When you first start researching potential mortgages, it seems natural to approach your own bank. The vast majority of people still obtain mortgages from their bank, which incidentally, they may have been a customer of for some years. Banks are not only able to offer mortgages but also many related products such as insurance (building and contents), life insurance and repayment vehicles like endowments and ISA's.
By all means start here but bear some things in mind. Just because you may have been a long term bank customer this doesn't mean that when it comes to a mortgage application you'll get any kind of preferential treatment. Your application will be assessed on its own merits. Also, the mortgage market is extremely competitive in the UK due to the high cultural value placed on home ownership as much as the generally buoyant state of the housing market. There are lots of lenders out there eager for new customers and you may find a better deal elsewhere.
