The Will Writers
UK FCA-authorised mortgage, protection insurance, and will writing advisory firm, headquartered in Colchester and operating since 1993 via multiple sub-brands targeting niche customer segments including property investors, entertainment professionals, and frontline workers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersColchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Will Writers does
H D Consultants, operating under brands including The Will Writers, is a UK-based, FCA-authorised financial advisory firm established in 1993 by principal Howard Reuben and headquartered in Colchester, Essex. The firm operates as a sole proprietorship (trading name of Howard Reuben) and is an Appointed Representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network, a trading name of Personal Touch Financial Services Ltd. The core offering spans residential mortgages, buy-to-let and bridging finance, protection insurance (life, critical illness, income protection, property), and a will writing and estate planning practice that is a member of the Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioners.
The company has built a multi-brand portfolio targeting niche customer segments: Mortgages For Actors (entertainment industry), HCH Financial Services (holiday let investors), Frontline Financial Solutions (military, NHS, police, emergency services), and Property Tribes Financial Services (landlord community). Its technology stack is commodity-grade: website-based enquiry, Zoom/Teams video consultations, Signable for digital signature, Stripe for fee payments, CheckMyFile for credit reports, and Google Analytics — with no proprietary AI components.
The revenue model combines mortgage advisory commissions (typical professional client fee of £500, plus lender procuration fees), insurance commissions (no fee to client), and a free-will bundling mechanism that funds estate planning via the cross-sold mortgage or protection policy. Optional will storage is priced at £14 per Will per year. Distribution is digital-first via remote advisory, complemented by an Introducer Partner network (landlords, property investors, solicitors, estate agents) who earn commission on referred cases. The firm is small by disclosed headcount (approximately 5 employees), operates as a multi-adviser team, and serves clients nationally across the UK.
The Will Writers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Will Writers
- Legal name
- Howard Reuben (trading as H D Consultants)
- Website
- https://thewillwriters.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- UK FCA-authorised mortgage, protection insurance, and will writing advisory firm, headquartered in Colchester and operating since 1993 via multiple sub-brands targeting niche customer segments including property investors, entertainment professionals, and frontline workers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Will Writers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Financial Advisory and Estate Planning Services
- NAICS
- Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Loan Brokers (6163)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Debt & Structured Finance / Mortgage Brokerage (BPAJABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG), Residential Investment Property Brokerage (SFR/Small Multifamily) (BPAJAAAE)
Keywords
Where The Will Writers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Colchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Will Writers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Mortgage Advisory Commission: Commission from mortgage lenders for arranging mortgage products. Typical professional client fee of £500, subject to full Fact Find discussion and research process. Fees may be more or less than this amount depending on circumstances.
- Insurance Commission: Commission from insurance providers for arranging life insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, and property insurance policies. No fees charged for insurance services.
- Will Writing Service (Funded): Free basic Single or Mirror Will offered with every new policy or mortgage review. Normally priced up to £130 but fully funded by the company as part of bundled service offering. Optional £14 per Will per year storage fee includes unlimited future changes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Initial Review |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Mortgage Advisory Fee |
| Freemium | Annual | Free Will with New Policy/Mortgage |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Will Writers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The company provides UK mortgage, insurance and estate planning advisory services through its Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning practice. Its core offerings span residential and buy-to-let mortgage broking, life and property insurance brokerage, and will writing services including Lasting Powers of Attorney, property trusts and discretionary trusts. Will writing and estate planning products are not FCA-regulated and are referred to a third-party professional firm, while mortgages and insurance are arranged as an Appointed Representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network.
Product overview
H D Consultants is a multi-adviser FCA-authorised financial services firm offering a comprehensive suite of mortgage, protection, and estate planning products. The core offering spans residential mortgages, buy-to-let and bridging finance, life insurance (family cover, mortgage protection, critical illness), property insurance, and wills & trusts. The company operates several specialist sub-brands including Mortgages For Actors (entertainment industry), HCH Financial Services (holiday lets), Frontline Financial Solutions (military/NHS staff), and Property Tribes Financial Services (landlord community). A key differentiator is the Funded Will service offering free wills with every new policy or mortgage, linked to their Wills & Trusts Practice which is a member of the Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mortgages For Actors: Specialized mortgage and insurance service for actors, entertainment industry professionals, YouTube creators, and media personalities.
- HCH Financial Services
- Frontline Financial Solutions
- Property Tribes Financial Services
- H D Consultants Wills & Trusts Practice
Products and services
- Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning Will writing and estate planning services including single and mirror (joint) wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), property trusts, discretionary trusts, and guidance for executors, serving UK individuals and families.
- Residential Mortgages Residential mortgage advisory services including mortgage best buys, find a mortgage, and remortgage options for UK home purchases, improvements, and product transfers.
- Buy To Let and Bridging Finance Specialist buy-to-let mortgage search and bridging loan services for property investors, including limited company holiday let mortgages, HMO and portfolio refinancing.
- Life Cover and Protection Insurance Life insurance products including family cover, mortgage protection, business protection, critical illness cover, and income protection/wage protection for individuals and families.
- Property Insurance Buildings and contents insurance, renters insurance, and portfolio buildings insurance for landlords with multiple properties.
- Funded Will Free basic single or mirror will offered with every new policy or mortgage review, including an online will instruction process available on smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC. Optional Will storage costs £14 per Will per year including unlimited future changes.
- Mortgages For Actors Specialist mortgage and insurance service for actors, entertainment industry professionals, YouTube creators and media personalities, providing access to residential mortgages, buy-to-let mortgages, lifetime mortgages, commercial finance, and protection products tailored to variable income and non-standard requirements.
- HCH Financial Services Holiday let mortgage and insurance services provided in association with Holiday Cottage Handbook, supporting expat and UK-based holiday let investors with sector-specific mortgage and insurance products.
- Frontline Financial Solutions Mortgage and insurance services supporting Army, Navy, Air Force personnel, NHS staff, police, ambulance services and other frontline organisations, offering special mortgage deals, insurance services and funded will service.
- Property Tribes Financial Services Mortgage and insurance services for the Property Tribes online community of buy-to-let landlords and property professionals, originally launched as Property Tribes Bridging and expanded to include comprehensive life insurance and residential mortgage services.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saved one client over £500 per month on insurance policies
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Will Writers
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
The Will Writers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature2 records
The Will Writers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PRIMIS Mortgage NetworkcoreH D Consultants is an Appointed Representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network, a trading name of Personal Touch Financial Services Ltd. PRIMIS is authorised and regulated by the FCA and is responsible for the quality of advice H D Consultants provides in relation to regulated mortgage and insurance products.
- Personal Touch Financial Services LtdcoreParent network company (trading as PRIMIS Mortgage Network) authorised and regulated by the FCA. Responsible for ensuring H D Consultants meets all applicable regulatory requirements.
- Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning PractitionerscoreH D Consultants' in-house Wills and Trusts Practice is a long-standing Member of the Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioners, providing professional standards and credibility for estate planning services.
- Assured Funding LtdminorFCA authorised commercial finance brokerage. Specialising in bridging loans, commercial mortgages, complex BTL, development finance, international and expat mortgages and specialist lending for HMOs. Recommended as professional commercial finance advisory service for property investors.
- Mortgages For ActorscoreSubsidiary brand providing specialist mortgage and insurance service for actors and entertainment industry professionals. Co-founded by Austyn Johnson, providing access to lenders who understand variable income and ad hoc contracts.
- HCH Financial ServicescoreGroup company providing holiday let mortgage and insurance services in association with Holiday Cottage Handbook. Supports expat and UK based holiday let investors.
- Frontline Financial SolutionscoreGroup company supporting Army, Navy, Airforce personnel, NHS staff, police, ambulance services and other frontline workers with special mortgage deals and insurance services. Associated with Blue Light Card and Blue Light Card Foundation.
- Property Tribes Financial ServicesminorPartnership with Property Tribes (online landlord community) to provide BTL mortgage and insurance services. Originally launched as Property Tribes Bridging in 2015.
- Concord Property Lettings and ManagementminorIndependent, family-run lettings and management agency operating since 2007. Recommended resource for landlords with 95%+ landlord retention for over five years.
- PropertyTribes.comminorOnline landlord and investor community founded by Vanessa and Nick Warwick. One of the UK's busiest on-line landlord communities. Partners for education and best practice sharing.
- Property118.comminorProperty finance brokerage and publisher appointed by Google News. Approximately 200,000 UK landlords and property professionals subscribe to Property118 newsfeeds. Recommended resource for property investors.
- Fiducia Wealth ManagementminorMulti-award-winning Chartered firm based in Dedham specialising in tailored financial advice and wealth management. Collaborates with H D Consultants on informal Q&A sessions dedicated to Financial Protection.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Will Writers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Drewberry Insurance: UK financial advisory firm specialising in life insurance, income protection, and critical illness cover, with mortgage-related protection advice. Directly comparable to H D Consultants' protection-side offering and its focus on complex or higher-value personal cases.
- London & Country Mortgages: One of the largest UK mortgage brokers, arranging residential, BTL, and remortgage products from the whole market. Directly comparable to H D Consultants as a whole-of-market mortgage intermediary serving UK consumers with adviser-led service.
- The Mortgage Hut: UK whole-of-market mortgage broker offering residential, BTL, and protection products via telephone and online advice. Closely comparable mid-sized broker model to H D Consultants with similar whole-of-market positioning.
- Mortgage Advice Bureau: National UK mortgage broker network and AIM-listed firm offering mortgage and protection advice via appointed representatives. Directly comparable business model to H D Consultants, also operating as an Appointed Representative within a larger network structure.
- Just Mortgages (Spicerhaart): Self-employed mortgage broker arm of the Spicerhaart group providing whole-of-market mortgage and protection advice across the UK. Directly comparable to H D Consultants in product scope (residential, BTL, protection) and adviser-led distribution.
- SPF Private Clients: UK mortgage broker focused on high-net-worth, complex, and large-balance mortgage cases including portfolio landlords and adverse-credit borrowers. Directly comparable to H D Consultants' specialist complex-case and high-value BTL positioning (e.g. million-pound mortgage work).
- Embrace Financial Services: UK mortgage and protection broker providing residential, BTL, and specialist lending advice including for self-employed and complex-income borrowers. Directly comparable to H D Consultants on specialist lending and self-employed mortgage focus.
Emerging players
- Trussle: Online UK mortgage and protection broker using automation to recommend and arrange residential mortgages and insurance. Competes with H D Consultants on the standard residential side while lacking its complex-case and niche-segment depth.
- Co-op Legal Services: National will writing, probate, and estate planning service provider in the UK. Comparable as the outsourced third-party capability underpinning H D Consultants' bundled Will proposition, and as a competitor if H D Consultants internalises the will-writing service.
- Habito: Digital-first UK mortgage broker offering online and adviser-assisted mortgage and remortgage services. Overlaps with H D Consultants on residential mortgage advice but competes via a technology-led model rather than traditional adviser relationships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Will Writers social profiles
Digital presenceThe Will Writers compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Will Writers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Will Writers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Will Writers subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
The Will Writers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Will Writers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Will Writers
What does The Will Writers do?
The company provides UK mortgage, insurance and estate planning advisory services through its Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning practice. Its core offerings span residential and buy-to-let mortgage broking, life and property insurance brokerage, and will writing services including Lasting Powers of Attorney, property trusts and discretionary trusts. Will writing and estate planning products are not FCA-regulated and are referred to a third-party professional firm, while mortgages and insurance are arranged as an Appointed Representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network.
Is The Will Writers a public or private company?
The Will Writers is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Will Writers founded?
The Will Writers was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Will Writers based?
The Will Writers is headquartered in Colchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Will Writers make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Mortgage Advisory Commission is the primary driver. The others are insurance Commission and will Writing Service (Funded).
Who are The Will Writers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Drewberry Insurance, London & Country Mortgages, The Mortgage Hut, Mortgage Advice Bureau, Just Mortgages (Spicerhaart), SPF Private Clients and Embrace Financial Services. Emerging players are Trussle, Co-op Legal Services and Habito.
Does The Will Writers have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Will Writers.
What industry is The Will Writers in?
The Will Writers's product category is Financial Advisory and Estate Planning Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJABAK, Debt & Structured Finance / Mortgage Brokerage, with a secondary code of FSAEAAAG, Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory. Its NAICS code is 522310 and its SIC code is 6162.