Availability of high loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages has soared in recent months, it has been claimed.

Katie Tucker, technical manager at mortgageforce, said a rising number of lenders are increasing the number of 85 per cent and 90 per cent LTV products they provide.

"You are looking at six months really before 90 per cent deals get any more competitive. There are so few on the market and there is no need for the lenders to compete with each other," she commented.

Ms Tucker noted that most suppliers have targets to meet on an annual basis and will be looking to provide the same number of mortgages as they did last year, or perhaps five to ten per cent more.

Published earlier this week, Legal & General's Mortgage Purchase Index revealed that during the fourth quarter of 2009, 43 per cent of residential mortgages were on tracker rates, up from 17 per cent during the previous three months.

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Written by Emily Sanders