A survey from Landmark Information Group, which collated views from 40 senior level professionals at mortgage lenders, found that 45% said their working day in 2025 was spent chasing or being chased by stakeholders for updates, a rise on 32% in 2024.
The report added that 40% of respondents said long transaction times were their greatest frustration.
Lenders have increasingly turned to technology to improve efficiency, with 48% saying they are investing in AI solutions to automate tasks and optimise workflows.
Around 45% of those surveyed said AI automating routine tasks would have the greatest positive impact on productivity and business success.
Only 3% of those surveyed said they thought AI would have a minimal impact on their work in the next five years, a drop from 43% in 2024.
There are some barriers to technology adoption, with 63% pointing to legacy technology or limited IT capacity or budget.
A further 55% cited data quality or completeness problems, and 48% said security, privacy or compliance concerns were a barrier.
Mike Holden, divisional director of growth at Landmark Information Group, said: “What we are seeing in the latest lender research is a clear shift in focus. Regulation has not disappeared as a concern, but it is no longer dominating priorities. Instead, lenders are focused on addressing the practical inefficiencies that slow transactions and drain productivity.
“Lenders are increasingly turning to digitisation, automation, and AI to manage these pressures. While progress in sustainability and risk management remains vital, the overwhelming consensus on data sharing reinforces the need for a systemic fix. This is where Project 28 becomes essential, moving beyond individual tools to fix the process as a whole and finally deliver the speed and certainty the market requires.”
