The Cherry Financial Services Forum has heavily praised what it call “the positive impact of Santander’s engagement with advisers through its Provider Forum.”

Santander’s Provider Forum sits on the Cherry platform. It has provided advisers with the opportunity to voice concerns, highlight challenges, and offer direct feedback to Santander in real time. 

Key issues raised include underwriting, product transfer processes, and fees, with advisers emphasising the need for greater consistency and clarity in lending standards and service expectations. Last week, Santander published three new broker pledges, addressing these common points of frustration and outlining its commitment to working more closely with intermediary partners in 2025.

In a statement yesterday Cherry said: “The initiative, designed to foster open dialogue and collaboration between Santander and advisers, has already attracted 7,346 views, 137 replies, and 63 likes since January, demonstrating its growing influence.”

Cherry claims that by utilising the platform, Santander has rejected the traditional ‘us vs. them’ dynamic between lenders and advisers.

The lender’s national key account manager, Aimee-Jo Shutt, has told assured advisers that their concerns are being actively addressed at the highest levels within Santander, reinforcing the bank’s dedication to strengthening relationships with advisers.

She adds: “As a lender, all feedback—good, bad, and ugly—is invaluable. Our recent broker commitments have been developed by listening and acting on feedback, and we look forward to continually reviewing our proposition in the best way possible for those who matter most—our brokers.”