About WR Ethical

At WR Ethical we provide straight-forward, ethical, and environmentally conscious advice to help you buy a home and keep it.

Independent Mortgage Advice

If you’re looking for advice on mortgages and protection (insurance), we can help. We’re based in Bristol, where we can see you face-face (by appointment), but we also operate throughout England via phone, email and video calls, and have a growing network of advisers with locations currently also including Frenchay, Portishead & Yeovil.

Founded in 2020 by Paul Waterfall, WR Ethical has a simple aim – to help you buy and keep a home you love in the most ethical way possible. Part of being ethical means we will try hard to let you know the lowest cost deal – so we are a whole-of-market mortgage broker, and will also let you know if you can find a better rate by going direct to a lender.

How can WR Ethical help you?

Our core role is to provide independent mortgage advice, enabling you to make an informed decision about the right mortgage for your property. Our service goes beyond that though…

  • We have processes, tips, tricks, experience and connections to make sure that we’ll get you the very best deal – almost always saving you money compared with if you did it yourself.
  • We love making sure the whole house-buying process is as stress-free as possible for you – chat to us about the ins & outs of the places you are looking at, what matters in a house, and what to look for in solicitors, surveyors, insurers, estate agents and more.
  • We build care for the planet into everything we do – so, we will inform you on the ethical & environmental performance of lenders (but leave you to make your own decisions), run our business in the most sustainable way we can, and give to charity with each application fee we receive.

We like to say that “Your mortgage shouldn’t cost the earth”. Ecologically, emotionally, or financially. That’s why we aim to offer a service that is excellent value, simple and caring. Part of that involves having a transparent fee structure, keeping prices as low as possible. We will always do a like-for-like remortgage for free, and we give back some of our commission to first time buyers. Not charging too much or making too much profit is an integral part of our independent mortgage advice service.

We also offer a personal service within a stable, trusted framework. Our relationship with Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA) Ltd provides the size, stability and regulatory oversight to ensure everything we do is to the highest ethical and financial standards.

Ethical Values

We’re interested in a relationship of trust throughout your financial life, not a quick sale. We take the time to get to know your needs and preferences, never recommending something because of how it might benefit us – it must be the perfect financial fit for you. You’ll quickly find out if you talk to us that we’re a bunch of people that get our buzz from helping you, not the size of our pay packets!

We understand that buying a house is expensive and will likely be one of the biggest investments you have to make. We also know that ‘money talks’, and so who you use to finance your purchase has the potential to have a bigger impact on the planet than any of us as individuals can. So, we work with Ethical Consumer to provide you with advice and an ethical rating system for your different mortgage options. We also have a green mortgage guide where you can see our take on the different types of green mortgages available.

We run our businesses as we want all businesses to be run – people and planet before profit. We donate at least £60 to charity with each application fee we receive, and commit to giving 5% of our turnover and 20% of our profit to charity. We try to make the right choices with every aspect of how we run our business, from tax to transport to tech. We calculate and offset our carbon footprint, as well as planting a tree for every mortgage we arrange – both via Ecologi. We publish our tax policy and information here and produce an annual impact report – see the latest version here.

Our Story

Paul and his wife Jo have been passionate about helping the planet for as long as they can remember. They have always supported international development projects and tried to make eco-friendly and ethical decisions about the way they live and what they buy. They have always been conscious about not spending much or charging too much – trying to live simply and generously, taking Jesus as inspiration.

Paul started work as a Water Engineer, then had time as a stay-at-home Dad, before returning to work to get some community development projects off the ground at his local church on St Mark’s Rd, Easton. The next phase saw him spending 10 years as working in engineering monitoring, testing & quality control, before a walk and a pray down by the river in Vassals park led to him retraining as a mortgage adviser, with support from a good friend.

When he founded WR Ethical in 2020, he did so because he wanted a different type of firm, one that was led by doing things the right way, and treating staff and customers as he had always wanted to be treated. So, the first steps were to think about long term vision & goals, and how to set things up in a way which stayed true to his principles. As new people have joined, and new partnerships formed, the priority has always been to look for values, character & motivation – and so far, so good! The team continues to grow and be an inspiration.

Meet the team

    WR Ethical Team

    Paul

    Paul founded WR Ethical in 2020 to help people simplify the process of buying a home, and help people do good with their money. To him, doing this feels like a vocation, not a business.

    His interest in property began in 2005 when he bought a home in Bristol that needed quite a bit of refurbishment. Around the same time, he joined a church focused on helping the local community (with lots of spare rooms to fill). A wide variety of roles and life experiences since then led him to start WR Ethical, combining his passion for property with a commitment to doing things differently.

    When not thinking about helping others to buy a home, you can find Paul spending time with his family, running, cycling, walking the dog and baking.

    Ashley

    Ashley helps people get their own home, whatever their situation. His knowledge of different lenders’ criteria and processes is exceptional, so he can take even complex circumstances in his stride.

    A Bristol local who cares deeply about the community, Ashley joined WR Ethical in 2022 after previous roles as a carer for young people, health coach and gym manager. Through all of these, his love of helping others shines through. He’d always been interested in mortgages, and since leaving school had in mind that this is where he’d end up.

    Outside of work, Ashley enjoys staying active and spending time in Bristol with friends and family.

    Jess

    Jess has been helping people find a home since 2014. She’s the most organised member of the team and is brilliant at working through lots of detail to make sure your mortgage application goes as smoothly as possible, keeping track of an extraordinary number of different things at the same time.

    Before pursuing her interest in mortgages and joining WR Ethical in 2022, Jess worked in a lettings agency, supporting mostly students and landlords. That experience gave her a solid understanding of the property world from multiple angles.

    Ashleigh

    Ash joined WR Ethical after a 15 year career in insurance. As with many of us, buying her own property got her interested in mortgages, and she quickly found her feet working through application details and learning the subtleties of different lenders systems. Her ability to manage a range of high pressure situations, whilst still prioritising all of the people involved is particularly impressive.

    Outside of work, Ash loves spending time with her two daughters and spending time with the rest of her extended family.

    Mark

    Mark helps mortgage customers protect their homes and families with clear, accessible advice on life insurance and personal protection.

    After an early career in finance in Australia, Mark returned to the UK in 2016 and has continued building his expertise in supporting individuals and families. He takes pride in educating each person about the best options available, no matter how complex their circumstances or medical history. He’s committed to going the extra mile to find the right cover.

    When Mark’s not working, he really enjoys cooking and travelling, though most of his free time is now happily spent with his energetic daughter attending tea parties and reading her favourite books.

    Darryl

    Darryl has been helping people with their mortgages for over 20 years. He’s worked with people from all walks of life – from those buying a first home, through remortgaging and moving home, to exploring later life lending such as equity release. His extensive knowledge of lenders and their criteria means he can quickly find just the right option for you.

    He joined WR Ethical in 2025 and believes mortgage advice should always be clear and easy to understand, so you feel confident to make informed choices.

    When he’s not working, Darryl is raising four children, who keep life busy and fun. He also loves cooking, getting lost in a good book, and travelling whenever possible.

    Alena

    Alena joined WR Ethical in August 2025 after 8 years working in Tech and Product. She’s a naturally organised person with great attention to detail. Her varied experience in different sectors and passion for process improvement give her a knack for implementing positive changes and improving ways of working.

    Outside of work, you’ll most often find her in the kitchen experimenting with international culinary creations, otherwise out and about exploring or planning the next adventure.

    Lorna

    Lorna joined WR Ethical in 2025, bringing strong organisational skills and a love for helping others. She handles the admin that keeps mortgage applications moving smoothly, making sure nothing gets missed along the way.

    After three years working in the theatre industry, Lorna returned to her admin roots. Her interest in mortgages sparked after buying her first house, and she’s looking forward to helping others through the same journey.

    Outside of work, Lorna loves spending time with her family and keeping active, either at the gym or on a long walk.

    Conor

    Conor loves guiding first time buyers and movers through one of life’s biggest financial decisions, making the process as clear and stress-free as possible.

    After building his mortgage advice experience at another Bristol firm, Conor joined WR Ethical in 2025. Prior to moving into financial services, he worked in healthcare, including time as an emergency care attendant with the ambulance service. That experience taught him how to support people through challenging moments with calm, clarity and care – skills he continues to bring to his mortgage advice today.

    Outside of work, Conor is a keen kickboxer who enjoys the discipline and focus the sport brings. At home, he mostly enjoys spending time with his young family, but you’ll also find him playing padel and tennis when time allows.

    Rosemount Team - Referral Partners

    Sally

    Sally has spent most of her working life in property, and has been advising on mortgages & protection since 2000. She enjoys meeting new and existing clients and feels privileged that people allow her to help them secure what is most personal to them – themselves, their family and their home. Sally is a part of the Rosemount family that we work with closely via a referral arrangement.

    Personally Sally is all about family, spending time together is a priority, spending many weekends enjoying our beautiful beaches walking with her husband and their four dogs. She also enjoys travelling, socialising, reading and likes to think of herself as a foodie!

    Visham

    Visham started work at a high street bank in 2001 and has worked ever since on helping people get the right insurance. Whether it’s simple buildings & contents cover, life, critical illness, income protection or business cover for a whole staff team – he knows the ins and outs of all the options, and the smartest ways to get the right cover. Visham is a part of the Rosemount family that we work with closely via a referral arrangement.

    He loves spending his downtime with his own family, although is known to run too, having completed the London Marathon, and is a strong supporter of a few charities close to his heart.

    Peter Bott Financial Adviser
    Peter

    Peter has gained a wealth of experience in his working life, working in retail and hospitality as well as financial services. He’s mostly been UK based, but has also run businesses overseas and made the transition to being a Financial Adviser in Geneva. He is now UK qualified (ACSI, DipPFS), via the Chartered Institute of Insurance, and supports a wide range of customers nationwide.

    In his spare time, Peter is a keen sports fan. A qualified rugby coach, he also follows football, loves skiing, or can sometimes be found by a lake, fishing. Peter lives in Hampshire, with his wife and two children and can often be seen out running, with his dog, near to his home

What do others say about us?

It’s always better to see what others think of us, rather than taking our word for it! Take a look at our reviews on VouchedFor (below) and Google (link at the top) for an unfiltered view on all our advisors – we ask for reviews from everyone we provide advice to.

Want to see how we can help you?

Contact us now