Finance glossary
Porting a Mortgage
Also known as: Mortgage porting
In simple terms
Porting means taking your existing mortgage deal with you when you move home, keeping the same interest rate and terms rather than paying to exit and start a new one.
On this page
What does porting mean?
Porting is transferring your existing mortgage product — its interest rate and conditions — from your current home to a new one when you move. Most fixed and tracker deals are “portable”, but porting is not automatic or guaranteed.
It can be useful if you are on a good rate you would lose by remortgaging, or if leaving your deal early would trigger an early repayment charge.
How porting works
Even though you keep the same product, the lender treats it as a fresh application: it reassesses your income, outgoings and credit, and revalues the new property. If your circumstances have worsened, porting can be refused.
If the new home costs more and you need to borrow extra, the additional amount is usually a separate product at current rates, so you can end up with two sub-accounts on different rates ending at the same time.
How could this affect me?
Porting lets you keep a competitive rate and avoid an early repayment charge, which can be valuable if you are mid-way through a fixed deal. But it depends on passing the lender’s checks again.
If you are downsizing and need to borrow less, you may have to pay an early repayment charge on the part you are no longer borrowing — so it does not always avoid charges entirely.
Things to watch out for
- Porting is not guaranteed — you must pass the lender’s affordability and credit checks again.
- Any extra borrowing is usually at current rates, so you can end up juggling two rates at once.
- Downsizing can still trigger an early repayment charge on the amount you no longer need.
Know your rights
- Porting is regulated by the FCA under its MCOB rules, so the lender must reassess affordability and treat you fairly.
- You can complain and escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service if a lender treats you unfairly.
General information, not personal advice
Consumer Credit is an independent information service. We do not provide regulated financial advice or sell financial products. For advice on your own situation, speak to an appropriately authorised firm or a free service such as MoneyHelper. About Consumer Credit.
Sources
We checked this page against these official and authoritative sources.
- MoneyHelper, Porting your mortgage when you move home (opens in a new tab). Accessed 22 Aug 2026.