A Whalley mortgage advisor has started a petition to make the house-buying process easier for first time buyers.

Serena Smith is a freelance mortgage adviser but has in the past worked for large organisations such as Skipton Building Society and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Despite being in-the-know when it comes to mortgages, Serena herself was unable to avoid the challenges that came with buying a house.

The sale took months to go through, with the final hurdle being the completion date.

She said repeated completion dates came and went and on the day itself, the previous homeowner was still in the property when it was legally Serena’s.

As a result, Serena has now launched a campaign to try and change the house buying process.

She said: “All too often, those in the chain have to push solicitors to get a completion day, the date changes, and it can cause significant upset, stress and expense.

“It doesn’t need to be this difficult.”

During the day, Serena can often be found online, offering no-strings-attached budgeting and mortgage tips.

She added: “I’ve worked in huge organisations, such as Skipton Building Society and the Department for Work and Pensions. They provided invaluable experience and skills, but now I’m self-employed, I have the freedom to provide personality with my customer communications.

“I’m really passionate about empowering people to look after their finances and grow their wealth - and it isn’t through spending less. Saving means putting money away in a pot, not just buying things more cheaply or cutting back.

“I provide real-life financial educational content and will speak up when I see practices that aren’t right - such as credit providers targeting vulnerable people to convince them to take out credit they don’t need.

“Aside from my experience and qualifications, my motto is there is no such thing as a silly question. I’m approachable - I’m just a girl from Whalley dressed down, sat in my home office.

“I’m open and honest and document the whole process on my social media; from the hours spent on hold to pushing for completion dates.”

Serena can be found via her Instagram page @themortgageaccount, and provides mortgage and budgeting information that many in her position may hold back and charge people for instead.

You can sign the petition at change.org.