Intermediaries claim better access to mortgages

The results show that the number of brokers unable to assist clients due to lenders offering better deals direct has decreased from half (48%) to a third (33%). This continues the downward trend observed across the market and which is predicted to continue.

Chris Cummings, director general of the AMI, said: "It is extremely positive that brokers are again getting access to the best products. Consumers wish to deal with mortgage intermediaries and record numbers have done so during the course of 2008. It must always be remembered that consumers want help and advice to find the most suitable mortgage for them - they put 'service' as the number one reason to use an intermediary not 'rate'. Intermediaries have a positive future because we provide the service that consumers value so highly.

"We welcomed the intervention of the government in the mortgage market. We now need to see a concerted effort from lenders to kickstart the market and ensure the slump we are currently in does not become worse."

Other results from the census include:

The number of brokers who expect to see fewer lenders operating in the intermediary market over the next 3 months has gone up from half (50%) to three quarters (73%)

'Maximum LTV reached' dominates the reasons for brokers being unable to assist both purchase and remortgage clients - up from 38% in June to 55% in September as house prices fell in value