Types of mortgage broker and how to choose one

There is no single 'best' mortgage broker: brokers differ in how much of the market they search, how they're paid and how they work. Here's how to tell them apart and pick one that suits your case.

Last checked 13 September 2026. Editor: Kris · editorial standards

Rules checked against the FCA Handbook on 15 October 2026. Directory figures are recalculated every time the site is built.

1. The main types of mortgage broker

Type	What it means	Worth knowing
Whole of market	Considers mortgages from across the market with no limit on lenders	Only a broker whose range is unlimited may call itself "independent". Some whole-of-market brokers still exclude deals sold only direct by lenders, and must tell you if so
Panel (limited range)	Works with a set list of lenders	Must tell you it's limited and either list the lenders or tell you how many and give you the list on request
Single lender (tied)	Offers one lender's products, such as a bank's own mortgage adviser	Can be a good option if you already know you want that lender; it won't compare others
Fee-free	Charges you nothing; paid by the lender when the mortgage completes	Not free to the market: the lender pays a procuration fee. See mortgage broker fees
Fee-charging	Charges you a fee as well as, or instead of, lender commission	Must tell you the fee, when it's payable and whether it's refundable before advising you
Online or national	Advice by phone, video and online application, often from large firms	Same rules and protections as a local firm; suits straightforward cases and people who want speed
Local independent firm	A smaller firm, often face to face	Can suit complex cases where knowing the local market or the client matters
Appointed representative of a network	A firm or adviser that works under an authorised network, which takes regulatory responsibility	Normal and common. The FCA Register names the network, and the network's lender panel shapes what the adviser can offer

These overlap: a local appointed representative can be whole of market and fee-free, and an online broker can be panel-based and fee-charging. What matters is the combination, and the broker has to tell you it.

2. What every broker must tell you at the start

Before advising you, a broker must tell you, clearly and prominently (FCA Handbook, MCOB 4.4A):

Its range: whether there are limits on the mortgages it will offer, and what they are (MCOB 4.4A.1R). A firm that offers only part of the market shouldn't describe its service as unlimited (4.4A.3G).
Which lenders: if it isn't whole of market, the names of the lenders or the number of them, with the list on request in writing within five business days (4.4A.4R).
Fees: any fee it will charge you, as a cash sum where possible, when it's payable and whether it's refundable (4.4A.8R).
Commission: whether it receives commission from the lender, and whether that's offset against its fee (4.4A.8R).

And on the word "independent": a broker should only call itself an independent mortgage adviser, including in its business name, if its range across the market is unlimited (4.4A.4R(3) and 4.4A.7G).

Someone signing paperwork at a desk — Photo: Scott Graham / Unsplash

3. Networks and appointed representatives in our directory

Of the 1,583 firm profiles on this site, 995 (63%) say on their own website that they are an appointed representative of a network, across 145 networks, and 492 show an FCA reference number (269 show both). The networks named most often are St. James's Place (163), PRIMIS Mortgage Network (129), Stonebridge Mortgage Solutions Ltd (114), HL Partnership Ltd (74), The Right Mortgage Ltd (70), Quilter Financial Services Ltd (54), The Openwork Partnership (33), Sesame Ltd (26). Being part of a network says nothing about whether a firm is whole of market: ask, and check the network on the Financial Services Register. Browse firms by town to see each firm's network or reference number.

4. Check the firm on the FCA Register

Only firms authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, and appointed representatives of an authorised firm, may arrange regulated mortgages. Search the firm's name or reference number on the Financial Services Register. If the broker is an appointed representative, the register names the authorised firm that takes responsibility for its advice.

5. Which type suits you

Straightforward purchase or remortgage, good credit: most whole-of-market or large-panel brokers reach the same mainstream deals. Compare fees and how quickly they respond.
Self-employed, adverse credit, contractor, buy-to-let, later life: ask how often the broker places that kind of case and which lenders it uses; a whole-of-market broker with specialist lenders on its panel matters more here. See the guides for each situation.
Staying with your lender: a broker can still arrange a product transfer and compare it with switching; see the remortgage vs product transfer calculator.

6. Know where to complain

Complain to the firm first. If you're not satisfied with its response, you can usually take a complaint about a regulated mortgage to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Common questions

Who is the best mortgage broker in the UK?

There isn't one for everybody, and we don't rank brokers. The right broker for you is one that is authorised (check the register), searches enough of the market for your situation, is clear about its fee, and has placed cases like yours before. Ask two or three the same questions and compare the answers.

What's the difference between a mortgage adviser and a mortgage broker?

In everyday use, little. "Mortgage adviser" is the person who gives you advice; "broker" usually means a firm or adviser that can offer more than one lender's mortgages. A bank's own mortgage adviser is an adviser but not a broker: they offer only that bank's products. What a firm must tell you about its range and fees is the same either way.

Are fee-free brokers worse?

Not necessarily. They're paid by the lender, so they may not reach the few lenders that don't pay brokers, which matters mainly for unusual cases. For most purchases both kinds reach the same deals.

Can a broker get deals I can't get myself?

Yes: some lenders lend only through brokers, and some products are broker-only. See the largest UK mortgage lenders for examples.

Next: find brokers by town or use the mortgage calculators.

More guides

General information, not advice. Mortgage Brokers List is a directory and a set of free tools. Only an FCA-authorised adviser can recommend a mortgage for your circumstances. See our editorial standards.