Knowledge Bank’s November 2025 search data showed a drop in overall search volumes but a spike in lender criteria changes.
Total searches stood at 78,815 for November, down from over 91,000 in October.
However, lenders added 11,191 new criteria and updated 4,332, the highest monthly total for the year.
This pointed to more lender activity even as brokers faced market uncertainty and policy changes around the Autumn Budget.
In the residential sector, affordability checks like ‘max age at end of term’ remained the most searched, with ‘joint borrower, sole proprietor’ in second.
Searches for ‘defaults registered in the last 3 years’ moved into third.
First time buyer (FTB) searches rose from 46th to 31st and CIS worker searches continued their upward trend, moving from 52nd to 43rd.
Buy-to-let (BTL) saw ‘first time buyer BTL’ return to the top of the list.
‘Lending to limited companies’ dropped from first to sixth, likely due to Budget uncertainty, while ‘no requirement to be a homeowner’ stayed second.
‘Consumer buy to let’ climbed to third, indicating ongoing interest from accidental landlords.
Lender criteria updates were spread across the board, but there were notable changes in definitions for non-standard construction – specifically Unity PRC – and sheltered accommodation.
Several lenders refined criteria in these areas as demand continued for stable investment options.
Shane Chawatama (pictured), sales director at Knowledge Bank, said: “We would normally expect December to be the month where activity naturally softens, but this year we’re hearing from brokers that the slowdown has arrived early.
“November felt quieter than usual, and the big question now is how this will impact advisers as we move into the final weeks of the year.
“The upside, however, is the potential for a strong rebound, if activity has been pushed back rather than lost, we could be looking at a bumper start to 2026 with a release of pent-up demand.”
