Answers · UK 2025/26

What does it mean to port my mortgage to a new property?

Porting means transferring your existing mortgage deal, including its current interest rate and terms, to a new property when you move house, avoiding the Early Repayment Charge you would otherwise pay for leaving the deal early -- but you still need to pass a fresh affordability assessment, and if you need to borrow more, the extra amount is usually a separate new deal.

Last updated: 1 July 2026Last reviewed: 1 July 2026How we verify

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Porting lets you take your existing mortgage rate with you when moving home, which can be valuable if you are part-way through a competitive fixed or tracker deal with a significant Early Repayment Charge attached. **How porting avoids the ERC** Normally, repaying your mortgage before the end of a fixed or tracker deal (for example, because you are selling your home) triggers the Early Repayment Charge. Porting effectively closes the old mortgage on the old property and opens a new one on the new property simultaneously, on the SAME rate and remaining term, which most lenders treat as continuing the existing deal rather than a separate early repayment, avoiding the ERC. **You still need to requalify** Porting is not automatic just because you held the original mortgage; the lender reassesses your income, expenditure, credit record, and the new property against their current lending criteria, as if it were a new mortgage application -- if your circumstances have changed (for example, reduced income, new debts, or a lower credit score), you might not pass this fresh assessment even though you have an existing, well-performing mortgage. **Borrowing more alongside a port** If the new property costs more and you need to borrow extra, the additional amount is usually arranged as a separate new sub-mortgage, likely at a different (often less favourable, current market) interest rate, sitting alongside the ported portion at your original rate -- effectively creating two linked parts to your new mortgage. **Worked example** Someone with £150,000 remaining on a competitive fixed rate wants to move to a £250,000 property. They port the £150,000 at their existing rate to the new property, and take a new additional £100,000 mortgage (at current rates) to cover the shortfall, resulting in a blended overall rate across the two portions. **When porting is not possible or worthwhile** Not all mortgages are portable, some lenders only allow it in specific circumstances, and if the ERC on your old deal is small (or your existing rate is no longer competitive against current market rates anyway), it may be simpler and cheaper to just remortgage fresh with a new deal rather than go through the porting process. **Practical tip** Check your mortgage offer or contact your lender early in your house move process to confirm whether your specific deal is portable and to get a fresh affordability assessment done well before you need to complete, since porting delays or rejections can disrupt a house purchase chain.