Andy Wallace, Managing Partner of Consumer Credit Solutions
In 2012, we’ve seen more urgency in the home improvements market with companies selling and marketing more actively. But while everyone is keen to sell, the real issue has been whether the end-customer, the homeowner, is actually able to buy? The message we hear from retail installers is that there is still interest in windows, doors and conservatories, but too often homeowners don’t have the cash available to buy what they want, when they want. The answer for a growing number of companies is to offer ‘soft-sell’ finance, with low rate or interest-free loans that make it possible for homeowners to say ‘yes’.
We’ve seen the overall market for soft sell finance increase significantly and have had a record year, being on target to approvea record £0.25 billion in loans.
Our appearance at the FIT Show in April will be a first for CCS. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to meet many of our existing customers and to introduce the concept of soft sell credit finance to installers who might not have considered it before or who want to sell more in a difficult market.