Self-certification mortgages, which do not require proof of a borrower's earnings, have almost vanished from the market as banks no longer want to lend to customers who have no regular or reliable salaries.

Brokers report that just two providers are still offering these types of loans - The Mortgage Works, the specialist lending arm of Nationwide, and Platform, a division of Britannia. BM Solutions and Bank of Scotland, the HBOS brands that are now part of the Lloyds Banking Group, withdrew from the market last week.