UK-based mortgage lenders are not likely to offer customers extra incentives in a bid to attract new business.

That is the opinion of Moneyfacts, which has suggested that the decrease in available products as a result of the credit crunch and the looming prospect of a recession means that banks are unlikely to "offer extra perks to entice customers".

"Within the mortgage market [perks] are few and far between," commented head of mortgages Darren Cook. "If you look at the mortgage in its entirety, you need to look at whether that product is suitable for the individual."

However, Mr Cook noted that this was also the case last year when the market was booming.

He commented: "We didn''t see many [incentives] come in over the last 18 months, when the mortgage market was at the peak of a wave [and] banks were up against each other to try to get new business."

According to the independent financial advice service, there were 7,931 mortgage products available at the start of 2008, but this figure had dropped to just 3,906 by the end of last month.