Type “should I use a mortgage broker” into any forum and you’ll find two camps shouting past each other. One says brokers are essential; the other says they’re a middleman you can skip. The honest answer is less dramatic: it depends on your situation, and it helps to understand what a broker actually does before you decide.

What a broker actually does

A mortgage broker is an intermediary between you and lenders. In the UK, they must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, and their job goes beyond finding a low rate:

  • Assessing your situation — income, deposit, credit history, and anything unusual (self-employment, recent job change, foreign income).
  • Matching you to lenders’ criteria — every lender has different rules about who they’ll lend to. Brokers know which lenders are likely to say yes before you apply.
  • Handling the application — chasing paperwork, liaising with the lender and solicitor, and troubleshooting when things stall.

That criteria-matching point is the underrated one. A rejected application can leave a mark on your credit file, so applying to the right lender first time genuinely matters — especially if your circumstances are anything other than straightforward.

How brokers are paid

Transparency here is non-negotiable, so let’s be clear:

  • Procuration fees. Lenders pay brokers a commission — typically around 0.35% to 0.45% of the loan — when a mortgage completes. This doesn’t come out of your pocket directly.
  • Client fees. Some brokers also charge you a fee, often £300–£600, sometimes more for complex cases. Others are “fee-free” and rely solely on lender commission.
  • Disclosure. UK brokers must tell you exactly what they earn and how. If that conversation feels evasive, that tells you something.

Fee-free isn’t automatically better, and fee-charging isn’t automatically worse. What matters is whether the broker’s recommendation is driven by your interests — which is why the questions below are worth asking.

When whole-of-market access really matters

“Whole of market” means the broker can recommend from essentially the full range of lenders, not a limited panel. This matters most when:

  • You’re self-employed or have irregular income. Lenders vary hugely in how they assess this.
  • You have credit blips. Specialist lenders exist that never advertise to the public.
  • You’re buying an unusual property — non-standard construction, flats above shops, ex-local authority high-rises.
  • You’re stretching affordability. Small differences in lender calculations can change what you can borrow by tens of thousands.

Also worth knowing: some lenders offer broker-only deals, and a few offer direct-only deals. Neither channel sees absolutely everything, which is a fair point in both directions.

When going direct is fine — or your only route

Going straight to a bank or building society can make sense when:

  • Your case is simple. PAYE income, good credit, sensible deposit, standard property. Comparison sites plus a direct application may serve you well.
  • Your existing lender offers a strong product transfer. Switching deals with your current lender at remortgage time is often quick and paperwork-light — though it’s still worth checking the wider market first.
  • A direct-only deal genuinely beats everything else. It happens.

The trade-off: a bank’s adviser can only tell you about that bank’s products. They can’t tell you a competitor would lend you £30,000 more or approve the quirk in your income that their own criteria reject.

Questions to ask any broker

  • Are you whole-of-market, or do you work from a panel?
  • What do you charge, and what commission will you receive?
  • Do you also check direct-only deals I could get myself?
  • What happens to your fee if the application falls through?
  • Will you review my options again before completion if rates drop?

Red flags

Walk away from anyone who pressures you to decide on the spot, is vague about fees, pushes insurance products before the mortgage is even sorted, asks for large upfront payments, or isn’t on the FCA register (check it — it takes two minutes online).

The expat angle: when there’s no broker to call

Here’s something UK buyers rarely consider until they move abroad: in some countries, a genuine broker market barely exists. Cyprus is a good example. If you’re a UK expat buying a home there, you’ll typically approach banks directly, one by one, and compare what each offers yourself.

That changes the skill set you need. You become your own broker: comparing not just headline rates but arrangement fees, early repayment charges, insurance requirements bundled into the loan, and how each bank treats foreign income. The habits described above — asking direct questions, demanding fee transparency, comparing total cost rather than headline rate — stop being a nice-to-have and become the whole job.

If an overseas move is on your horizon, practising those comparison skills on your UK mortgage now is genuinely useful preparation.

The bottom line

Straightforward case, confident comparing deals? Direct can work well. Anything complex — or if you simply value having a professional in your corner who answers to you rather than to one lender — a good whole-of-market broker usually earns their fee several times over.

This article is educational guidance, not regulated financial advice, and doesn’t recommend any specific product or lender. Your circumstances are unique — if you’d like to talk them through, book a consultation or explore our free mortgage tools.