IMLA News Archive
Topic:
Your First Home could help reverse first-time buyer shortfall
The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) has welcomed the government’s announcement of Your First Home, saying the new equity loan scheme could provide much-needed support to aspiring first-time buyers struggling to overcome the deposit barrier.
Broker business hits record high despite confidence fall
Mortgage intermediaries are handling record levels of business despite becoming less confident about the wider market outlook, according to the latest Mortgage Market Tracker from the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA).
IMLA backs FCA moves towards greater mortgage flexibility but warns rule changes alone will not fix the first-time buyer challenge
MLA welcomes the proportionate, permissive approach of the FCA’s Mortgage Rule Review, which leaves lending decisions where they belong: with lenders, but the government must tackle the chronic undersupply of homes, review Stamp Duty and consider a well-designed successor to Help to Buy
IMLA welcomes Yorkshire Building Society report calling for action to restore the housing ladder
The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) has welcomed Yorkshire Building Society’s new No Way Home? Restoring Britain’s Housing Ladder report, saying it reinforces the urgent need for government, regulators and the mortgage industry to work together to remove unnecessary barriers to homeownership.
Average mortgage LTV falls to 59% as £677bn of housing equity builds up
Lower leverage strengthens resilience, but widening access remains critical
UK housing defies weak growth as arrears continue to fall
Mortgage arrears forecast to fall further in 2026 and 2027, as cautious lending practices and equity buffers have supported borrower resilience: housing remains one of the few consistent bright spots in a subdued UK economy.
IMLA welcomes FCA focus on advice and more realistic affordability
IMLA welcomes the FCA’s intention to explore and consult on changes that would further support first-time buyers and currently underserved groups
Intermediary confidence dips slightly in Q3 as completions remain steady
The latest Mortgage Market Tracker report from the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) shows a slight softening in intermediary confidence at the end of Q3 2025, with the timing of the Budget.
Flexible lending rules must go hand-in-hand with high-quality advice
IMLA responds to the FCA’s discussion paper on the future of the mortgage market (DP25/2), welcoming a shift toward greater regulatory flexibility, provided reforms preserve consumer protection and the central role of professional mortgage advice.
Broker confidence remains resilient in Q2 despite market cooling
The latest Mortgage Market Tracker report from IMLA shows that mortgage intermediaries remained confident in their business and the intermediary sector during Q2 2025.
3.5 million first-time buyers waiting in the wings
Regulation blocking many prudent buyers from homeownership
Adviser confidence in mortgage market surges
Intermediary confidence nears historic levels, with a sharp recovery in cases placed.
IMLA warns of unintended consequences of proposals for PRS
IMLA report on the Private Rented Sector calls for government to: recognise the importance of PRS, which houses 20% of UK households; accept that increased regulation will push up rents, and; apply policy more fairly across tenures.
Intermediary confidence rises to long-run ‘norm’ in Q2 2024 as business volumes grow
Adviser confidence in outlook for the mortgage market, intermediary sector and own business all up in the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest findings from IMLA’s Mortgage Market Tracker
IMLA urges government to review regulatory barriers to first-time ownership
IMLA’s latest research on mortgage affordability estimates that the cumulative shortfall in first-time buyer numbers since the financial crisis reached 3.1m by the end of 2023.
Permanent Mortgage Guarantee Scheme would not move the dial for FTBs
The Labour party’s proposed initiative has been effective in grabbing headlines, but would be unlikely to be effective in helping First-Time Buyers onto the property ladder.
IMLA backs BSA’s calls for housing policy reform
The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders’ Association (IMLA) fully supports the Building Societies Association (BSA) in its calls for Government reforms to assist first-time buyers and address the UK’s housing crisis
Confidence returns to mortgage market with intermediary business levels up in Q4 2023
The latest Mortgage Market Tracker Report from IMLA reveals that 83% of advisers felt confident about the outlook for the mortgage market in December 2023, with the average number of cases placed annually by mortgage brokers rising to 103 in Q4.
Intermediary confidence in mortgage market ‘surprisingly’ steady for Q2 as business levels hold
The latest Mortgage Market Tracker report from IMLA reveals surprisingly upbeat market sentiment among advisers during Q2, although the data indicate growing caution about the outlook for the sector.
Mortgage market confidence dropped in Q4, but steady caseload volumes show business as usual on the horizon
The latest Mortgage Market Tracker report from the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) has been released today, finding that the sector has recovered well from the disruption following the mini-budget in September 2022.