Is it worth playing the waiting game in the hope of a better mortgage deal?

As costs rose yet again last week, with a warning to expect 5%-plus fixed rates, we look at the options for homebuyers

Would-be and existing homeowners, looking for some sense of certainty in the mortgage market, have been left bitterly disappointed.

Last week's UK inflation figures, which showed a slower-than-expected decrease, have sparked expectations that the Bank of England will raise interest rates above 5% by the end of the year - meaning that those borrowing to buy, or renewing their mortgage, soon will face significant cost increases.