If you’re looking for a mortgage deal, speaking to a broker can help you find a product that suits your needs. We list our pick of the best mortgage brokers in the UK.
There are so many mortgage lenders out there that finding the best deal for you can be tough. That’s why you may want to consider using a mortgage broker.
Mortgage brokers are advisers who could help you pick the best mortgage for you. Below we list the top mortgage brokers and explain what to consider when choosing one.
Below, we outline:
- What is mortgage broker?
- The best mortgage brokers
- Mortgage repayment calculator
- How to find a mortgage broker
Looking to compare the best mortgage deals? Try our free mortgage comparison tool* to see how much your monthly repayments could be.
This article may contain affiliate links that can earn us revenue.
Should I use a mortgage broker?
A mortgage broker is an adviser who can help you get the best morgage deal. Here are things to consider before you choose a broker.
First, you should decide if you need a specialist broker. You might want to consider this option if your circ*mstances are not typical. For example, if your income is not regular or you are looking to buy an unusual property.
Even if your salary is regular and you are buying a normal house or flat you may want to use a broker. That’s because they can scour the mortgage market and help you gain access to the best deals out there.
The other advantage of using a broker is that they will typically do lots of the heavy lifting for you. This can help keep things moving along. They can also advise you on government schemes, such as Help to Buy.
Brokers have to take a qualification to be able to practise and are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you as a consumer are not happy with the advice then you have the right to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
But it’s also worth bearing in mind brokers do not have access to all mortgage products. That’s because some are only available directly from lenders.
If you’re wondering which type of mortgage to get, we explain the different types of mortgage.
Best mortgage brokers
Below, we round up the best mortgage brokers in the UK. These are national brokers only; you will also find brokers in your local area operating as smaller, independent businesses.
We have ordered the list below in alphabetical order.
Best for the whole of market
Habito*
– Online first
– Fee-free
– Rated 4.8 on Trustpilot with 6,855 reviews. 90% are excellent, 4% great and only 3% bad
Why we rate it: Habito is one of a new generation of brokers that provide an online-first application journey. You can start the process on the internet – and correspondence is mostly by email or through the app, although you will also need to do some parts over the phone.
Fans say that the online journey is easy to use, and the service is good.
Habito doesn’t charge fees and promises to look at the whole market in sourcing mortgage products for customers – including lenders that don’t pay it any commission.
Of course, if you choose to go with a lender that doesn’t work with brokers, you will have to do the rest of the heavy lifting yourself.
Recently, Habito also started launching its own mortgage products – including its innovative Habito One mortgage. This deal can lend you up to seven times your salary, and fixes your monthly payments for the lifetime of the mortgage.
Best for advice on the phone
L&C Mortgages*
– No fees
– One of the UK’s largest mortgage brokers
– Founded in 2002
Why we rate it: L&C Mortgages (formerly London & Country) is one of the UK’s largest mortgage brokers. It has been around since 2002, and has built a dominant position in the market since then.
Although L&C has traditionally offered a phone-first service, it has now also created an online journey where you can fill in your details and get things started. However, if you prefer to do things entirely over the phone, it still offers that option.
L&C is one of a handful of brokers that charge no fees at all, relying instead on commission from lenders for payment for their services.
But like most fee-free brokers, L&C does not entirely use the whole of the market; it won’t offer you home loans from lenders that don’t work with brokers.
Given the large number of people helped by it, L&C has a reasonable score of 4.6 on Trustpilot.
The 8% of customers who gave it a one-star review complained about service being slow, or not being able to get a mortgage. But most customers were happy with the experience.
Best for speedy applications
Better.co.uk*
– Online first
– Fee-free
– Promises to get initial advice within 24 hours
Why we rate it: Trussle rebranded to Better.co.uk earlier this year. It is one of the new breed of online-first mortgage brokers.
And like L&C and Habito, it doesn’t charge any fees for its service.
You will start your journey on the web, filling in and submitting all your details, before getting a call back from one of its advisers.
Like Habito, most of the process is managed online, and customers seem overwhelmingly happy with the experience.
Better.co.uk has a score of 4.8 on Trustpilot.
Best for more complex needs
John Charcol*
– £699 standard advice fee – but this can vary
– Been around for over 45 years
– Phone based
Why we rate it: John Charcol bills itself as the original independent mortgage broker. It is one of the biggest and longest-standing in the UK – but it’s also more expensive, charging a standard fee of just under £700.
Its fees can also vary. It may charge more for larger loans, and for mortgage cases that are more complex.
John Charcol mostly operates over the phone, and there is no way to get things started online. However, its customers are largely happy with the service – winning it an almost perfect score of 4.9 on Trustpilot.
It will only show you deals that are available to intermediaries, but that will be enough to get a competitive deal for most clients.
If you are struggling to get a mortgage because you have irregular income, or you are looking to buy an unusual property, John Charcol may be better able to support you than some of the other standard brokers in the market.
Mortgage repayment calculator
Mortgage repayment calculator
Calculate your monthly mortgage repayment amount in three easy steps!
Why use a mortgage broker?
Brokers can help save you time and stress – and hopefully money too.
A good broker will have an expert knowledge of the mortgage market. They will know which lenders are most likely to accept you – and how to get you the best terms.
Most brokers will charge you a fee for their services, as well as take a commission from the lender. However, a number of large national mortgage brokers are fee-free – and don’t charge anything to customers for their service.
Beware, however, that very few brokers truly carry out a search that looks at every deal on the market. A small number of lenders only make their deals available to customers directly. And banks often reserve special deals for their existing customers, which may not be available to brokers.
Similarly, however, brokers often have access to deals that aren’t available to customers going direct.
It’s always worth seeing what kind of deal you could get by going through your own bank.
But of course, if you go down this route, you may end up having to do more work. Whereas a broker can take some of the burden of the mortgage application off your shoulders. They can hold your hand through what can be a stressful time.
For more on whether you need a mortgage broker, read: Should I use a mortgage adviser?
How to find a mortgage broker
There are thousands of mortgage brokers in the UK. If you want to find someone local, you should start by visiting Unbiased* – which will list ones in your area.
Personal recommendations can be a good way to find a reliable broker. But you may also want to check online review sites to ensure there are no horror stories about your chosen firm on the internet.
All mortgage advisers must have a level 3 qualification – but some also have higher-level qualifications such as a Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP) diploma. If you are looking for a way to tell local brokers apart, this can be a good sign.
The advantage of finding a local broker is that you will probably be able to see them face to face. But if you are happy to have all your contact with your broker online or over the phone, the national options above are worth considering.
*All products, brands or properties mentioned in this article are selected by our writers and editors based on first-hand experience or customer feedback, and are of a standard that we believe our readers expect. This article contains links from which we can earn revenue. This revenue helps us to support the content of this website and to continue to invest in our award-winning journalism. For more, seeHow we make our moneyandEditorial promise.
Important information
Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation. While we aim to feature some of the best products available, we cannot review every product on the market.
