Despite mortgage approvals hitting record lows in May, there are signs that borrowing is on the road to recovery.
Despite Bank of England figures that showed mortgage approvals hit a record low of 9,300 in May, there are signs that borrowing is returning to normal levels, according to Hometrack.
The Bank of England's Money and Credit Report showed that households repaid more loans than they took out in May, but that there was still a small increase in mortgage borrowing.
On net, households borrowed an additional £1.2bn secured on their homes, higher than £0.0bn in April, but weak compared to an average of £4.1bn in the six months to February 2020.
David Ross, managing director of Hometrack, said: “The data released by the Bank of England is encouraging and shows that borrowing, while not at pre-COVID levels, is certainly returning.
"On a more positive note our data for June shows continued growth and is up on the same period in 2019."
For the market to return to normal, Ross added, providers must continue to innovate and focus on the customer.
He said: "Continued stimulus is key to maintaining this growth.
"We urge mortgage providers to focus on delivering the very best customer experience, removing complexity through digitisation and ensuring fewer barriers to borrowing.
"This in turn will help grow new lending, helping the economy get back on its feet after the shock of COVID.”
