Portugal ranks fourth in Europe for mortgage credit intermediation

A study by the European Federation of Financial Consultants and Intermediaries (FECIF) reveals that credit intermediaries facilitate 57% of mortgage lending in Portugal. This places the country fourth among ten European markets analyzed, trailing only the United Kingdom (87%), Poland (70%), and Slovakia (60%).

In the unsecured consumer credit sector, Portugal ranks fourth as well, with intermediaries accounting for 22% of the market. This is behind Italy (50%), Slovakia (25%), and Hungary (25%).

The report identifies several challenges within the Portuguese market, including excessive reporting requirements, fragmented creditor integration, and a lack of continuous training. Additionally, Portugal and France are noted as the only markets where intermediaries lack direct access to public databases. Despite these hurdles, Portugal, Hungary, and Italy were recognized for making significant progress in process digitalization.