Bank of England holds rate at 3.75% as energy risks cloud outlook

The Bank of England has kept Bank Rate at 3.75% amid concern that higher energy costs could push inflation upwards later this year. The Monetary Policy Committee voted by six to three to leave the rate unchanged at its...

Latest news

Foundation backs complex Oxfordshire holiday-let purchase

Foundation has provided a £153,700 mortgage for an experienced landlord buying a newly developed holiday let in Burford, Oxfordshire. The property, valued at £205,000, forms...

Openwork adds Perenna and West One to mortgage panel

The Openwork Partnership has added Perenna and West One to its mortgage lending panel, broadening the options available to its advisers. The additions give Openwork...

TML and Bluestone cut selected residential mortgage rates

The Mortgage Lender and Bluestone Mortgages have reduced selected residential mortgage rates by up to 25 basis points. The changes take effect from 30 July...

StrideUp raises property finance limit and expands HMO criteria

StrideUp has increased the maximum financing available through its buy-to-let purchase plan to £2.5 million per property as it widens its criteria for specialist...

OneDome shortlisted for three business awards

OneDome has been named a finalist in three categories at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026. The housing and fintech company has been shortlisted for the Lloyds Scale Up Trailblazer Business of the Year Award and the Vistage...

Latest network figures reveal market in motion

Mortgage networks continued to experience significant movement during the second quarter of 2026 as firms switched principals, growth rates diverged and several major players announced leadership changes, according to Network Consulting. Stonebridge Mortgage Solutions was among the strongest-performing larger...

Fintel earnings rise as mortgage distribution platform launches

Fintel has reported an 11.2% rise in organic adjusted EBITDA to £11.8m for the six months ended 30 June 2026. The financial technology and support services provider said the performance, up from £10.6m in the first half of 2025,...

Foxtons mortgage revenue rises 20% despite sales slump

Foxtons increased financial services revenue by 20% during the first half of 2026, supported by stronger remortgage activity and operational improvements. Annoucning interim half year results this morning the estate agency group said improved client retention and cross-selling generated...

PROFILE

Toni Smith on the human factor and the fourth emergency service

After nearly four decades in financial services, Sesame Network distribution director Toni Smith still believes technology should make advisers stronger, not replace them. When Toni...

INDUSTRY COMMENT

Mortgage maturity: A golden opportunity for advisers

Around 1.8 million fixed-rate mortgage deals are due to come to an end in 2026, adding to the 1.6 million mortgages that already matured...

Rates are moving and regulation is evolving

Many lenders are having to increase their rates, and that trend looks set to continue over the coming week. For clients whose current deal...

Building tomorrow’s mortgage market: AI built on trust, governance and confidence

The government's Financial Services AI Adoption Plan, led by Harriet Rees, group chief information officer at Starling Bank, and Dr Rohit Dhawan, group director...

The protection prompt: what AI still needs to get right

The Mills Review has prompted plenty of discussion across the mortgage industry. While much of the focus has been on the finding that a...

Why second charges are helping Right to Buy borrowers do more with their home

For many people, Right to Buy is still one of the most accessible ways to become a homeowner and over the last five years,...

The case for tech fluency before AI adoption in the mutual sector

It often feels like there is only one conversation taking place in financial services at the moment: artificial intelligence. Whether it’s trade shows and...

Q&As

BUY-TO-LET

Two-thirds of landlords’ HMOs achieve EPC ratings of A to C

Two-thirds of houses in multiple occupation owned by landlords surveyed by Paragon Bank have...

HMRC nets £104m from landlord tax disclosures

HM Revenue & Customs recovered £104 million from voluntary landlord tax disclosures in 2025/26...

ModaMortgages removes application fees from limited-edition buy-to-let range

ModaMortgages has launched a limited-edition range of buy-to-let mortgages without application fees. The specialist lender...

Buckinghamshire BS cuts residential and specialist rates

Buckinghamshire Building Society has reduced mortgage rates across its residential and specialist lending ranges,...

Family BS launches broker Mortgage Hub

Family Building Society has launched an online mortgage application platform designed to give brokers...

Brilliant racks up a memorable afternoon for charity

Brilliant Solutions was on cue at Rileys as 70 players and several late arrivals...

Rayner rules out rent controls

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has ruled out rent controls in England, providing greater certainty...

Tipton revives high income multiple mortgages and cuts expat rate

Tipton & Coseley Building Society has reintroduced lending at up to six and a...

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

FIRST-TIME BUYERS

No-deposit mortgages carry £73,000 London interest premium

London first-time buyers using a no-deposit mortgage could pay more than £73,000 in additional interest during their first five years of ownership according to analysis from Benham and Reeves. The estate and lettings agency compared the estimated cost of a 100% loan-to-value mortgage with borrowing...

Mortgage rule review could widen options for non-traditional borrowers

Lenders could use greater flexibility in affordability assessments to develop mortgages for customers whose...

Final call for views on FCA mortgage reforms

The mortgage industry has until tomorrow to respond to Financial Conduct Authority proposals intended...

Just Mortgages and April launch 100% LTV mortgage with family support

Just Mortgages has expanded its first-time buyer range with a semi-exclusive joint borrower sole...

Aldermore sets out five-tier mortgage range for borrowers outside high street criteria

Aldermore is to introduce a five-tier residential lending range aimed at borrowers whose circumstances...

OPINION

Commonhold and RTM: do not mistake control for simplicity

Commonhold is presented as a fairer form of flat ownership. Right to Manage (RTM) is sometimes portrayed as a quick way for residents to...

No holidays: advice firms need a plan for a busy August

Every summer, the same quiet risk runs through the intermediary market. Advisers, case managers...

Every rate shock is becoming a test of the modern mortgage business

Halifax, Barclays and HSBC increased selected mortgage rates by up to 0.20% this week,...

Your next client is probably more complicated than your last one

There's a shift happening in the mortgage market that most small firms aren't ready for. It's not about rates. It's not about the political situation or what happens at the next Bank of England meeting. It's about who's coming through the door – and...

Why post-contract variation is becoming the mortgage market’s next battleground

For much of the past decade, mortgage technology investment has focused on origination and with good reason. Faster decisions in principle, automated affordability assessments,...

DISTRIBUTION

Lenders turn to live data as mortgage searches rise

Twenty7tec and Saffron Building Society have examined the growing use of real-time market intelligence...

Afin Bank joins Mortgage Advice Bureau lender panel

Afin Bank has joined Mortgage Advice Bureau’s lender panel, giving its advisers access to...

Exeter Leukaemia Fund wins £20,000 MAB grant

The Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation has awarded its one-off £20,000 Extra Funding Grant to...

Uinsure secures exclusive Lloyds Bank General Insurance panel deal for advisers

Uinsure has added Lloyds Bank General Insurance to its home insurance panel in an...

Molo strengthens leadership team with chief operations officer appointment

Molo has appointed Lynne French as chief operations officer as the specialist mortgage lender looks to support continued growth and expand its intermediary distribution capability. French (pictured) joins Molo from Chetwood Bank, where she was director of secured lending operations and oversaw the lender's CHL...