How Do I Port My Mortgage to a New Home?
Contact your lender before you move. They'll assess the new property and your affordability. If approved, your existing deal transfers to the new home, avoiding ERCs.
Porting your mortgage lets you keep your current deal when moving home. The process involves: notifying your lender of your intention to port, having the new property valued and approved, passing affordability checks (lenders reassess based on current criteria), and completing legal work to transfer the mortgage. If your new home costs more, you can often borrow additional funds - though these will typically be on a new rate, creating a split mortgage. If your new home costs less, you may need to repay part of the mortgage, potentially triggering some ERCs. Porting isn't guaranteed - your lender can decline if the new property or your circumstances don't meet their criteria.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Porting is subject to lender approval and reassessment.
Key Points
- 1Keep your existing rate and avoid ERCs
- 2New property must meet lender criteria
- 3Fresh affordability assessment required
- 4Can borrow more at a new rate if needed
- 5Downsizing may trigger partial ERCs
- 6Not all mortgages are portable
Eligibility Criteria
- Mortgage must have portability feature
- New property meets lender criteria
- Pass current affordability assessment
- No significant adverse credit changes
- Complete within porting window (usually 3-6 months)
Typical Timeframe
Allow 4-8 weeks for the porting process. Start as soon as your offer on the new property is accepted. You'll need: valuation, affordability check, and conveyancing. Coordinate with your sale and purchase timelines.
Next Steps
- 1Check your mortgage terms for portability
- 2Contact your lender to confirm porting is possible
- 3Get a decision in principle on the new property
- 4Compare porting vs remortgaging to a new deal
- 5Instruct solicitors for the conveyancing
Why This Matters for Your Mortgage
Understanding these details helps you make informed decisions during the mortgage process. Every element of your application—from deposits to documentation—affects your approval chances and the rates you can access.
Lenders assess applications holistically, weighing multiple factors together. Knowing what they look for allows you to present the strongest possible application. This is particularly important for non-standard situations where lender criteria varies significantly.
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Related Questions
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Content reviewed: January 2026
CeMAP awarded by The London Institute of Banking & Finance. Cert CII (MP) awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute.