We are excited to share that 19 Sesame network firms have, over the weekend, featured in a comprehensive guide published in The Times that's designed to help readers locate the best local advisers.

The 2026 edition is the seventh annual VouchedFor Top Rated Financial Adviser Guide, but the first that features Sesame firms. It will be circulated again in an edition of The Telegraph in July.

As well as reaching 2 million readers through print and online editions of the newspapers, the guide is being shared with 5,000 accountants and solicitors.

To qualify for inclusion, firms must meet several criteria, including a minimum overall firm rating of 4.7 out of 5, and at least 80% of their advisers having 10+ reviews each.

The qualifying firms are:

• Alexander Adams Mortgage Services Ltd

• Amavi Mortgages Ltd

• Bespoke Mortgage Services Ltd

• Calibre Capital Mortgage Finance Ltd

• Crendon House Mortgages Ltd

• Elementary Mortgages

• Jayne Louise Riley

• John Cleary Mortgages Ltd

• Jonathan Woozley

• Lewis Bradshaw Associates Ltd

• MIFA UK Ltd

• MJS Mortgage Consultants Ltd

• MJW Mortgage Advice Ltd

• Pargin Financial Solutions Ltd

• Penny Jones

• The Mortgage Shop (North East) Ltd

• Watts and Smith Ltd

• Willowlace Ltd

• WMJ Mortgage Management Ltd 

In addition, six Sesame advisers have been personally recognised as Top Rated Advisers.

They are:

• Aaron Reilly

• Bob Riach

• Nigel Panter

• Fabian Kapadia

• Prabs Kapadia

• Scott Genever

In order to qualify, advisers must have a minimum of 10 reviews in 2025, a rating of 4.5 out of 5 or higher, and a verified public profile.

All Sesame firm customers automatically receive VouchedFor's Elevation survey to complete once their dealings with their adviser are over. 

This is an enhanced customer survey that helps you collect meaningful feedback by asking a number of questions relating to customer understanding, protection and other areas.

You have access to these results and can act on their insights to drive business growth. Not only that, but the data the survey gathers helps both you and the network evidence compliance with the Consumer Duty.

The release of this new guide comes shortly after VouchedFor was acquired by Defaqto, the UK's most trusted source of financial product and market intelligence — famous for its ‘Star Ratings’.

Defaqto ratings are “based on facts, not opinion”. They do not rate price and customer service, as these are more subjective in how they are valued. 

Instead, Defaqto's analysts rate products and services based on the features and benefits they offer, along with the small print that many struggle to read properly.