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Sam covers personal finance topics, from the best savings rates to the reasons mortgage lenders say no. He enjoys crunching the numbers to help consumers get ahead.
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Compare mortgagesIf you click on the link and complete a mortgage with L&C Mortgages, L&C is paid a commission by the lender and will share part of this fee with Which? Ltd helping fund our not-for-profit mission. We do not allow this relationship to affect our editorial independence. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
First Direct is part of the HSBC banking group and offers a range of mortgages for first-time buyers, home movers and those remortgaging.
Here, you can find out what real First Direct mortgage customers thought about its service, what our expert analysis uncovered about its range of deals and the best First Direct mortgage rates on the market right now.
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of a provider before committing to any financial products.
Why you can trust our First Direct mortgage review
Real First Direct customer views
We've asked 81 First Direct mortgage customers about their experiences of the lender.
Expert mortgage rate analysis
We've analysed First Direct mortgage rates to work out if it's a lender that offers competitive deals.
First Direct ranked mid-table in our latest results, with a score slightly below the average. However, customers praised its online access it also performed well in our interest rate analysis, coming 5th.
73%
out of 21 mortgage lenders ranked on customer score (joint 11th)
Which? analysed thousands of mortgages, using Moneyfacts data, over eight weeks in the summer/autumn of 2025. We compiled a series of top 10 cheapest deals tables based on a variety of borrowing scenarios, and counted how many times each lender featured in a table.
The average was five table appearances per week. First Direct averaged 8.3 appearances per week. This means it was one of the top lenders for having competitive rates across a range of mortgage scenarios during our analysis.
You can see the mortgages First Direct is currently offering first-time buyers, home movers and remortgagers in the tables below.
To see how First Direct compares with other mortgage providers, head to our guide to the best mortgage rates and deals, which is updated every day.
| 80% | First Direct | 73% | 4.21% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 80% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.33% | £0 | 6.49% |
| 90% | First Direct | 73% | 4.42% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 90% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.54% | £0 | 6.49% |
| 95% | First Direct | 73% | 4.84% | £0 | 6.49% |
| 95% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.84% | £0 | 6.49% |
Table notes: Data from Moneyfacts, updated daily. Customer score is based on a combination of overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend the provider. The average customer score is 74%. The results are based on an online survey of 5,016 members of the public conducted in August/September 2025 and are representative of the GB/UK population (aged 18+). Providers must receive a minimum sample size of 40 for inclusion in the results. The sample size for First Direct was 81.
| 60% | First Direct | 73% | 3.89% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 60% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.05% | £0 | 6.49% |
| 75% | First Direct | 73% | 4.04% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 75% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.22% | £0 | 6.49% |
| 85% | First Direct | 73% | 4.13% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 85% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.29% | £0 | 6.49% |
Table notes: Data from Moneyfacts, updated daily. Customer score is based on a combination of overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend the provider. The average customer score is 74%. The results are based on an online survey of 5,016 members of the public conducted in August/September 2025 and are representative of the GB/UK population (aged 18+). Providers must receive a minimum sample size of 40 for inclusion in the results. The sample size for First Direct was 81.
| 60% | First Direct | 73% | 3.9% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 60% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.09% | £0 | 6.49% |
| 75% | First Direct | 73% | 4.08% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 75% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.24% | £0 | 6.49% |
| 85% | First Direct | 73% | 4.58% | £490 | 6.49% |
| 85% fee free | First Direct | 73% | 4.74% | £0 | 6.49% |
Table notes: Data from Moneyfacts, updated daily. Customer score is based on a combination of overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend the provider. The average customer score is 74%. The results are based on an online survey of 5,016 members of the public conducted in August/September 2025 and are representative of the GB/UK population (aged 18+). Providers must receive a minimum sample size of 40 for inclusion in the results. The sample size for First Direct was 81.
Find the right mortgage using the fee-free service provided by L&C Mortgages
Compare mortgagesIf you click on the link and complete a mortgage with L&C Mortgages, L&C is paid a commission by the lender and will share part of this fee with Which? Ltd helping fund our not-for-profit mission. We do not allow this relationship to affect our editorial independence. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
We asked First Direct mortgage customers about their experience with the lender.
Here's how customers rated First Direct in various areas of service:
| Category | Star rating |
|---|---|
| Overall customer service | |
| Keeping you well informed (e.g. telling you about changes to interest rates) | |
| Clarity of mortgage statements | |
| Transparency of charges/penalties | |
| Flexibility of payments (e.g. being able to overpay/underpay/take payment holidays) | |
| Online access (e.g. being able to access your account online or via an app) |
Table notes: Star ratings are out of five. The results are based on an online survey of 5,016 members of the public conducted in August/September 2025 and are representative of the GB/UK population (aged 18+). Providers must receive a minimum sample size of 40 for inclusion in the results. The sample size for First Direct was 81.
Along with star ratings and scores, we also collect feedback from real customers.
The feedback from First Direct mortgage customers was generally positive. One customer told us that First Direct is 'Hassle-free, easy to use [and] trustworthy'.
We found a common trend of customers praising First Direct's online access. For example, one respondent said, 'their digital portal is very good, I can carry out everything I need to do through the internet'.
The majority of comments that focused on customer service were also positive, with it described as 'friendly' and 'very responsive'.
When we checked in September 2025, there were 75 mortgages available from First Direct. The vast majority were fixed-rate deals, meaning your interest rate stays the same for a set initial period.
First Direct mortgages had initial periods of two, three or five years.
A smaller number of mortgages offered by First Direct were tracker deals standard variable rate.
First Direct allows you to borrow up to 4.75x your income if you are a home mover and up to 5.5x your income if you are buying your first home.
First Direct does not currently offer green mortgages.
All of First Direct's mortgages have a maximum term length of 40 years.
Why should you trust Which? research? We’re not influenced by third parties. We work entirely on behalf of you, the consumer – nobody else. See our statement of editorial independence
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