The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) reported recently on UK lending in March 2015, and the first quarter of 2015, broken down by trends to first-time buyers, home movers, re-mortgaging and buy-to-let.

The total number of loans advanced to first-time buyers in March was 23,000 - up 20% on February but 5% down compared to March 2014. However, first-time buyers borrowed £3.4bn, which was up 21% on February and 3% up on March last year.

The big growth story though was for BTL loans, of which there were 18,200 in March - up 12% on the previous month and up 21% compared to March 2014. These loans were worth £2.7bn, up 13% compared to February and up 35% compared to March 2014.

Looking at the quarterly date for BTL loans, 52,300 were advanced in Q1 - down 3% on the previous quarter but up 15% on the same period in 2014. These loans were worth £7.8bn in value, up 28% on the first quarter of 2014. Whichever way you slice it, BTL lending is soaring.

Paul Smee, director general at the CML, commented: "It was a slow start to activity in the first couple of months of 2015 but the market started to get out of the dip in March, a trend that we think will continue as the year goes on."