Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio

Buy-To-Let Mortgage Tax Relief for Landlords
Investing in a buy-to-let property can be a lucrative venture, offering long-term rental income and potential capital appreciation for those looking to invest their money somewhere. However, landlords must also consider the financial responsibilities, including tax...

First-Time Buyer Age in the UK Rises To 33 New Research Reveals
The number of first-time buyers in the UK saw a significant increase in 2024, with 341,068 people stepping onto the property ladder. This marks a 19% rise compared to 2023, according to the latest research from Halifax. First-time buyers made up 54% of all home...

Santander and Barclays Mortgage Rates Drop Below 4%
Well Ladies and Gentlemen…it has finally happened! The UK mortgage market has taken an exciting turn as two major lenders, Santander and Barclays, introduce mortgage products with interest rates below 4%! This is something that we have all been waiting for as rates...
Halifax Make Changes To Loan To Income Criteria
Halifax bank have announced that they will be making some significant new changes to their existing loan to income affordability criteria. These new changes being brought in are a surprising yet encouraging move from a major high street lender like Halifax, but they...
As Rent Rises, Is Now a Good Time To Buy?
Newly released data from national estate agent Hampton's shows that average rent for outside London has exceeded £1,000 a month for the first time, clearly displaying the drastic shift in the rental market over recent months. In the capital, where our head office is...
How Is Mortgage Affordability Calculated?
What Are Mortgage Affordability Checks? When applying for a mortgage, you must meet certain mortgage affordability criteria before a loan can be granted to you. Of course you must meet certain rules such as having a good credit profile, purchasing the right type of...
Two Lenders Make Changes To Buy To Let Products
UK buy to let mortgage lenders Accord mortgages and Bank of Ireland have both announced that they will be making some big changes to buy to let products that they currently offer. Specifically, they will both be increasing the rates on their main products, meaning...
Pressures Of Mortgage Rate Hikes Still Yet To Come
The most sensitive topic on the lips of current and potential mortgage borrowers in the UK at the moment is mortgage rate hikes. The news is full of horror stories of how rates have shot up over the last few months, leaving thousands of borrowers worse off on their...
More Rate Rises Than Reductions This Week
In the week leading up to and in the immediate aftermath of the Bank of England's latest base rate rise, the UK mortgage market unfortunately saw more mortgage rate rises that mortgage rate reductions. On the 11th of May the UK's central bank the Bank of England...
New Fee Free 95% Mortgage From Building Society
As property prices have become more expensive and the ability to save larger deposits has become more and more difficult, an increasing demand for higher loan to value mortgages has been seen across the mortgage market. The dissolution of the Help to Buy scheme this...
New Bank of England Base Rate of 4.5% Announced
As predicted by most people, the Bank of England has announced that they will be increasing the base rate again. This time by 0.25%. The new Bank of England Base Rate of 4.5% is a whopping 3.5% increase on the 1% level that it was in May 2022 and a 15-year high. What...
Accord Lowers Minimum Income For Higher Mortgages
Accord mortgages have announced that they will be making it easier for people to borrow more than 4.49X their income as a mortgage. The standard borrowing amount for most people looking to get a residential mortgage is between 4X and 4.5X income, with lenders offering...
Over 700,000 Missed Mortgage And Rent Payments
As the tight grip of the UK's current economic crisis takes hold, millions are starting to notice that their money isn't getting them as far as it once did. The price of energy bills has increased significantly, costing homeowners and renters thousands more per year....
Buy-To-Let Affordability Assessment Changes
Buy-to-let affordability assessment stress tests and calculations have got extremely strict in comparison to where they were last year. Lenders have had to restrict their generosity with affordability assessments and increase their requirements at affordability stage...
New 100% Mortgage From Skipton
Building society Skipton have sensationally announced that they are launching a new 100% mortgage product, that means that potential borrowers can get a mortgage for 100% of the value of a property, without having to contribute any deposit themselves! This is a very...
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