Cheap mortgage finding

How to find the best deal for you

Senior Money Writer – Mortgages Expert

Updated 1 October 2025

Getting the right mortgage deal can save you £100s each month – possibly £1,000s over the life of a deal. But if you get it wrong and end up on a poor deal, you can find yourself paying massively over the odds. In this guide, we explain how to find a top mortgage deal for you, where to look for mortgage brokers and other key info.

Step 1: Do a quick online search for mortgage deals

We're assuming you have a basic understanding of mortgages as well as a rough idea of the type of mortgage deal you're looking for. If this isn't the case, then consider reading our What type of mortgage to choose guide first.

Once you know what mortgage you want, be it a fixed, variable, discount, tracker or specialist deal, it's time to start looking at interest rates. What you can get will depend on your loan-to-value – essentially, the bigger the size of your deposit compared to the value of the property, the better interest rates you'll be able to get.

Another thing to bear in mind before you begin searching in earnest is:

❗NEVER just go to your bank for a cheap deal❗

Your bank will only give you its range of deals, not those from other lenders, meaning it's unlikely you'll find the best deal for you. But do check what it's offering as a starting point.

Benchmark a good mortgage rate using MSE's Best Buys tool

The mortgage market is complicated and some deals are only available through certain brokers, so it's very hard for mortgage comparison sites to know about every single deal. But MSE's Mortgage Best Buys tool has all deals available direct, plus most available through brokers, so it's a great place for you to start your mortgage hunt.

Don't use the APRC to compare – it's mostly meaningless

All lenders have to tell you their APRC – the effective averaged annual interest rate if you held your mortgage for the entire term (normally 25 years). Yet it's a rate you're unlikely to ever pay.

If you have a two-year fixed deal at 3.49%, which then reverts afterwards to 4.74%, the APRC would be around 4.3%.

But why is this mostly meaningless?

Not likely to pay 4.3% (an average rate over 25 years+).
The rate a lender's deals revert to is likely to change.
You're likely to remortgage during a mortgage term.

Instead, focus on the deal's initial rate and fees, plus the rate it reverts to once the deal ends. See Martin's APRC blog for more.

Step 2: Talk to a mortgage broker

Once you've benchmarked a good rate from our Mortgage Best Buys tool, see if a mortgage broker can beat it.

Mortgage brokers scour the market to find you a good mortgage deal. By using one, you cover a huge range of lenders, plus brokers bring added clout to ease mortgage acceptance, as well as extra protection if things go wrong.

They will also be able to advise you about different homebuying schemes (such as Shared ownership ) if you're eligible – tell your broker upfront if that's what you're looking for.

Mortgage brokers know key details about lenders' criteria too, such as if the lender doesn't lend on properties above shops, or is tougher on the self-employed – meaning, if that's your situation, they'd recommend applying to other lenders more likely to accept you.

But, the key is to find a broker you're comfortable with. The estate agents you meet when house hunting will often recommend brokers. They may even work from the same office. But you are NOT obliged to use an estate agent's recommended mortgage broker.

Ask friends who've moved for recommendations and consider local brokers too (many are fantastic). The aim is to find you the best broker for the lowest possible price. Remember, not all brokers are the same and some are limited in what they can offer you.

Here are three crucial questions to ask brokers...

Question 1. Can you get me a mortgage from any UK lender, right now?

Not all brokers can, so check which you're dealing with. Here are the possible answers:

'No.' Some brokers are tied to one lender or operate off a small panel of lenders, so they search fewer deals. This makes it simpler and cheaper for them to operate.
'We check all products available to brokers.' Often referred to as 'whole of market', these brokers work with the vast majority of lenders but exclude those that only offer mortgage deals directly to the public, mainly as they don't receive a commission.
'We check all lenders.' A few brokers check lenders' direct-only deals too, but they'll likely charge a fee. In reality, it's unlikely brokers can guarantee access to all mortgages.

Make sure you're clear on what the broker is offering. Weigh up the need to check every deal, your willingness to do some legwork yourself, and if you're happy paying a broker fee.

Question 2. Do you charge a fee?

Mortgage brokers have two possible sources of income, which are:

Commission. Almost all lenders pay brokers what's called a 'procuration fee' of roughly 0.35% of the transaction (£350 per £100,000). This is a commission based on your loan size – and doesn't affect the cost of your mortgage. Brokers are obliged to tell you the amount before you apply. In 2024, the typical procuration fee was circa £1,000.
Fees. Brokers may also charge you a fee directly – either on top of the commission, or instead of it (in other words, they charge a fee and refund you the commission). Reputable brokers shouldn't charge more than around 1% of the mortgage value. If yours charges more, walk away. In 2024, the typical broker fee was around £500.

Avoid mortgage brokers that charge big fees before completion. That's because if the property purchase falls through, you'll probably still have to pay the broker fee.

As a MoneySaving site, our preference is not to pay a fee if you don't have to. For this, you're looking for a fee-free broker who can advise you on the widest range of mortgages.

Question 3. Are you regulated and qualified?

Mortgage brokers operating in the UK must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Using a regulated broker means you'd be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman if something went seriously wrong or you are left unhappy with the level of service. Whereas if you used an unregulated service, there would not be this level of protection.

To check if a broker or firm is regulated, see the Financial Conduct Authority register.

Brokers should also be qualified to advise you, so it's worth checking their qualifications (the main ones being CeMAP and the Certificate in Mortgage Advice). Your broker should assess your needs and eligibility before recommending the most suitable product for you.

Estate agent hard selling its in-house mortgage broker? It's known as conditional selling and is a dodgy practice.

How to find a top mortgage broker

Once you know what you're looking for, it's time to pick a broker. There are many to choose from, so to help we've listed some top ones below, concentrating on those with a nationwide scope. We then go on to explain ways to find local face-to-face brokers.

There's nothing wrong with talking to several brokers before settling on one.

Top mortgage brokers

Provider	How many lenders?	How to contact it?
FEE-FREE BROKERS (1)
L&C Mortgages*	90+. Broker-only deals	- L&C website* - Phone: 0800 073 1957
Habito*	90+. Incl direct deals	- Habito website*
Trinity Financial*	90+. Broker-only deals	- Trinity website* - Online calendar* - Phone: 0808 164 2174 - In-person
Mortgage Advice Bureau*	90+. Broker-only deals	- MAB website* - Online calendar* - Phone: 0345 528 0381 - In-person
Better.co.uk* (2)	90+. Broker-only deals	- Better.co.uk website* - Phone: 0203 3884 1660
Fluent Money*	87. Incl direct deals	- Fluent Money website* - App
SPECIALIST, FEE-CHARGING BROKERS
John Charcol*	120+. Broker-only deals	- John Charcol website* - Phone: 0333 230 4467
CMME* (great for self-employed, contractors & freelancers)	90+. Broker-only deals	- CMME website* - Phone: 01489 555080

(1) L&C Mortgages, Habito and Better.co.uk are free to use as they charge lenders commission. Trinity Financial, Fluent Money and Mortgage Advice Bureau can charge a fee – however, they waive their fees if you use the links above. (2) If you've got a poor credit report, Better.co.uk can charge a fee.

Want to use a local, face-to-face broker?

Find ones near you by entering your details on Unbiased.co.uk* or VouchedFor*.

Quick questions:

Even if you've previously had issues with a poor credit score or accessing new credit, be wary of using 'specialist poor credit' brokers. They often charge very high fees.

Yet most normal brokers (such as those listed in our table) also deal with what's called the 'sub-prime' market, often charging the same fee they normally would.

Most brokers only charge upon completion of a mortgage, so there's nothing to stop you getting another opinion. Why not try a few brokers and see which wins?

Check brokers don't submit a mortgage agreement-in-principle without permission. Too many of these can hurt your credit score and leave you with a worse deal.

Another benefit of trying different brokers is that some can access exclusive deals. Bit national brokers have their own deals and local brokers may offer exclusives too, so the more brokers you try the more likely you are to find exclusives.

It's worth checking what commission your broker gets for arranging a mortgage. It's likely to be between 0.35% and 0.5% of the mortgage value, so on a £100,000 mortgage the commission (or procuration fee) will be between £350 and £500.

Consider asking if they're prepared to rebate any of their commission as cashback to you when the mortgage completes, especially if you're paying a fee for their service.

They're more likely to say yes if it's a large mortgage (where your fee plus their commission is more than £1,000), but the broker's well within their rights to say no.

I've had credit problems before – do I need to use a specialist broker?

Am I allowed to speak to more than one broker?

Do some brokers offer cashback?

Step 3: Check the deals that most brokers miss

If you used our Mortgage Best Buys tool to benchmark a rate before you went to a broker, and it couldn't beat your rate, then you've probably already covered this step.

And if your broker says it tells you about all deals on the market (including direct-only deals), this part's probably been covered as well – though you may want to check.

But if neither of these apply then this step is necessary, as some lenders don't deals with brokers full-stop, while others reserve some deals for direct sale only.

So for belt 'n' braces, compare a broker's best result to the mortgages it may not have:

Lenders that don't operate through brokers

Yorkshire Bank and First Direct don't work with brokers, so you'll need to apply direct.

Yorkshire Building Society is similar in that it doesn't work with brokers either, but it has its own broker brand, Accord, through which you'll need to apply for its mortgage deals.

Lenders that don't offer all their deals through brokers

A few lenders offer some deals through brokers, some direct, so they need more legwork.
MSE's Mortgage Best Buys tool can find these deals for you and indicate how to apply.

Exclusive deals from other brokers

Some deals are available exclusively through certain brokers, as they sometimes negotiate their own deals with lenders. We can't cover all of these in our best buys tool, but they're not a significant proportion of the market. For full belt 'n' braces, try a few different brokers.

Step 4: Check mortgage paperwork

You'll be sent various paperwork when applying for a mortgage, the main bits being:

Key Facts Illustration

The Key Facts Illustration gives you the essential information about the mortgage product, not all of it but the main bits. You should be given a copy before making an application. Check through it carefully.

Here's what to look out for:

🖊️ Does it have the correct date on it?
🖊️ Does it have your name on it?
🖊️ Does it say who created it? This will be your broker or the lender if you've gone direct.
🖊️ Does it say if you've been recommended the product?

If some of this information is missing or incorrect, ask the lender or broker for a new copy. In the event you ever have a disagreement with your lender, this document is a crucial piece of evidence that proves what you were recommended, by who and when.

The mortgage offer

If your mortgage application is successful, you'll be sent a mortgage offer by the lender. This gives all the facts about the mortgage and the conditions you'll be agreeing to.

It's very important to read through this and check everything is accurate. Be sure to look for:

Mis-spelled names or incorrect loan figures. Failing to spot these in the offer could result in delays, extra expense and even jeopardise the purchase or mortgage offer.
Anything unexpected and information that contradicts the Key Facts Illustration. Such as any fees, early repayment charges and conditions you need to meet (it's your solicitor's job to check you've met these before the money can be drawn down).

If you're using a broker, they should also check the mortgage offer, but don't rely on that.

Step 5: Watch out for the hard sell

Lenders and brokers may try and hard sell the following during the mortgage process:

Mortgage protection insurance

Also referred to as mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) and accident, sickness and unemployment insurance (ASU), this type of insurance is supposed to cover your mortgage payments if you have an accident, become ill, or you're made redundant.

You can only get limited help from the Government in these circumstances – at best, this will cover the interest on your mortgage repayments. So before taking out a mortgage it's sensible to consider how you'd manage to meet your repayments if these events happened.

Mortgage insurance isn't a bad policy but it can be quite pricey and has previously been mis-sold to people who couldn't actually claim on it. This can happen because the insurer doesn't carry out any checks when you first apply, only when you go to make a claim.

What to ask before taking out a mortgage insurance policy

If you do decide to take out a mortgage insurance policy, check carefully:

That it will pay out if you claim.
When it will pay (you may have to wait several weeks before the policy kicks in).
How much it'll pay and for how long (usually only covers repayments for 12 months).

Ensure you understand all the terms and conditions before purchasing a policy.

Mortgage insurance from mortgage brokers

Even if a broker offers whole-of-market mortgage advice, it might be tied to a single, or small, panel of insurers. So while there's no harm getting a quote from a broker for mortgage insurance, make sure you compare it with policy quotes from elsewhere.

Bundled buildings / contents insurance

All mortgage lenders will insist you take out buildings insurance. In fact, normally it's a condition of them giving you the mortgage in the first place.

But be suspicious of mortgage deals which insist you buy your buildings insurance through the lender. The amount quoted in the first year may seem reasonable, but you'll be trapped into accepting whatever premium increases occur afterwards, for as long as the deal lasts.

Some lenders charge an admin fee if you decline their insurance, but this can normally be recouped from the provider you go with. If you go elsewhere, seriously cheap deals are available – and by using cashback sites it's even possible to be paid to take out insurance.

See our Home insurance guide for more detail on finding competitive quotes.

Life cover from your mortgage seller

Don't assume just because someone sold you one financial product, they'll automatically get you a good deal on extra bits such as life cover or other insurance.

While buying a home may be the first time you think about life insurance, don't rush in and buy the first policy you see – you may save 50% on life cover sold by your lender or broker.

Friends of mine were paying £42 and £51/month for mortgage life insurance through their broker. After researching your site, they obtained quotes elsewhere for £9 and £11/month – a colossal saving as the term is 25 years.

Ken

For more information, see our Life insurance guide.

Ready to get a mortgage?

We've lots more guides, tools & tips to help...

Mortgage Best Buys. Find top mortgage deals.
First-time buyers' guide. Free PDF guide.
Remortgage guide. Free PDF guide.
Green mortgages. Could they save you cash?
Buying a new-build home Top tips and what to look out for.
Self-employed mortgages How they work.

We've handy mortgage calculators too, including...

London & Country Mortgages* has been a top pick on MSE for many years. We've received consistently strong feedback from people who have used it, and it also has a 4.6-star rating on Trustpilot. We rate L&C highly because it's free for you to use, and you can speak to it on the phone and online. If you've used L&C, please let us know about your experiences.

Habito* is a top online mortgage broker. Everything is done online, including submitting paperwork. Experts are on hand to support throughout the process via online chat (or by phone if you need).

Free for you to use, Habito works with 90+ mortgage lenders, but if it finds a mortgage from a lender not on its list it'll let you know so you can choose whether to go direct.

Existing homeowners who need a new mortgage deal can get between £25 and £50 cashback if they use Habito to arrange a product transfer (a new mortgage from your current lender).

Habito has a 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot (the joint highest rating of all brokers listed in our table). If you've used Habito, please let us know about your experiences.

Trinity Financial* has over 15 years of experience and a 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot and Google reviews. It has access to over 90 lenders, including high-street banks, building societies, bespoke lenders, private banks and smaller mortgage providers.

In-person appointments are available in London, otherwise you can talk to it over the phone. The easiest way to book an appointment is using its online calendar*. An initial consultation to work out how much you could borrow and the interest rates available typically takes 15 minutes.

Trinity Financial is free for you to use as it waives its £495 broker fee for MSE readers.

Have you used Trinity Financial? Let us know about your experience.

A truly nationwide broker, Mortgage Advice Bureau* has 2,000 advisers in offices across the UK. It offers a range of appointment types: in-person, video call, telephone and online.

The easiest way to book an appointment is through its online calendar* – simply select a date to see the appointment times are available.

Mortgage Advice Bureau flags deals available to brokers (not direct-only deals) and has access to some exclusive mortgage deals too. It's also experienced in schemes like shared ownership.

MAB has a 4.7* rating on Trustpilot. Let us know your feedback if you've used MAB before.

Better.co.uk* is an online broker boasting a 4.7-star rating on Trustpilot from almost 10,000 reviews. It's most suitable for those applying for a mortgage online.

Better.co.uk searches all deals available to brokers, but not those only available direct from the lender. Its advisers are available by live chat, email and phone, and after you've applied its 'rate watch' service will monitor whether better rates become available before your mortgage starts.

Its services are free for most to use, though there might be a fee if you've got a poor credit report (it's best to check, and if this applies to you it might be worth exploring other fee-free brokers).

Better.co.uk offers a £150 high street voucher – valid in a number of stores – if you arrange a mortgage via our link*, available to first-time buyers, remortgagers and mortgage-switchers. You'll need to have applied for your mortgage by 31 December 2025 to qualify.

If you've used Better.co.uk, please let us know about your experiences.

Fluent Money* is an online and app-based mortgage broker with a 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot.

It has access to more than 85 lenders, including exclusives, and can flag direct-only deals too.

It's possible to complete almost the entire mortgage process through the app if you wish. Contact Fluent Money online first, after which you'll be able to download the MyFluent app. You can then complete the rest of the journey on the app. You'll get push notifications when there's an update.

We'd like to hear your feedback if you've used Fluent Money before.

John Charcol* is one of the UK's most established mortgage brokers, having been founded in 1974.

Working with over 100 lenders, it searches all deals available to brokers. It also specialises in short-term finance, second charge lending and commercial borrowing.

John Charcol's charges a fee to use its service (£699), though this fee can vary depending on the complexity of your mortgage application.

John Charcol has the top rating of five stars on Trustpilot, and says it has dealt with nearly every set of mortgage circumstances possible.

CMME* is a particularly good broker for the self-employed and those with complex income, like contractors, freelancers, sole traders and small business owners.

It has access to 90+ lenders and works with lenders to improve self-employed lending criteria.

CMME charges a fee to use its service: £995 for new borrowers and £695 for returning borrowers (or £495 if you're a PAYE borrower). You'll get a £50 Amazon voucher if you apply via MSE's link*.

CMME has a 4.9-star rating on Feefo. We'd like to hear your feedback if you've used CMME.

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