Your payment stays the same during the fixed period
The main change comes at the end of the fixed or discounted period. That is the point where the next rate decision starts to matter.
Mortgage Deal Ending
What to do before your current mortgage deal runs out
Plan the next step before your rate changes: check the end date, compare staying with your lender against switching away, and act early if the next payment could be difficult.
Six-month planning windowStay or switch optionsMortgage Charter support
If You Do Nothing
Many borrowers move onto the lender's SVR when the current deal ends.
Start Early
Around six months out is usually a sensible point to begin comparing the next deal.
Support
Borrowers who are up to date with payments may be able to lock in early or ask about temporary payment support.
What Changes
What usually happens when a mortgage deal ends
The key questions are simple: what changes at expiry, when you can start acting, and where the main risk sits if you leave it too late.
If you do nothing, you usually move onto the lender's SVR
If you take no action, you will often move onto your lender's standard variable rate. That is usually the first risk to deal with.
You do not need to wait for the last reminder letter
You can usually start talking to your lender around six months before the current deal ends. That gives you more room to compare a same-lender switch with a full remortgage.
Offer timing matters
A new offer still needs time for underwriting and, in some cases, valuation or legal work. Leaving everything to the final days makes the process harder than it needs to be.
Route Choice
Move from the deadline to the correct calculator or lender route
A deal-ending search starts with timing, but the next step depends on whether the decision is rate structure, switching cost, same-lender retention or payment support.
Calculate the switch window
Move to the remortgage calculator when the question is whether to leave early, wait until expiry or compare a fallback rate with a replacement deal.
Calculate the switch window →Check fixed, tracker and SVR structure
Move to the interest-rate planner when the question is how the next rate type changes payment risk.
Check fixed, tracker and SVR structure →Compare lender routes
Move to the lender hub when the question is whether staying with the current lender is simpler or whether a new lender route is worth the extra process.
Compare lender routes →Read the remortgaging process guide
Move to the guide when the question is documents, valuation, legal work, adviser checks or same-lender versus switch-lender process.
Read the remortgaging process guide →Six-Month Plan
A practical order for handling the end of a deal
The aim is to keep the timing, product choice and support options in the right order.
- 1
Six months out: confirm the end date and ask what routes are open
A good starting point is around six months before the current deal ends. Begin with the end date, then compare the routes for staying with your lender and moving elsewhere.
- 2
Compare the structure of the next deal, not just the rate
Check the rate type, product fee, APRC and any exit costs from the current mortgage. A lower headline rate is not enough on its own.
- 3
Apply early enough for underwriting and any legal work
Mortgage offers often take a few weeks after a full application, so leaving everything until the final days adds avoidable pressure to underwriting, valuation and legal work.
- 4
If the new payment looks difficult, ask for support before you miss one
Borrowers who are up to date with payments may be able to ask signatory lenders about locking in a deal early, a temporary switch to interest-only or a term extension. Asking about those routes should not damage your credit score on its own.
Stay Or Switch
Staying with your lender and moving to a new lender are different decisions
One route may be simpler. The other may open up a wider range of products. It helps to compare both on purpose.
Stay with your current lender
- If the lender, property and loan amount are all staying the same, the job is often closer to a product transfer than a full restart.
- The switch may be possible by phone or online, depending on the lender.
- The trade-off is that you are only comparing that lender\'s available products, so the simpler route is not automatically the cheaper one.
Switch to a different lender
- You should expect a fuller affordability check and a fresh review of your documents.
- The property may need to be valued again.
- Legal, valuation and administration costs can all affect the real value of switching, so total cost matters as much as the headline rate.
Support Options
If the next payment feels too high, act before the payment date
Borrowers under pressure need two things quickly: a clear view of the support options and a safe way to check who they are dealing with.
Mortgage Charter options may help
Borrowers who are up to date with payments at signatory lenders may be able to lock in a deal early and ask about temporary options such as a six-month switch to interest-only or a term extension.
Simply asking for help should not hurt your credit score
Asking about Mortgage Charter support should not affect your credit score on its own. That removes one common reason people delay the conversation.
Check the firm before you pay for advice
Use the FCA Firm Checker or the Financial Services Register to confirm that the firm is authorised and that the contact details match before you proceed.
Next Steps
The next pages to use after this
Once the deadline, route choice and support options are clear, these tools help you work through the numbers.
Remortgage Calculator
Compare the switch-or-wait decision once the expiry date and fallback rate are visible.
Remortgaging Guide
Read the full guide to staying with your lender, switching, fees and adviser checks.
Interest Rates Guide
Compare fixed, tracker, discount and SVR structures in a clearer step-by-step guide.
Fees Planner
Check product fees, legal work and total switching costs before assuming a lower rate wins.
Lender Hub
Compare same-lender retention routes, switch-lender options and lender-specific fee questions.
Stress-Test Planner
Model the monthly-payment impact if the next rate is materially higher than the current one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when my mortgage deal ends if I do nothing?
Many borrowers move onto their lender's standard variable rate if they take no action when the fixed or discounted period ends.
When should I start looking at the next deal?
A useful starting point is around six months before the current deal ends, especially if you want time to compare a same-lender switch with a full remortgage.
How long can a mortgage offer last?
Offer timing varies by lender and product, so it helps to start early enough for underwriting and any legal work instead of relying on a last-minute switch.
Is staying with my lender simpler than switching lender?
Usually, yes. Staying with your current lender can be a simpler product-transfer decision, while switching lender often means a fuller application and extra costs.
How do I check whether a mortgage adviser is authorised?
Use the FCA Firm Checker or the Financial Services Register before paying for regulated mortgage advice or brokerage.