Those who are searching for a new mortgage may now find that they can get a better deal by visiting a mortgage lender in person. This is because many mortgage lenders are attempting to tighten their standards by limiting the deals they offer through mortgage brokers, this may now mean that people might be better off applying directly.

According to the Financial Times mortgage lenders practice of "dual pricing" is employed by mortgage lenders to allow them greater control over who they offer loans to.

Speaking to the Financial Times newspaper, Dan Spendiff, who is the business development director at the mortgage firm Hampton International, said:

"In May, the difference in dual pricing was just awful. We told clients to speak directly to lenders so it wouldn't appear that we were duping them."

However, with the increased levels of demand for mortgages now means that lenders have had to "reign in their pricing strategy in recent weeks".