Remortgage searches continued to support mortgage market activity in August, with Twenty7tec recording an 11% year-on-year increase despite a summer slowdown in overall search volumes.
A total of 1,556,758 mortgage searches were completed during the month, down 13% from July but 1% higher than in August last year, according to Twenty7tec’s latest Mortgage Market Snapshot.
Residential searches followed a similar pattern, falling 13% month on month but remaining 3% ahead of the same period in 2025.
Remortgaging recorded the strongest annual growth. Twenty7tec registered 616,150 residential remortgage searches during August, down 12% from July but 11% higher year on year.
The figures come as separate lending data from the FCA and Bank of England showed remortgages accounted for 31.2% of gross advances to owner-occupiers in the second quarter. This was 3.1 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter and the largest share since the first quarter of 2024.
Nakita Moss (pictured), head of lender at Twenty7tec, said: “August was undoubtedly quieter than July, but the monthly fall isn’t the whole story. Overall mortgage searches remained slightly ahead year on year, and residential activity was 3% higher.
“Remortgaging is particularly interesting. Our searches were 11% higher year on year, and the latest lending figures also show the share of advances going towards remortgaging has increased.
“For advisers, this means there is still a significant population of existing borrowers needing to understand what their next mortgage looks like. In a market where rates and products can change quickly, those conversations can be just as important as activity coming through the purchase market.”
Twenty7tec’s criteria search data also indicated continued demand around borrowers who may not fit standard lending profiles.
Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor was the most searched-for criteria area during August, followed by visa applicants and non-UK foreign nationals. Satisfied defaults and maximum age at the end of the mortgage term were also among the most common criteria searches.
Buy-to-let remained the weakest area in Twenty7tec’s August figures.
