"Despite the fact they admit they don’t fully understand mortgages and they find switching stressful, lots of people have never considered using a mortgage broker"
Independent mortgage broker Boon Brokers surveyed over 1,100 mortgage holders to find out what they understood about the role brokers play and the help they can offer.
Those in the over 65 age group were most likely to believe a mortgage broker could get them a good deal, at 12%, whilst for young homeowners, aged under 25, it dropped to 8%.
15% wrongly expected they would have to pay a fee to use a broker service – even though some brokers work on a fee-free basis. 12% were worried a mortgage broker might have their own agenda in terms of products to push – rising to a concerned 18% of the 55-64 age group.
Despite having misgivings about using mortgage brokers, only 17% said they fully understood the details of their mortgage, 15% admitted they have never switched mortgage and 33% said they found switching mortgage a hassle, which put them off doing it.
Gerard Boon, founder and partner at Boon Brokers, said: “Despite the fact they admit they don’t fully understand mortgages and they find switching stressful, lots of people have never considered using a mortgage broker and we wanted to find out why.
"I think in some cases it’s due to the fact mortgage seekers are not sure what benefits they bring and for others they’re concerned about trust. Of course, like every industry, there are those who put their own interests above that of their customers, but there are many times more who will try their hardest to get a great deal for their clients."
