Cutting mortgage costs will be a priority for many borrowers in 2026, and shopping around for the best deal combined with using a fee-free mortgage broker can make a real difference.
Borrowers arranging their mortgages through L&C saved more than £60m last year, thanks to a combination of avoiding paying a broker fee and ongoing rate monitoring through its Rate Check service.
This is made up of £33m in broker fee savings and over £29m from Rate Check. Recent FCA data showed that the average broker fee paid by mortgage customers was £510 in 2024. L&C helped more than 65,000 customers take out a mortgage in 2025 without charging broker fees that could have otherwise totalled £33m.
The cost of broker fees can rise further over the life of the mortgage when added to the loan, as interest is charged on them as well as on the capital borrowed. Avoiding these fees by using a no-fee broker can therefore reduce both upfront costs and long-term interest charges.
Last year saw L&C surpass one million mortgage applications since the business was founded 25 years ago, reflecting its ongoing commitment to helping borrowers access market wide advice without charging a fee.
Why Rate Check can help you secure the best rate
Mortgage costs are easing following six consecutive cuts to the Bank of England base rate since August 2024, but with markets expecting possible further reductions in 2026, borrowers may be wondering whether to lock in a rate now or wait in the hope rates will fall further in future.
L&C’s Rate Check service can help borrowers with this, enabling you to secure a rate in advance, but then to ask your adviser for a Rate Check at any time before your mortgage completes.
They’ll review the market to check that the deal you’re signing up for is the still the best one for you. If it isn’t, they’ll search the market for a better option if there is one and help you to switch.
