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Research from the lender showed there has been a 57 per cent decline in the number of lenders offering exclusives, equating to an 87 per cent decline in the number of products offered.

Abbey has bucked this trend by expanding its exclusive range to include Countrywide network, taking the total number of intermediary key accounts with access to the exclusives to 12, according to Adrian Whittaker, key accounts director of Abbey for Intermediaries.

Mr Whittaker said: "We are going against the market trend here in a good way. We promised intermediaries we would build our exclusives range to provide them with the products they needed to weather the market and that is exactly what we are doing."

Tony Catt, a sole practitioner for East Sussex-based Tony Catt IFA, said: "This does make a difference.

"It is not so much the availability of exclusive mortgages but the fact many lenders are still offering better deals for those who go direct. It is no wonder Abbey has gained more share of the market when it offers these products for intermediaries."