Take up of fixed-rate mortgages increased further as the interest rate cycle has now reached its floor, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

In April, 69% of borrowers took out fixed rate mortgages with an average rate of 4.83%, the highest share since June 2008.

The CML reported that its members granted 16 per cent more home loans in April than in March, but this is from a still very low base. There were 35,600 house purchase loans in April, compared to an average of 88,000 loans in April over the last seven years.

The number of loans for remortgage continued to decline as low reversion rates and stricter credit criteria for the best deals make refinancing less attractive.

There were 31,000 remortgage loans in April, 22% down on March and 65% down on April last year. Gross mortgage lending in April was £10.5 billion, down from £11.5 billion in March.

But the biggest rise in loans was for house movers, not the vital first-time buyers sector

22,100 loans to home movers worth £3.1 billion, compared with 30,600 loans worth £5 billion in April last year. Lending criteria continued to toughen with a typical home mover putting down a 33% deposit and borrowing 2.63 times their income, compared with 30% and 2.69 in March.

There were 13,500 loans to first-time buyers worth £1.4 billion, compared with 18,800 loans worth £2.4 billion in April 2008. The average first-time buyer had a 25% deposit (unchanged since February) and borrowed 2.96 times their income (2.99 in March). The slowing rate of decline in these measures and the recent introduction of a number of higher loan-to-value products may indicate an easing in criteria in coming months advances.

The cost of servicing new mortgages fell again in April, with first-time buyers typically committing 15% of income to pay their mortgage interest, the lowest proportion since May 2004. And home movers typically spent 11.3% of income on mortgage interest payments, the lowest proportion since November 2003.

CML Head of Research, Bob Pannell said:

"With the interest rate cycle now at its floor, an increasing proportion of borrowers are taking out fixed rates, including for longer term periods of 5-10 years. With expectations for rates to remain low in the near future, shorter term fixed-rate deals are less appealing than attractively priced variable rate deals.

"There are tentative signs of house purchase lending stabilising, but we need to see considerably higher transaction levels to underpin house prices."