The specialist lending sector once again proved a lifeline for borrowers last year as many found themselves in increasingly complex financial circumstances.
As households continued to feel the pinch from the high cost of living and a high interest rate environment, specialist lenders were on hand to offer solutions for those who didn’t fit the ‘vanilla’ mould of some mainstream lenders.
Although in the wider mortgage market a number of lenders ramped up their technology offering, for borrowers with particularly complex circumstances there was, in some corners, a growing demand for a more manual, hands-on and tailored approach to underwriting. This is an area where specialist lenders often excel.
Once again, 17 lenders were assessed in Mortgage Finance Gazette’s Rated for Service specialist category. Four lenders achieved the prestigious Top Rated for Service status, while another four earned recognition as Rated for Service.
The rankings showed some movement compared to last year, with The Mortgage Lender and Pepper Money advancing from Rated to Top Rated for Service, showing how brokers have appreciated their efforts over the past 12 months.
Metro Bank earned its first recognition in the specialist category, receiving a Rated for Service accolade on its debut.
As in previous years, the majority of the Top Rated and Rated for Service lenders were heavily weighted towards intermediary-only brands, reflecting the importance of the broker community in ensuring that borrowers with non-standard needs are well supported.
However, compared to some past survey results, there was less of an overlap between mainstream and specialist accolades, with most Top Rated lenders firmly rooted in the specialist space.
Nevertheless, three out of the four lenders that received the Rated for Service distinction in the specialist sector also earned a Rated status in the mainstream category.
Strategic focus earned the highest standalone score among specialist lenders, while sales support and communication were the sector’s weakest links.
Please see the specialist lender dashboard below.
All the data for the Mortgage Finance Gazette Rated for Service 2025 is now accessed via a dashboard. All the ratings data for each lender category, and all the rankings data for each assessment area, is available from the past three years. Lenders’ performance in any of the five assessment areas can now be ranked from highest to lowest across the entire lender panel for each year, and filtered based on broker type and case load.
This year we have also added factor analysis for each lender category, so brokers will be able to benchmark their chosen panel of lenders against the average score for each assessment area (max. of five lenders).
The dashboard brings an unprecedented level of clarity to lender service levels for the broker community. We’d like to hear your feedback in the comments section below, or email piers.johnson@emap.com.
To display the full dashboard please click here
Please click on the cover below to see the print supplement of Mortage Finance Gazette Rated For Service 2025.
