Last reviewed on 6th September 2023 by Martin Alexander (Mortgage Advisor)

A remortgage can have a number of benefits, such as reducing your mortgage rate or withdrawing equity. But, how much does it cost to remortgage and what are the fees involved?

The cost of a remortgage largely depends on your reasons for remortgaging. Maybe you want to renovate your home or treat yourself to a holiday. Well, a remortgage could be the answer only if the fees and costs make financial sense.

If you’ve decided to remortgage you’ve perhaps tried calculating the costs of doing so and whether or not it’s a viable option. Calculating the cost of a remortgage can be a demanding task so we’ve decided to write this article to help you through it.

We’ll cover everything from remortgage fees, surveyor fees, legal fees and how to get the best rate. You can also contact our advisors at any time with your mortgage questions.

What fees will I be charged to remortgage?

The fees you can be charged for a remortgage include:

• Lender arrangement fees
• Booking fees
• Survey/valuation fees
• Early repayment charges
• Solicitor fees
• Mortgage broker fees

Fees payable to your broker will usually depend on the broker and the mortgage they’ve sourced, along with your own individual circumstances. Solicitor fees will vary, but some remortgage deals will include free legal work as part of the mortgage. We’ll discuss this in more depth further into the article.

Each lender will always have numerous mortgage deals on offer. Furthermore, each mortgage deal will have different costs attached. Let’s take a look at each cost in more detail.

How much does it cost to remortgage?

To get a new mortgage, there are costs to be aware of:

Fee	Description	Average Cost
Product fees	Lenders charge product fees on deals that usually have the best rates. This is so that lenders can recover some of the cost they’ll lose on the interest rate in the form of a fee.	Around £1000-£2000 but this can be more or less depending on the deal.
Booking fee	This is charged at the time of application, similar to a reservation fee. For instance, if you select a deal, you may be required to pay a booking fee to reserve the deal. Booking fees are typically non-refundable if you change your mind at a later date.	Between £100-£200
Valuation fee	Your property will need to be valued by lenders. This is so they can make a decision on whether the mortgage you’ve applied for is suitable and to calculate equity.	Around £200-£300, although some lenders include this for free as part of their package.
Legal fees	Legal fees are charged as the title deeds of the property need to be updated. Conveyancers are legally able to do this and ensure the mortgage meets legal requirements.	£300 on average, but some lenders will offer this for free as part of the deal.
Early repayment charge (ERC)	If your mortgage is yet to expire, you may be liable to pay an ERC to your current lender. If you’re unsure, check the terms and conditions of your existing deal or speak to your lender.	Between 1-5% of your existing loan. Some lenders may have a flat fee which can exceed £5000
Exit fee	Your existing lender may charge you an exit fee to switch your mortgage to a different lender.	Around £50-£100

What is a lender arrangement fee?

An arrangement fee is payable to your lender for arranging a mortgage. Some lenders will have little or no arrangement fees whatsoever, whereas some lenders will charge arrangement fees in excess of £1000. Arrangement fees will either be a fixed amount or based on a percentage of your mortgage.

Why would you pay an arrangement fee of £1000 if you can remortgage with a different lender that doesn’t have arrangement fees? The reason is simple. The best remortgage deals typically have arrangement fees attached to them. You can add the fee to your mortgage, but you will pay interest on this in addition to your mortgage. As a result, it often makes financial sense to clear this fee upfront.

Lenders can also charge booking fees, but they’re usually quite small in comparison with other fees. Booking fees don’t tend to exceed £150 and can be as little as £20. In other words, a booking fee is a type of administration charge.

Mortgage lenders are ultimately running a business, so they will charge borrowers for the privilege of a low interest rate. To minimise your remortgage fees, you’ll have to calculate the overall cost of entering into a remortgage.

It’s impossible to say whether or not deals with or without arrangement fees will save you money without assessing each mortgage and calculating your overall cost. If you’re struggling to do this, our advisors can help. You can also use our remortgage calculator here.

Do I need a survey to remortgage?

Your lender may carry out a survey of the property you wish to remortgage. Whether or not a formal survey is carried out, lenders need to be sure that your property offers adequate security. Lenders also need to be sure that the remortgage amount meets the actual market value of the property.

Some lenders may offer free valuations as part of the deal, whereas other lenders will charge a survey fee. It’s important to note that you won’t be able to select your own surveyor for remortgage purposes.

Remortgage valuation fees are typically no more than £500. That being said, survey costs will depend on the size of the loan, in addition to the remortgage deal you’ve selected.

What is an early repayment charge?

Early repayment charges (ERC) may be charged if you choose to remortgage earlier than your lender has agreed. For instance, each mortgage will typically have introductory periods of 2, 3 or 5 years.

Once the initial period has passed, a remortgage should be free of early redemption charges. Nonetheless, if you remortgage earlier than agreed, you may leave yourself open to early repayment fees.

It’s crucial to check whether or not your current deal has an early repayment charge. You can then calculate the amount and assess whether or not it’s viable to take an early remortgage. You may find that it makes financial sense to perhaps wait until you’re able to remortgage without having to pay early repayment charges.

The cost of an ERC will vary. Each mortgage will have unique terms, including the fees for redeeming your mortgage early. You can usually find the exact figure in your Key Facts Illustration (KFI). Some lenders base the fee on a percentage of the loan amount, whereas other lenders have a fixed fee.

If you hope to remortgage, but you’re unsure of whether or not you’ll be charged an early repayment fee, you can ask an advisor for help.

Read more: Can I remortgage early?

Do I need to pay legal fees for a remortgage?

You may remember that when you first purchased your home, you instructed solicitors to carry out the conveyancing. Although you’re not purchasing the property again, solicitors will still need to carry out the legal work in relation to your remortgage.

The legal work required for a remortgage is largely on behalf of the lenders involved with the transaction. This is because the initial charge from your first lender needs to be removed from the property title and replaced with a charge from your new lender.

The amount of legal work involved is a lot less when compared to purchasing a property from scratch. This is reflected in the fees charged by solicitors for a remortgage. As a result, legal fees are typically lower when compared to new purchases. Some lenders will offer you free legal work as part of the remortgage deal, whereas other lenders will charge.

You can also instruct your own solicitor to carry out the legal work on your behalf. Legal fees charged by a lender often tend to be lower than if you were to use your own solicitor That being said, you may also notice a difference in the level of service you receive.

Some lenders also offer cashback incentives if you decide to use your own solicitor. This can be quite useful as the cashback can then be used to cover some of the remortgage fees. Legal fees will vary and will start from £0 but can go up to £400, possibly more depending on the value and tenure of the property.

Some solicitors may also charge more if you’re withdrawing equity from the remortgage or changing your mortgage from residential to buy to let.

Mortgage broker fees for a remortgage

If you use a mortgage broker to find you the best remortgage deal possible, then brokers will charge you a fee for their time and expertise. Selecting the right deal can save you hundreds, if not thousands of pounds over the duration of your mortgage term.

Brokers can also do all of the number crunching for you. Doing so can ensure that you’re getting the best remortgage possible. You can make an enquiry with an advisor for more information. We also have specialist advisors available if you have bad credit or your income isn’t well documented.