Legal & General Mortgage Club’s SmartrCriteria tool continued to deliver thousands of searches for complex financial circumstances in April.

Searches for mortgage providers for borrowers with unsatisfied defaults increased by 108% between March and April. Advisers also searched extensively for mortgage options for borrowers with satisfied defaults, which formed the third most frequently searched criteria point.

Demand for furlough-friendly mortgage providers also remained high in April and appeared in the top ten most sought-after products for the fourth month in a row.

Advisers that use Legal & General Mortgage Club’s SmartrCriteria tool can also search for lenders who would be prepared to lend to borrowers looking to secure lending on a property with an EWS1 form. Many lenders are now requesting these forms for buyers of leasehold flats and similar residential dwellings to ensure they are protected from flammable materials and expensive remediation bills. There were nearly as many searches for EWS1 form criteria in April as for mortgages suitable for self-employed/sole-trader mortgages.

Clare Beardmore, head of mortgage transformation and operations at Legal & General Mortgage Club, said: “Overall, activity in the mortgage market continues to be high, with many people currently looking to buy and sell. However, over recent months it has become clear that the crisis has also led to an increase in the number of borrowers needing mortgages which cater for complex needs, such as missed payments and furlough income. Advisers and advice have arguably never been as important for many borrowers.

“Processing more complex cases is often challenging because of the time burden associated with finding a mortgage which meets specialist needs. However, technology is here to help. A good research tool can make the process much more efficient by ensuring the right products are just a few clicks away. I would encourage any advice business which is not yet exploring the digital resources on offer to consider how it could help them to better manage the demand we see currently.”