61% of UK brokers relying on specialist lenders

March 12, 2025

Majority of brokers regularly use specialist lenders to place complex cases

 

A new survey of 300 UK mortgage brokers has found:

·       61% rely on specialist lenders to find the right product for their clients

·       51% said that finding financial products for HNWIs and ultra-HNWIs is challenging

·       56% find it challenging to secure financial products for non-UK residents

 

New research from Butterfield Mortgages in the UK has found the majority of brokers turn to specialist lenders to place more complex cases including high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), non-UK residents and those purchasing unusual properties.

The prime London mortgage provider commissioned an independent survey of 300 UK mortgage brokers. It revealed that 61% of brokers rely on specialist lenders to provide the finance their clients need, especially in cases where standard lending options may not be available.

The research also found that securing products for non-UK residents (56% cited this as a challenge) and those buying unique properties that are hard to value (51%) are among the most common challenges brokers face. Additionally, finding suitable financial products for HNWIs and ultra-HNWIs remains a significant hurdle according to 51% of brokers, with 17% saying it was ‘extremely challenging’.

Alpa Bhakta, CEO of Butterfield Mortgages Limited, said: “It’s clear that brokers are confronted with a number of challenges at present. Finding mortgage products for more complex clients is one of them, largely due to mainstream lenders’ rigid lending criteria. Specialist lenders are ready and appropriately placed to fill this gap – something which is reflected in the increasing number of brokers (61%) using alternative options to high-street banks.

“With activity levels expected to rise in the coming months, it’s important that brokers continue to seek out lenders who can provide tailored solutions to ensure all of their clients can access the mortgage finance they need to invest in UK real estate with confidence.”

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – March 2026

Rents Plateau, But UK Market Tells Regional Story Significant comparisons include across Scotland where average agreed rents rose to £1,123, representing a 4.95% increase month and month across the nation. Northern Ireland saw the second largest average monthly rents rise, bringing an increase of 3.99% to an average agreed price of £887 compared to £853…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 9/4/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Why Rightmove is making all the wrong moves   In a world reshaped by AI, incumbency is no longer protection. It is exposure. Thought Leadership By Andrew Stanton, CEO Proptech-PR Rightmove has long been the unassailable giant of UK property portals—a category-defining platform that, for years, operated…
Read More →
Breaking News

Six property firms expelled from redress scheme

Six property businesses have been expelled from The Property Ombudsman after failing to pay compensation awards. The expulsions followed a review by the scheme’s independent Compliance Committee, which agreed that each firm should be removed for breaching their membership obligations by not complying with Ombudsman decisions. The Property Ombudsman, which provides impartial dispute resolution for…
Read More →
Home and Living

Best garden renovations to increase property value this spring

With spring fast approaching and warmer weather finally in sight, now is the perfect time to step outside and give your garden the well-deserved TLC and refresh it needs after such a wet and dreary start to the year. Whether it’s refreshing planting beds, updating patio areas or rethinking your layout, investing time into your…
Read More →
Breaking News

Prime London property market stays firm

The latest Prime London Demand Index by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, reveals that, despite broad economic uncertainty, buyer demand across London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods avoided a decline during the first quarter of 2026, with the likes of Chelsea, Battersea, Highgate, and Belgravia seeing quarterly demand increases of above 5%. The Prime…
Read More →
Breaking News

More first-time buyers enter the market in 2026

The latest research by Yopa has revealed that first-time buyer demand has strengthened during the first quarter of 2026, despite the supply of homes offering the benefit of a buying scheme remaining limited. Yopa analysed first-time buyer demand based on the proportion of homes listed under buying schemes* that have already sold subject to contract…
Read More →