Gurkha Mortgages

What Gurkha Mortgages does

Gurkha Mortgages is a UK-based mortgage brokerage and financial advisory firm that serves the Nepalese community across the United Kingdom. Founded approximately 30 years ago (around 1995) and operating as a trading style of Michael Usher Mortgage Services Ltd, the firm is headquartered in Camberley, Surrey, with a secondary office in Basingstoke and a team of approximately 30 employees. It is an appointed representative of HL Partnership Limited, authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and holds membership in the Institute of Professional Willwriters.

The company's core offerings span four product lines: mortgage advisory (remortgage, moving house, first-time buyer including Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor and Multiple Person mortgages, and buy-to-let), equity release advisory for homeowners aged 55+, insurance broking across eight categories (life cover, critical illness, income protection, relevant life, family income benefit, buildings and contents, health insurance, and trusts), and will writing. All services are delivered in English and Nepali, with CeMap-qualified advisors providing whole-of-market brokerage access. Digital touchpoints include online enquiry forms, mortgage and stamp duty calculators, social media presence, and educational content guides.

The business model is a fee-based professional services model. Standard mortgage advisory fees are £595 (£100 on application, £495 on mortgage offer), with full refunds if no offer is received; equity release fees range from £995 to £1,495 depending on case complexity; insurance services are free to customers with the firm earning provider commissions; and will writing fees are described as 'very affordable'. Go-to-market is consultative and community-led, relying on word-of-mouth referrals from three decades of embedded presence in the UK Nepalese community, supplemented by community event participation (e.g., Gurkha Cup 2023), educational content marketing, SEO, and direct consultations via phone, video, in-office, and home visits.

Name

Gurkha Mortgages

Legal name

Michael Usher Mortgage Services Ltd

Website

https://gurkhamortgages.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gurkha Mortgages is a UK-based mortgage broker and financial advisory firm specializing in mortgages, equity release, insurance, and wills for the Nepalese community across the United Kingdom, operating as a trading style of Michael Usher Mortgage Services Ltd.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mortgage Brokerage Services

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Real Estate Credit (522292)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSALABAA

Retail Residential Mortgage Brokers (Purchase & Refinance)

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Mortgage Brokerage & Intermediaries

SECONDARYFSAEAEAA

Residential Mortgage Brokerage (Purchase & Refinance)

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Mortgage Brokerage & Loan Intermediation

SECONDARYBPAJABAK

Debt & Structured Finance / Mortgage Brokerage

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

SECONDARYFSAEAMAA

Mortgage & Loan Introducers (Residential & Commercial)

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Introducers, Finders & Referral Networks

Keywords

• Mortgage brokerage services
• Equity release advisory
• Insurance advisory
• Will writing services
• Nepalese financial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Camberley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Mortgage Advisory Fees: Fees charged for mortgage advice and application services. Standard fee is £595, with £100 due upon application and £495 due upon receiving mortgage offer. Refund policy applies if unsuccessful.
2. Equity Release Advisory: Fees range from £995 to £1495 depending on complexity of circumstances. Initial consultation is free. Fee typically paid upon completion when customer receives tax-free cash.
3. Insurance Services: Insurance advisory services provided free of charge to customers. Advisors earn commission from insurance providers rather than charging customers directly.
4. Wills Services: Will writing services offered for a fee described as 'very affordable'. Members of the Institute of Professional Willwriters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gurkha Mortgages is a UK mortgage broker that advises Nepalese community customers across the whole of the UK on mortgage products (remortgage, moving house, first-time buyer, buy-to-let), equity release, insurance (life, critical illness, income protection, buildings & contents, health, etc.), and professional will writing. Services are delivered by CeMap-qualified, bilingual (English and Nepali) advisors, and the firm operates as a trading style of Michael Usher Mortgage Services Ltd under FCA regulation via HL Partnership Limited.

Product overview

Gurkha Mortgages is a family-run mortgage advisory firm serving the Nepalese community throughout the UK. The company operates as part of Michael Usher Mortgage Services and offers a comprehensive portfolio of financial services including mortgages (Remortgage, Moving House, First Time Buyer, Buy To Let), Equity Release, Insurance products (Life Cover, Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection, Relevant Life Cover, Family Income Benefit, Buildings & Contents, Health Insurance, Trusts), and Wills. All services are available in English and Nepali languages. The company provides whole-of-market brokerage with CeMap qualified advisors and offers free initial consultations. Digital tools include Mortgage and Stamp Duty calculators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mortgage Advisory Services
• Equity Release Advisory
• Insurance Advisory Services
• Will Writing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Customers have saved over 15k in stamp duty tax through expert advice

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HLP Mortgage NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGurkha Mortgages is an appointed representative of HL Partnership Limited, part of the HLP Network. This network affiliation provides regulatory authorization and access to lender products across the market.
• Michael Usher Mortgage ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGurkha Mortgages is a trading style and division of Michael Usher Mortgage Services Ltd. Shares customer-focused values and regulatory framework with parent company.
• Institute of Professional WillwritersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association membership for will writing services. Membership provides credibility and standards compliance for the will writing service offering.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• John Charcol: Long-established UK whole-of-market mortgage broker focused on complex and specialist cases (self-employed, contractors, high-value), directly comparable to Gurkha's emphasis on JBSP, multi-person, and self-employed mortgages within the UK advice market.
• Habito: UK digital mortgage broker and lender offering online and phone-based advice across purchase, remortgage, and buy-to-let. Comparable as a whole-of-market UK mortgage intermediary and a direct competitor for standard and complex residential mortgage cases.
• Alexander Hall: UK whole-of-market mortgage broker with a strong London and South East presence, offering purchase, remortgage, buy-to-let, and equity release advice. Comparable regional overlap and product breadth, though without the community/ethnic specialization.
• Trussle: UK online mortgage broker that matches borrowers with whole-of-market lenders for purchase and remortgage. Comparable as a UK intermediary competing for the same residential mortgage flow, though with a more digital/PLG orientation.
• London & Country Mortgages: One of the largest UK whole-of-market mortgage brokers, directly comparable as a fee- or commission-based advisory firm offering remortgage, first-time buyer, buy-to-let, and equity release products. Operates at much greater scale and through digital channels, but competes for the same UK consumer mortgage demand.
• Age Partnership: UK's largest equity release advisory firm, directly comparable for the equity release (lifetime mortgage) arm of Gurkha's offering. Both serve customers 55+ seeking to release housing equity tax-free.

Broad incumbents

• HSBC UK: Major UK high-street bank offering mortgages, insurance, and wealth products to mass-market and diaspora customers. Overlaps as an alternative channel for UK Nepalese customers, particularly those with international banking ties.
• Nationwide Building Society: Large UK mutual lender and adviser provider, competing for the same UK mortgage flow. While it does not focus on the Nepalese community, it serves a comparable residential and buy-to-let customer base.
• Legal & General (L&G): Major UK insurer and mortgage provider with significant equity release and protection product offerings distributed through advisers. Comparable for the insurance and equity release revenue streams Gurkha monetizes via commissions and advisory fees.

Emerging players

• Key Group (Key Retirement): UK later-life lending specialist encompassing equity release, retirement interest-only, and adviser support. Comparable for the equity release product line and adviser-network model Gurkha uses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MU_Mortgages
• Facebookfacebook.com/GurkhaMortgages
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/michael-usher-158172a

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 Gurkha Mortgages