The lender said it was making a comeback to this market having experienced some of its busiest months for home purchases in 2020.

Indeed, it revealed, mortgage applications from home buyers peaked in December having hit record levels in the summer and autumn months.

Although it continued offering shared ownership products during the difficult environment following the lockdown and also reintroduced its 85% LTV, Leeds now wants to reaffirm its support for first-time buyers with relaunch of its 90% LTV deals.

It is now returning to whole of market lending at 90% LTV with two new deals – a two-year fixed rate at 3.44% and a five-year fixed rate at 3.50% – launched today (12 January).

Matt Bartle, Leeds Building Society’s director of products, said: “We’re pleased to have been able to continue to support the housing market and our members throughout 2020, particularly in the affordable housing space including Shared Ownership.

“The stamp duty holiday announced in July strengthened the market’s bounceback after the first lockdown and four of our five busiest months ever for purchaser applications were in 2020, including the peak in December.

“July was our busiest-ever month for both Help to Buy (Equity) and Shared Ownership lending, and our Shared Equity lending reached its highest-ever level in September.

“While we’re currently experiencing another lockdown as 2021 has begun, this time around there should be much less impact on the functioning of the housing market as estate and letting agents, and removal companies, can continue to operate.

“These differences to last March’s lockdown – and the strong recovery of the housing market in the latter half of 2020 – gives us grounds for optimism, even though overall economic conditions clearly remain uncertain.

“We keep our products, rates and lending criteria under constant review to ensure we can continue to support customers who are not well-served by the wider market, informed by insight such as the feedback we seek and receive from our intermediary partners.”

The Society’s new 90% LTV deals are available for residential purchase or remortgage but are expected to particularly appeal to first time buyers. Both include the additional incentive of a free valuation.

Each has a £999 product fee and for standard remortgages includes fee-assisted legal services.