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"After a mixed Easter break, lenders are back" with fixed rate cuts and innovation

Journalist: Justin Moy, Contributing Editor

ended 22. April 2025

Lenders have returned from the Easter Break with fixed rate cuts, new products and improvements announced this morning. HSBC are offering improved affordability, allowing borrowers to potentially increase what they can borrow. Meanwhile, Halifax have announced selected fixed rate cuts of up to 0.19%, while TSB has improved rates for existing borrowers. Newspage asked brokers if this mix of price and criteria improvements could set the tone for lenders this summer. Views below.

 

Keystone - New Refurb to Let Opportunity (for Landlords)

The Mortgage Works - Improved Buy to Let Policy for Limited Co BTL's

 

6 responses from the Newspage community

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Imran Hussain
Director at Harmony Financial Services
It's great to see that the easter bunny has not only bought chocolate but changes to the mortgage market. This is excellent news for borrowers with the country's major lenders reducing rates and making innovative changes. I only hope this continues into what is shaping up to be a hot summer in the mortgage market.
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Ken James
Director at Contractor Mortgage Services
After a mixed Easter break, lenders are back — and they’ve returned with rate cuts and a surprising wave of innovation that’s catching the eye of brokers. Whether it’s first-time buyers navigating a tight market or seasoned investors looking for more limited company buy to let offerings, there’s a little of something for everyone. It does feel like someone has hit the reset button, as lenders are clearly throwing their hats into the ring. This suggests they are not just playing defence against a tough economy, but actively courting business in fresh ways. It feels like the post-Easter market has woken up with purpose. With spring traditionally a busy time for property transactions, lenders are clearly positioning themselves to capture momentum.
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Michelle Lawson
Director at Lawson Financial
There's a lot to get excited about after the Easter break with lenders springing into Spring with a swathe of enhancements ranging from rate reductions, stress testing and great new propositions in the buy to let sector. On this front, Keystone's much needed refurb to let option and Coventry's foray into Limited Company lending need a definite shoutout.
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Ben Perks
Managing Director at Orchard Financial Advisers
Full of chocolate and ready to lend. Lenders have returned to work this morning and really pulled their finger out. It’s always great to see lower rates, but improved criteria and affordability checks are often more important.
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Justin Moy
Managing Director at EHF Mortgages
Improvements to affordability and new product options are a tremendous way of showing that mortgage lenders are very much open for business and keen to find new ways of helping borrowers. HSBC is just the latest to potentially lend more, stretching incomes that little bit more to help fund those dream purchases, and for the landlords, the innovative Refurb products are ideal for the need to make changes and renovate before a property is ready to let, improving standards and benefiting tenants. These and similar improvements give the market a welcome boost and will help carry borrowers through a tricky few months at least.
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Pete Mugleston
Mortgage Advisor & Managing Director at onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk
This is excellent news for borrowers and a nice present straight after the easter break. Hopefully, these changes signify a broader move in the industry that could lead to the market heating up as the year goes on. The changes by Keystone and The Mortgage Works will be music to the ears of landlords and a definite boost to the sector. This should kick the market back into gear following the recent Stamp Duty changes, and hopefully we see more lenders follow suit in the coming weeks.