An Accusation That Questioned Our Honesty | Monday Morning Musing #6

We recently faced a tough moment. An accusation that questioned our honesty. It stung. But more importantly, it forced us to reflect on what truly matters: the core values we stand by, both as professionals and as people.

‍

At Merryoaks, our business is built on three core pillars:

• Trust: the foundation of every strong partnership
• Knowledge: know the market, the lenders, and especially the clients
• Communication: make it clear, honest, and timely

‍

So, what happened?

We dropped the ball on Knowledge. A simple yet critical error in the client’s project costs for a development exit loan caused a lender to question our figures and, by extension, our integrity.

The mistake wasn’t deliberate, but it was costly in time and stress. Somewhere along the way, an inaccuracy had slipped through, though we had double checked the numbers with the client beforehand.

So, what did we do?

We owned it. In situations like this, swift and transparent action is crucial, so in the next 24 hours, we didn’t rest until we identified where in the process the mistake had been made, providing evidence, and working transparently with the lender to rebuild confidence and restore our reputation.

The result?

Mistakes happen in this business. But how you handle them defines your reputation. The £1.8 million loan was funded within 13 working days, and both the lender and the developer remain strong partners for the future.

This experience was a powerful reminder that our core values aren’t just words on a website, they’re the foundation of every relationship we build and every deal we help complete. Trust, Knowledge, and Communication guide Merryoaks in everything we do, especially when challenges arise.

So, learn from our experience. Know your numbers. Triple check them. And when things go wrong, lean on your values, take responsibility, and handle it quickly.

‍

If you're working on a project and are in need of funding solutions, please get in touch.