What advisers want to see from lenders in 2026

With the end of 2025 on the horizon, many of us will be thinking ahead to the coming 12 months and the things we hope will be different in the future. 

In that spirit, I’ve been speaking to some of the advisers within the Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA) family to get their take on the state of the market, how lenders are performing, and what would make their wishlist for 2026.

It’s good to talk

Relationships have always been crucial in the property industry. Being a good adviser is about more than just pinpointing a competitive rate - it’s knowing which lenders are able to go above and beyond in delivering for the client, which ones are willing to talk through the complexities of a case and find a positive resolution.

The best lenders stand out because of the quality of their communication, but there is definite room for improvement from many in the market. In some cases it’s about investing in business development managers, so that advisers have a regular point of contact to talk through specific cases. 

But there also needs to be better dialogue once an application has gone in. If lenders need more documentation or information about an aspect of a case, they need to be clear about precisely what they require, rather than vague requests for ‘more’. And if an application hits a speedbump, we need to be able to discuss the issues properly with the decision makers, to make the case for our clients and be heard. 

Improved proc fees

Speak to any adviser in the industry, and they will be quick to point out that while all sorts of fees have increased over recent years, there has been little to no uptick in proc fees. Indeed, proc fees have been a sore subject of late, with Lloyds Banking Group’s decision to drop fees for product transfers even though, as we all know, these cases rarely involve less work than a regular remortgage.

The reality is cases have only become more complex, with advisers becoming indispensable for clients and lenders alike. There is a good reason the vast majority of mortgage cases go through advisers - our clients rely on us to help them navigate a market which can be confusing, complicated and stressful.

They value the service we provide, and it’s important lenders recognise that value through proc fees which truly line-up with the work involved, rather than looking for ways to keep them low.

Technology that aids rather than hinders

We’ve seen some tremendous advancements in the use of technology across the mortgage space in recent years. It’s a trend that we’ve leant into at Rosemount, having made a series of technology-focused hires last year which have enabled us to improve the support open to our advisers, for example through our new cash modeller tool.

Lenders have largely embraced technology, but there remain some areas where standards need to be improved. Porting is a good example - a host of advisers have noted a lot of lenders rely on paper applications for porting, making the process very manual and time consuming. That slow process will only lead to frustration for our clients.

When it comes to assessments of cases, there is also the risk of too much reliance on automation, without considering the individual aspects of the application. Advisers know all too well that all clients are unique, each with their own particular needs and circumstances. We don’t treat them in a homogenous way, and lenders shouldn’t either. 

Some stability

The last few years have been a bit of a rollercoaster, filled with ups and downs, many of which were not easily forecast. That tumult has had an impact on the finances of our clients, but it’s also put advisers under incredible pressure. As an industry we are talking much more about mental health, and the need to look after ourselves, but this is a job that inevitably involves long hours, stress and disappointment. 

While I’d love to see a more stable, predictable 2026, that might be too much to ask. So in its place, I’d love to see everyone across the market, irrespective of their role, take the time to work out what support structure they need in order to ride out those bumps in the road when they inevitably come. After all, we provide the best service to our clients when we are in a good place ourselves.