinckley & Rugby Building Society: Small UK regional mutual building society operating in the Midlands with similar savings and mortgage products. Comparable on regional mutual structure and scale, though less specialist-oriented.
• Kensington Mortgages: UK specialist mortgage lender serving self-employed, complex income, and higher-LTV borrowers through intermediaries. Direct competitor in the same specialist complex-case niche, though not a mutual.
• Nottingham Building Society: Mid-sized UK mutual building society offering savings and a broad residential mortgage range, including intermediary-distributed products. Comparable on mutual model, scale, and product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Yorkshire Building Society: Major UK mutual building society with extensive savings and mortgage product ranges, including intermediary channels. Same mutual model but significantly larger balance sheet and geographic footprint.
• Coventry Building Society: One of the UK's largest building societies, offering a wide savings and mortgage range with significant intermediary distribution. Comparable business model but materially larger scale and brand presence.

Emerging players

• Foundation Home Loans: UK specialist mortgage lender focused on complex borrower cases and intermediary distribution. Comparable on specialist/complex lending strategy, though operates as a lender rather than a mutual.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marketharbbs
• Facebookfacebook.com/Market-Harborough-Building-Society-493832984308329/?rf=147690105272694
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/market-harborough-building-society?trk=biz-companies-cyf
• Instagraminstagram.com/MarketHarbBS

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Market Harborough Building Society