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Guide

How to remortgage: compare deals, fees and affordability checks

By TheFinanceBase Team 11 min read

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Remortgaging replaces your existing mortgage with a new deal, usually with a different lender, while you stay in the same home. Start comparing about six months before your current deal ends, then judge each option by its total cost, eligibility and flexibility—not its initial rate alone.

What remortgaging means

A remortgage is a new mortgage used to repay your current mortgage on the same property. In the usual case, the new loan is with a different lender. Your home does not change; the lender and mortgage contract do.

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A product transfer is different: you take a new rate or product offered by your existing lender. It can involve less paperwork than moving lender, but it is still a financial decision. Compare both routes rather than assuming that staying or switching is automatically cheaper.

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Rates, fees, property values and underwriting rules change. The figures below explain how to compare offers, not what a particular borrower will be offered. Use the lender’s current illustration and your own redemption statement before applying.

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When to start: the six-month window

MoneyHelper recommends reviewing options up to six months before your current deal ends. Starting early gives you time to obtain a redemption statement, check whether an early repayment charge applies, compare a product transfer with external offers and complete an application before the existing rate expires.

Some lenders let you secure a future rate well in advance, but the exact reservation period and conditions depend on the lender. Under the Mortgage Charter, participating lenders can allow eligible customers to book a new rate up to six months ahead and switch to a new deal with the same lender without a fresh affordability check. That is a specific Charter option, not a universal rule for every lender or every remortgage.

How to compare remortgage deals

Build a like-for-like comparison for the period you expect to keep the deal. Record the initial rate, monthly payment, fees, exit costs and features for every option. A lower rate can still be more expensive once fees and the cost of leaving your current mortgage are included.

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Interest rate and monthly payment

Check whether the quoted rate is fixed, tracker, discounted variable or another product type; how long the initial period lasts; and what rate applies afterwards. Compare the payment during the initial period and the lender’s illustration of the later payment. A low introductory payment is not evidence of a low lifetime cost.

Product or arrangement fee

Identify the product fee and whether it must be paid upfront or can be added to the mortgage. Adding a fee means borrowing more, so you pay interest on it. Compare the total balance and total cost under both treatments rather than looking only at the monthly payment.

Early repayment and exit charges

Ask your current lender for a redemption statement showing the balance, any early repayment charge (ERC), daily interest and administration or exit fees on the date you plan to leave. An ERC can remove the saving from a cheaper deal if you switch before the current initial period ends. Check whether the charge falls on a known date and whether your existing deal has a penalty-free overpayment allowance that could alter the balance.

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Switching costs and incentives

List legal work, valuation, administration and transfer costs. A new lender may pay some of these or offer cashback, but treat each incentive as a term of the offer: check its amount, payment date and any conditions. Compare the net switching cost after genuine lender contributions, not a headline cashback figure in isolation.

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APRC and total cost

APRC (annual percentage rate of charge) incorporates interest, fees and other specified charges over the full mortgage term. It is a useful common measure, but it assumes the mortgage is kept for that term. If you expect to refinance, move home or repay early, also calculate the cost over the period you actually expect to keep the deal, including the likely exit charge.

Eligibility and affordability

A cheaper illustration helps only if you qualify. Lenders assess income, outgoings, loan size, property and their own criteria. They may test whether you could cope with a higher interest rate or a change in household circumstances. Ask what evidence is required before you rely on an advertised rate.

Flexibility

Compare permitted overpayments, charges for early exit, portability if you may move and restrictions on changing the term. A slightly higher-cost deal may suit a borrower who expects to make large overpayments or move before the initial period ends.

Product transfer or a new lender?

Route What it involves Checks and costs to investigate
Product transfer A new deal with your current lender on the same property Check the lender’s available rates, product fee, term, features and whether an affordability assessment is required
External remortgage A new lender repays the existing mortgage and registers its own charge Compare ERC and exit costs, legal and valuation arrangements, lender criteria, income evidence and the full application timetable

Do not assume a product transfer is always available without checks, or that an external remortgage always requires the same assessment. The Mortgage Charter’s no-fresh-check arrangement applies only where the participating lender and customer meet its conditions. A new-lender application remains subject to responsible lending and the receiving lender’s criteria.

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Worked example: why the lowest rate may not be cheapest

MoneyHelper’s illustration uses a £200,000 mortgage over 20 years and assumes the interest rate stays the same throughout. It is not a live market quote. The figures show how a fee can change the result:

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Illustrative deal Rate Arrangement fee Monthly payment Total cost Total interest
Current deal 5% £0 £1,320 £316,876 £116,876
Option A 4.5% £0 £1,256 £303,572 £103,572
Option B 4.4% £2,000 added £1,267 £304,102 £102,102

In this illustration, Option B has the lowest rate and the lowest interest figure, but its £2,000 fee makes its total cost higher than the no-fee 4.5% option. Your result will differ with the balance, term, fee treatment and time you keep the deal.

Affordability checks and the FCA’s modified assessment

For an external remortgage, the new lender generally reviews affordability. Expect questions about salary or other income, regular spending, debts, dependants, childcare, pension commitments and changes that could affect your budget. You may need payslips, accounts or tax documents, bank statements and evidence of benefits or other income.

MoneyHelper says lenders consider whether borrowers could manage a higher rate and household changes. Prepare a realistic budget using actual recent spending; underestimating bills can cause an application to fail or produce an unsustainable payment.

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FCA policy statement PS25/11 extends a modified affordability assessment to qualifying new-lender mortgage contracts that are more affordable than either the customer’s current mortgage or a product available from the existing lender. The qualification matters: this is not an automatic exemption from affordability checks. Firms must still lend responsibly and meet Consumer Duty obligations, and the individual lender decides whether its criteria are met.

Ask the lender or adviser which assessment is being used, what evidence is needed and whether the proposed payment is tested against a higher rate. Do not cancel your existing deal or commit to an ERC until you know the new application is acceptable.

Step-by-step: how to remortgage

  1. Mark the key dates. Record the end of your initial rate, the date any ERC expires or reduces, and the earliest date a new deal can start without a penalty.
  2. Request a redemption statement. Ask your current lender for the balance, daily interest, ERC and administration or exit charges for your intended completion date. Confirm whether the balance changes before completion.
  3. Gather financial evidence. Collect income proof, recent bank statements, details of debts and regular spending, identification and property information. Self-employed applicants should ask early which accounts or tax documents are required.
  4. Check your property and borrowing position. Estimate the current value conservatively and calculate the loan-to-value ratio. Include any planned borrowing, such as a further advance, in the comparison because it changes affordability and pricing.
  5. Obtain a current-lender quote. Ask for every available product transfer, including fee, term, overpayment rules, payment and the date the rate can be reserved. Check whether a Charter option applies to you.
  6. Compare external offers. Use lender illustrations or a regulated adviser to compare rate, payment, APRC, total cost for your expected holding period, fees, ERC, incentives and flexibility. Keep assumptions identical across the options.
  7. Check the affordability route before applying. Confirm whether the lender will carry out a full or modified assessment, what evidence it needs and whether the payment remains manageable if rates or household costs change.
  8. Submit one well-prepared application. Ensure the income, expenditure and property details match your documents. Multiple unnecessary applications can create hard searches or wasted fees, so resolve obvious eligibility questions first.
  9. Review the formal offer. Compare the offer with the illustration: rate, fee, term, payment, ERC, overpayment allowance, portability, legal arrangements and any cashback conditions. Do not rely on a comparison result that omits the legal or redemption costs.
  10. Complete and check the old loan is closed. Your solicitor or the lender’s legal team handles the redemption and registration where applicable. Confirm the old mortgage has been repaid, the final interest is correct and the new direct debit starts at the agreed amount.

Calculate the cost over the period you will keep the deal

For a practical comparison, add the payments during your expected holding period, the product fee, unreimbursed legal, valuation and administration costs, and any ERC or exit cost. Subtract cashback or lender-paid costs only where the offer confirms them. If a fee is added to the loan, include the extra interest created by borrowing it.

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Then compare the balance outstanding at the end of that period. Two deals can have similar payments but leave different balances because of the rate, term, fee financing or repayment structure. APRC adds a full-term perspective; your holding-period calculation prevents a full-term assumption from deciding a short-term choice.

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Documents and information to prepare

  • Proof of identity and address.
  • Recent payslips and evidence of bonuses, overtime or other income where relevant.
  • Accounts, tax calculations or other documents requested from self-employed applicants.
  • Bank statements and a complete list of regular household spending.
  • Details of credit cards, loans, hire purchase, maintenance and other commitments.
  • Current mortgage statement, redemption figure and product-transfer quote.
  • Property address, tenure and information about lease, service charges or ground rent where applicable.

The exact list varies by lender and borrower. Supplying incomplete or inconsistent information can delay underwriting, so ask for the lender’s checklist at the start.

When a regulated adviser can help

A regulated mortgage adviser can search lenders, assess likely fit with lending and affordability criteria, help with paperwork and compare features beyond the interest rate. This can be useful when income is variable, the property is unusual, the loan-to-value ratio is high or you are weighing a product transfer against an external application.

Ask how the adviser is paid. Remuneration can be a customer fee, lender commission or both. Confirm the scope of the service, any fee if the application does not complete and the adviser’s FCA registration before proceeding. A whole-of-market claim should be explained in plain terms, including any lenders or products outside the search.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Waiting until the current deal ends

Leaving the decision until the final weeks can force you onto the lender’s reversion rate or leave too little time for underwriting and legal work. Start the review up to six months ahead and track the rate-reservation and completion dates.

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Choosing by rate alone

A headline rate excludes the effect of fees, ERCs and switching costs. Use the MoneyHelper-style total-cost comparison and include the balance remaining when you expect to refinance or move.

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Ignoring the ERC

Obtain a dated redemption statement. The charge may make an early switch uneconomic even when the new monthly payment looks lower.

Assuming no affordability check

The Charter and the FCA modified assessment have conditions. A product transfer with a participating lender may qualify for a no-fresh-check route, while a new-lender application may still require evidence and responsible-lending assessment. Confirm the route rather than relying on a general promise.

Adding every fee to the loan

Financing a fee increases the balance and can increase interest. Compare upfront payment with added borrowing using the same term and expected holding period.

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Overlooking flexibility

Check overpayment limits, portability and early-exit charges if your plans could change. A deal that is cheapest for a borrower who stays put may be poor value for someone planning to move.

Relying on an old illustration

Rates, products, criteria and property valuations change. Recheck the lender’s current illustration, the validity date and every cost before accepting an offer.

Decision checklist

  • Have you started at least several months before the current deal ends?
  • Do you know the exact balance, ERC, exit charge and date the penalty changes?
  • Have you obtained a product-transfer quote from the current lender?
  • Have you compared external offers using the same term, balance and holding period?
  • Are product fees, legal, valuation, administration and cashback terms recorded?
  • Have you checked APRC as well as the cost over your expected period?
  • Do you understand whether the lender will use a full or qualifying modified affordability assessment?
  • Can you evidence income and explain all regular outgoings?
  • Do the overpayment, portability and early-exit terms match your plans?
  • Have you read the formal offer and confirmed the old mortgage will be redeemed correctly?

What the Mortgage Charter does—and does not—change

The Charter is intended to give eligible borrowers with participating lenders more time and a simpler route to a future deal. HM Treasury’s 26 March 2026 announcement says customers can book a rate up to six months ahead and switch to a new deal with their existing lender without a fresh affordability check where the Charter conditions apply.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “In uncertain times, people need clear reassurance and practical help. That’s why I’ve brought the biggest lenders together to step up mortgage support and make sure anyone who is worried can access the Mortgage Charter options quickly, without their credit score being affected.”

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The announcement concerns participating lenders and an existing-lender switch. It does not guarantee a particular rate, remove every eligibility condition or describe the process for every external remortgage. Check your lender’s current Charter information and formal offer.

Making the final choice

Choose the option that remains affordable and gives the best value for your expected holding period after fees and exit costs. A product transfer may win when its simplicity and low switching cost outweigh a small rate difference; an external remortgage may win when the saving survives the ERC, legal costs and application requirements. Keep the calculations, redemption statement and formal illustration together so the decision can be checked before you commit.

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