Remortgaging can save you hundreds of pounds. But there are a lot of things you need to be aware of to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Why should I remortgage?

When you first took out your mortgage, you might have signed up for a really good deal. But over time, the mortgage market changes, and new deals become available. This means there might be a better deal available for you now, which could save you hundreds of pounds. You won’t necessarily have to change lender.

Remember to check if there are any arrangement or product fees on any new mortgages you’re looking at, and if you’re ending your mortgage deal early, any early repayment charges from your existing lender.

These fees can add to the cost of remortgaging and might make remortgaging more expensive than staying on your current deal.

When should I remortgage?

You can remortgage at any time. But if you’re not at the end of your fixed or discount rate term, you might have to pay an early repayment charge.

Most people remortgage when they get to the end of their fixed or discount rate term as this is when your mortgage might stop being a good deal.

Check the costs

Before you switch, be sure to check out the costs. Some lenders might offer fee-free deals to tempt you, but if they don’t, you’ll have legal, valuation and administration costs to pay. You can use the Annual Percentage Rate of Charge (APRC) to help you compare deals.

The APRC is a way of calculating interest rates incorporating some mortgage-related fees in the calculation, giving you a way to compare mortgage deals.

What might look like a money-saving deal could end up losing you money if you don’t do your sums first.

Reducing your loan-to-value to get a better rate

Every mortgage deal has a limit to how much you can borrow when compared with the current value of the property. This is shown as a percentage and is called the ‘loan-to-value’.

When you remortgage, the lower the loan-to-value you need, the more deals might be available to you – which should get you cheaper mortgage deals.

How to calculate your loan-to-value

1. Divide your outstanding mortgage amount by your property’s current value.
2. Multiply the result by 100.

Example

• your outstanding mortgage is £150,000
• your lender thinks your property is worth £200,000
• 150,000 divided by 200,000 = 0.75
• 0.75 x 100 = 75 – so your loan-to-value is 75%.

Remember to check associated fees and costs.

Your lender’s valuation

When you apply for a mortgage, the lender’s valuation might just involve checking the outside of the property from the street.

If you think the valuation is too low – and you’re losing out on a better rate as a result – ask the lender to reconsider.

To support your case, you could provide evidence of the sale price of a few similar properties in your area and, if relevant, list the cost of any home improvements you’ve carried out.

Remortgaging to get a better interest rate

When you take out a new mortgage, you normally get an introductory deal. It’s most likely a low fixed or discounted rate or a low tracker rate for the first few years of your mortgage. Introductory deals normally last for between two and five years.

Once the deal ends, you’ll probably be moved onto your lender’s standard variable rate, which will usually be higher than other rates you might be able to get elsewhere.

So when your introductory period ends, take a look at the market to see if switching to a new mortgage deal will save you money.

If you only have a small amount left to pay off your mortgage the savings from switching might be too low to make it worthwhile

Remortgaging for more flexibility

Remortgaging might also help you to get a more flexible deal – for example if you want to overpay.

Or maybe you want to switch to an offset or current account mortgage, where you use your savings to reduce the amount of interest you pay permanently or temporarily – and have the option to draw your savings back if you need them.

Remortgaging to consolidate debt

If you have a lot of debt, you might be tempted to borrow some extra money and use it to pay off your other debts.

Even though interest rates on mortgages are normally lower than rates on personal loans – and much lower than credit cards – you might end up paying more overall if the loan is over a longer term.

Instead of adding your debt to your mortgage, try to prioritise and clear your loans separately.