Porting lets you apply to keep an existing mortgage deal when you move home. Your old loan is repaid and a new loan is secured on the property you buy. A portable deal is not a promise that the lender will approve your move.
This guide is for homeowners moving their main home. If you are staying in your property and only changing the rate, see our product-transfer guide. For other changes without moving, see changing your mortgage with the same lender.
Start with the portability wording in your mortgage offer. Then ask your lender what checks apply to the proposed move. The amount, mortgage term, borrowers and property can all affect the assessment. Do not assume that the process is identical to a rate switch on your current home.
The lender must accept the new property. Flag a short lease, unusual construction or intended change of use early, so these can be considered before you incur further costs. A valuation for the lender is not a substitute for your own survey.
If you need additional borrowing, ask what rate, fees and deal end date would apply to that part. It may sit alongside the ported amount on a separate product with your existing lender. Compare the combined payments and costs. Do not plan on porting one part and simply arranging the rest as a standard mortgage with another lender.
When borrowing less, an early repayment charge may apply to the amount you repay rather than port. Ask how any unused overpayment allowance affects the calculation. Buying a cheaper home does not automatically mean you can keep the same loan: the new property value and available equity still matter.
Work out the deposit available after repaying your current mortgage and allowing for moving costs. If the sale proceeds will not cover the mortgage balance, raise that shortfall with the lender before committing to a purchase.
It can, but the answer depends on your mortgage terms and the move. Obtain a written calculation for your proposed borrowing and completion dates. Do not rely on a general statement that porting is free.
If you sell before buying, you may have to pay an early repayment charge first. A later refund can depend on completing the new mortgage within the lender’s deadline and satisfying its conditions. Confirm both the deadline and refund arrangements before selling; a refund is not guaranteed.
Tell your adviser what has changed since your existing mortgage was arranged: employment, self-employed income, household spending, credit commitments or immigration status. Keeping the same lender does not guarantee that the new application will be accepted.
If you now have EU Settlement Scheme settled status, identify that accurately rather than describing it as British citizenship. Settled status and pre-settled status are different. The scheme also covers some eligible family members who are not EU citizens. Your current status should be considered alongside the other application details; it does not guarantee approval.
Our settled-status mortgage guide covers the wider questions. For the move itself, ask which current evidence the lender needs and use the agreed secure document process. Seek qualified immigration advice if you are unsure of your status or rights.
If you have become self-employed, do not assume your previous payslips will be sufficient. Discuss your available accounts and tax records; the evidence and trading history required depend on the lender and assessment. See our self-employed mortgage guidance.
Explain any proposed addition or removal of a borrower at the start. Ask whether the lender can combine it with porting and what consent, assessment and legal work are required. For joint applicants, provide each person’s current circumstances, including their income and immigration status where relevant.
A private agreement between partners does not itself release someone from mortgage liability. Separation, ownership shares and any payment between owners also need appropriate legal advice. Our joint mortgage guide explains the broader borrowing considerations.
Ask for a comparison based on the same borrowing needs and a clearly stated period. Include the ported rate, any extra borrowing, product fees, early repayment charges and the mortgage balance remaining at the end of that period. A lower monthly payment alone does not establish that one option costs less.
Check when each rate ends and what happens afterwards. If porting is declined, establish the reason before making another application. A different lender may assess the case differently, but another approval is not assured. A mortgage to buy your next home should not be confused with remortgaging a property you are keeping.
Request a tailored document list before gathering sensitive records. Check the mortgage offer conditions and expiry date with your adviser, and coordinate the sale and purchase through your conveyancer before making binding commitments. Budget separately for legal work, surveys, applicable property transaction taxes and other moving expenses.
Request a mortgage conversation whether you are exploring a move or need help understanding a porting decline. Start with your lender, approximate figures and what you want to change. Do not put identity documents, bank statements or immigration evidence into an initial enquiry.
We will confirm the help available for your case, including any steps that need to be handled directly by your lender. Fees will be agreed before chargeable work; we may also receive lender commission. Read our terms of business.
Guidance checked on 7 September 2026. Sources: Nationwide’s porting explanation, its porting criteria, Halifax’s moving-home guidance and GOV.UK’s EU Settlement Scheme information. Lender examples are not universal rules or confirmation of Count Ready’s access to those lenders. Policies can change.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
No. Portability is a feature of the deal, not approval of your next purchase. Ask the lender to assess your proposed property and borrowing needs before you rely on keeping the rate.
Settled status does not itself guarantee a porting application. Tell your adviser your current status and any changes since the original mortgage. The lender’s requirements for the move and your wider circumstances still matter.
Not necessarily. The amount borrowed, mortgage term, repayment method and any additional borrowing can change the total payment. Request figures for the complete proposed mortgage rather than looking only at the retained rate.
Ask your lender before committing to a gap. You may need to pay an early repayment charge when the old mortgage is repaid. Keeping the deal and receiving a later refund depend on the lender’s deadlines and conditions.
It depends on your lender and proposed application. Ask whether the repayment method can continue and what evidence of the capital repayment plan is needed, particularly if you also want to borrow more.
There is no single completion time. The lender’s assessment, valuation, legal work and property chain all affect the schedule. Confirm the offer expiry date and any porting deadline, and tell your adviser promptly if the move is delayed.
