If you want to change your mortgage deal, the way to do this is by remortgaging. You can either change your deal but stay with your current mortgage provider or change to a different mortgage provider altogether.
There are four main reasons for researching potential remortgage deals:
1) If you want to release equity from your property
2) If your introductory mortgage rate is finishing
3) If you have a fixed rate mortgage and could get a better offer with a good remortgage deal due to a lower base rate
4) If your personal financial situation has changed due to life circumstances
Why you should consider remortgage deals:
Depending on the size of your mortgage and the nature of your current mortgage deal, you could be wasting hundreds or even thousands of pounds every year, and a good remortgage deal may be able to save you that money.
Comparing remortgage deals
You can use a remortgage calculator to find out about what remortgage deals are available. There are a number of different factors to consider when comparing deals.
As well as taking into account the interest rates available with other offers, you will need to factor in other fees and charges. Your current mortgage provider may charge exit fees for switching and there may also be setup costs for the new mortgage.
When considering the exit fees and setup fees you will incur, balance this against the savings you will make on the new deal and take everything into account. Many of the cheaper deals only last for two or three years, bear this in mind when calculating your potential savings with the remortgage deal.
Should you choose a short term or long term remortgage deal?
When taking on a new mortgage deal, you need to be honest with yourself about whether you are likely to get around to shopping for the next remortgage deal, once the new deal has come to an end.
If you feel comfortable with the prospect of comparing and changing your deal on a regular basis, it will probably be worth opting for a cheaper mortgage deal which last for just two or three years.
If, however, you cannot see yourself willingly going through the process within five years, you may well be better off choosing a longer term remortgage deal, such as a five year deal, which is likely to provide better value over five years than sticking to the short term deal beyond the cheap period of the offer.
Choosing a longer term remortgage deal will also save you the cost of switching deals which you would incur if you switched again after two or three years, so this can offset the higher monthly payments to some extent.
Stay in the loop
The most important thing is to stay aware of your options and regularly compare remortgage deals, particularly if you get the impression your monthly repayments may be too high compared to the current base rate. Only when you have done your research will you be able to make an informed decision.