Nearly two-thirds of borrowers say brokers are vital to get through the home buying process, Santander mortgage survey finds
Quick Summary
Mortgage brokers remain "essential" to navigating the homebuying journey in a digital age, according to Santander’s Broker Perception Barometer. Trinity Financial's brokers have a long track record of arranging mortgages for our clients through Santander for Intermediaries, and the bank is offering many of the most competitively priced fixed rates starting from 3.51% as well as fast mortgage offers.
Santander has launched its quarterly ‘Broker Perception Barometer’ survey as the bank reports nine in 10 of its mortgage transactions took place through a broker in October 2025.
Despite the rise of AI, homeowners continue to favour a personal touch when choosing a mortgage broker, with nearly two-thirds (63%) relying on recommendations and referrals from real people, and just 5% finding their broker through AI.
In fact, according to Santander's research, most borrowers (52%) say they would still choose to use a mortgage broker over AI for every stage of the homebuying or remortgaging process.
The report highlights:
- Mortgage brokers remain a pivotal part of the homebuying journey, with two thirds (65%) of homeowners claiming they couldn’t have gone through the process without one, and 85% saying they would use a broker again.
- As the cost of living continues to rise, borrowers save an average of £125 a month on their mortgage payments as a direct result of working with a broker.
- More than half of borrowers (52%) say they would prefer to use a broker over AI for every stage of the homebuying process, despite the rise in digital tools – signalling a preference for human expertise over automation.
Graham Sellar, Head of Intermediary Channels, Santander UK, said: “It’s clear that borrowers still value the guidance, experience and human judgement that only a broker can provide. AI provides support at the initial stages of deal research and exploration – but when it comes to making concrete life decisions, nothing can match the trust that is built through a broker.”
Santander continues to see the vast majority of its customers turning to a broker for their mortgage needs, with 90% of transactions taking place through a broker in October 2025, a 7% increase year-on-year.
Research conducted by Opinium on behalf of Santander amongst 500 adults between 30 October 2025 – 11 November 2025. It includes recommendations from family and friends, estate agents, online reviews and bank or building society referrals.
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The information contained within was correct at the time of publication but is subject to change.
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