Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Skipton First Time Buyer Mortgages
Skipton Building Society has built a strong reputation for backing first-time buyers, particularly those who might otherwise struggle to get onto the property ladder. Whether it’s helping renters buy a home without needing a traditional deposit, or allowing buyers to...
Kensington Mortgages Cuts Rates On Mortgages in Early 2026
Kensington Mortgages has announced a fresh round of mortgage rate reductions in the first week of 2026, cutting rates by up to 0.24% across its residential mortgage range. The changes apply to both 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate products, offering improved options for...
London Square Wandsworth Common: New Homes in SW17
If you’re searching for stylish, modern living in a fantastic, well-connected part of South West London, London Square Wandsworth Common is a development you’ll want at the top of your list. Situated a short walk from the iconic parkland of Wandsworth Common and...
All Buy To Let Rates Increasing (Bank of Ireland)
Mortgage lender Bank of Ireland, normally known for their exclusive low bespoke rate products have announced that we will soon see buy to let rates increasing across their product offerings. A shock certainly to see this from Bank of Ireland but an understandable...
Several Banks Enhancing Interest Only Criteria
Several UK mortgage lenders have started enhancing their interest only criteria with some great new positive changes, making life much easier for borrowers and brokers alike. When getting a new mortgage, it has traditionally been a default setting (so to speak) to...
UK Inflation Drops To 8.7%
The Office of National Statistics have sensationally announced that UK inflation has dropped to 8.7%, the first time it has been below double figures in almost a year. So what does this mean for definite? What could it mean for the future? And what does this mean for...
Average Mortgage Rates UK May 2023
Here is a brief breakdown of the average mortgage rates UK banks are currently offering in the final week of May 2023. The last few weeks have seen a bit of turbulence when it comes to mortgage interest rates. The raising of the Bank of England's base rate on the 11th...
Mortgage Rate Reductions For Energy Efficient Homes
A newly announced government initiative could see lenders providing mortgage rate reductions for energy efficient homes or homeowners who are willing to make improvements to their existing properties, making them more energy efficient. With the average mortgage rate...
Hidden Mortgage Fees
It isn’t just about rates. When looking at mortgages it is important to consider all mortgage fees, other associated fees, incentives and the small print. This is what we do for our clients, and this is what sets our advice and guidance apart from the rest. In this...
Oportfolio Mortgages Partners With eConveyancer
We at Oportfolio Mortgages have some very exciting news. We are now officially working with eConveyancer, a property conveyancing organisation that will help us to provide an even smoother and better mortgage journey for our remortgage clients. What Is A Conveyancer?...
Mortgage Arrears – What Can I Do To Avoid It?
Recently released data shows that unfortunately mortgage arrears in the UK are on the rise, due mainly to the ongoing costs of living crisis. An increase in both mortgage interest rates and the general costs of food and utilities over the last few months has meant...
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...
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