The Intermediary – November 2025 - Flipbook - Page 5
From the editor. . .
f the past month has made anything
clear, it is that the mortgage market is
entering a phase defined not by dramatic
swings, but by a steady, grinding
recalibration.
Rates have stabilised, product
choice has widened, and lenders have begun to
re-enter spaces they pulled back from during
the volatility of the past two years. Yet beneath
that surface calm lies an industry working hard
to strike the right balance between caution
and ambition.
Affordability remains the central tension.
Recent adjustments to stress-testing and LTI
thresholds are starting to show their impact,
with several lenders reporting a noticeable li in
borrower capacity, particularly among first-time
buyers. It may not be transformation, but it’s
movement, and for many buyers, movement has
been missing for too long.
Brokers tell us that cases previously parked
are reappearing, and conversations that once
ended with ‘not yet’ are beginning to sound
more hopeful.
At the same time, competition is sharpening.
We’ve seen a renewed push from lenders to
differentiate through criteria, technology, and
service standards.
The widening gap between those investing
in system upgrades, digital processing and
decisioning, and those relying on older
infrastructure, has become more visible. Speed,
accuracy and communication – always the pillars
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of broker satisfaction – are back at the top of
the agenda.
No beer time, then, for our Technology
Special Focus to take place, bringing you
everything you need to know and more about the
current state of play.
Whether it’s the rise of automated valuations,
the growing role of data-driven affordability
tools, or ongoing debates around the use of AI
in underwriting and customer interactions,
the industry is wrestling with the practical
implications of digital transformation.
The conversation has shied, crucially, from
hypotheticals to operational reality: how to
adopt the right tools without creating new risks,
inconsistencies or regulatory blind spots. As
ever, brokers find themselves at the sharp end
of this transition, balancing client expectations
for speed with the need for clear oversight,
transparency and reassurance.
Look no further than the following pages for
insights into the use of tech within lenders of
all sizes, the challenges and opportunities for
brokers, and more.
It’s a jam-packed issue, from solving the
problems facing the conveyancing sector in our
industry round-table, to recapping a glamorous
night of celebration with our National Mortgage
Awards – Second Charge photo spread, and much
more besides. ●
Jessica Bird
@jess_jbird
@IntermediaryUK
Contributors
The Team
www.facebook.com/IntermediaryUK
TECHNOLOGY
FOCUS ISSUE
INTERVIEW ⬛ NatWest’s
Nadine Edwards on PEXA and
leading the charge for change
OPINION ⬛ Tech expertise
from Mortgage Brain, Ohpen,
Finova, MAB, and more
The
Intermediary.
www.theintermediary.co.uk | Issue 34 | November 2025 | £6
Jessica Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Editor
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Averil Leimon | Babek Ismayil | Chris Blewitt
Chris Jones | Chris Wilson | Constantinos
Savvides | Dale Jannels | Dave Harris
David Graydon | Eddie Lau | Emma Kelman
TECH REVELATION
A new dawn for the mortgage market
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November 2025 | The Intermediary
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