How to find a mortgage broker (and check they are FCA-authorised)

To find a good mortgage broker, look for one that is FCA-authorised and whole-of-market, and check them yourself on the FCA Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk. Confirm the firm is authorised and holds mortgage permissions, check the adviser, and use only the contact details on the Register to avoid clone-firm scams. Understand how the broker is paid before you commit. A good broker matches your case to the right lender.

What a mortgage broker does

A mortgage broker (also called a mortgage adviser or intermediary) looks at your circumstances, recommends a suitable mortgage, and arranges it with the lender on your behalf. A good broker does more than compare rates: they pick the lender most likely to accept your specific case, package the application so it underwrites smoothly, and handle the back and forth with the lender. For anything non-standard, that matching is where the real value is.

Whole-of-market, multi-tied, or tied

Brokers differ in how much of the market they can reach, and it matters:

• Whole-of-market: can arrange mortgages from across the market. The widest choice, and the best fit for complex cases.
• Multi-tied: works from a limited panel of lenders. Fine for straightforward cases, but the panel may not include the lender that suits you.
• Tied: offers products from a single lender only, so you see one lender's deals. This is really a lender's own adviser, not an independent broker.

Ask which one a broker is before you start. For the trade-off against applying directly, see broker vs going direct.

How brokers are paid

Brokers are paid by a client fee, by commission from the lender (a procuration fee), or both. Some are fee-free. What matters is transparency: a regulated broker must tell you how they are paid before you commit. The full detail is on how mortgage brokers get paid.

How to check a broker is FCA-authorised

Anyone advising on or arranging UK mortgages must be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), either as an authorised firm or as an appointed representative of one. Checking takes a couple of minutes and is worth doing every time.

1. 1. Search the FCA Register. Go to the FCA Financial Services Register (register.fca.org.uk) and search the firm's name or reference number.
2. 2. Confirm the firm is authorised for mortgages. Check the firm shows as authorised and holds mortgage permissions (advising on and arranging regulated mortgage contracts), and that its status is current, not "no longer authorised".
3. 3. Check the adviser. Make sure the individual or firm you are dealing with is linked to that authorised firm, or is an appointed representative of it.
4. 4. Guard against clone firms. Use FCA ScamSmart and read the FCA guidance on avoiding scams and unauthorised firms. Always contact the firm using the phone number and website on the Register, never the details from an advert, email or text, because fraudsters clone genuine firms to look real.

Red flags to walk away from

• Pressure to decide quickly, or to pay a large upfront fee before any advice.
• A refusal to explain, in writing, how they are paid.
• No FCA authorisation you can verify on the Register, or details that do not match.
• Being asked to send money to a personal account, or to overstate your income on an application.

Questions worth asking

• Are you whole-of-market, on a panel, or tied to one lender?
• How are you paid, and is there a fee? If so, how much and when?
• What is your FCA firm reference number, so I can check the Register?
• Have you placed cases like mine before (self-employed, adverse credit, buy-to-let)?

Or let us introduce you

If you would rather not do the legwork, we can introduce you to a regulated mortgage broker. See how we choose your broker and how we introduce you. This is information, not advice: the regulated advice comes from the broker.

Get matched with a regulated broker →

Common questions