Moving home mortgages
Running out of room? Thinking of downsizing?
Wherever your next move takes you, we’ve got the right mortgage for your plans.
Why get an Agreement in Principle?
- Get an answer in around 15 minutes
Just answer a few simple questions online and we'll show you how much you could borrow. - No impact on your credit score
So you can try a few different scenarios to find your ideal mortgage, without affecting your credit rating. - It doesn't tie you into taking a mortgage with us
Even if we give you an AIP, you’re free to choose a mortgage that’s best for you and your needs.
You could lose your home if you don’t keep up your mortgage repayments
Already a Halifax customer?
If you already have a Halifax mortgage and are thinking about moving home, you might be able to take your current deal with you. It could save you money as you won’t need to pay any Early Repayment Charges.
Your Mortgage Adviser can explain more about moving your current deal during your appointment.
- Mortgages with deposits from just 5%
The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme could get you on the property ladder with just a 5% deposit.
- We're here to give you a hand
Need some help? Talk to us on the phone, by video call or come and see us in branch.
- We'll help you to save money
We'll show you how to save money by overpaying up to 10% of your mortgage balance each year, with no charges.
What happens after I book an appointment?
When you're ready to take your next step, here are a few things you'll want to think about:
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If you'd like some expert guidance with your application, our Mortgage Advisers are ready to help. You can choose to talk to us on the phone or by video call. If you'd rather talk to us in person, you can book an appointment at your nearest branch.
The average appointment time is 2 hours. If you’re applying with someone else, please choose a date and time when you're both available.
To talk to us by video call or over the phone, please call us on 0345 850 0248.
Our lines are open Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm and Saturday 9am - 4pm. We're closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Find out more about booking a branch appointment >
Before you speak to us, it will help if you can get some documents and details together. This helps to save time and means we can spend more of your appointment trying to find the right deal for your needs.
Please make sure you have the following ready:
- Documents to prove your income, such as pay slips, recent bank statements and details of any financial commitments.
- Proof of your identity, such as your passport, driving license and utility bills.
- Details of the property you want to buy.
- Details of any existing home, life or critical illness insurance policies you already have.
Your Mortgage Adviser will:
- Review your income and commitments.
- Ask about your needs and circumstances and recommend our most suitable mortgages.
- Give you an illustration which sets out the total cost and terms of the mortgage.
- Carry out background checks with a Credit Reference Agency.
- Talk to you about valuation schemes and explain your options.
- Help you to find the right insurance and protection for your needs, such as home insurance and Life Cover.
We'll also arrange for the property to be valued. This is to make sure the property is worth the amount you've asked to borrow.
In Scotland, sellers must provide a Home Report which includes a survey, Energy Performance Certificate and Property Questionnaire.
When we've checked all your details and documents and are happy that everything is okay, we’ll send you a mortgage offer in the post.
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The legal side of buying and selling a property can be carried out by either a solicitor or licensed conveyancer. They’ll check who owns the property you want to buy, what’s included in the sale and whether there are any clauses in the property’s deeds you or your lender need to be aware of. In Scotland your solicitor will also put in your offer and negotiate for you.
You'll need to:
- Ask them for an estimate of costs, including any legal fees and tax.
- Ask them to explain anything in your mortgage offer that you don’t understand.
- Ask them to confirm if any Stamp Duty Land Tax (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in Scotland) charges are payable.
- Tell them if you’ve agreed for any items such as curtains, carpets or kitchen appliances to be included in the sale.
- Make sure you read any documents your conveyancer sends you very carefully.
Who's involved:
- You and the seller.
- The seller’s estate agent.
- Conveyancers acting for each party.
- Your lender.
You can use the Halifax Conveyancing Service to compare quotes from our approved panel of up to 200 conveyancing professionals. You can review the quotes and choose a conveyancer based on what matters most to you - the price, the firm's service rating or their location.
Get a quote for your legal costs >
Alternatively, you can appoint your own conveyancer, or your Halifax Mortgage Adviser can arrange one during your mortgage appointment, using the Halifax Conveyancing Service.
All conveyancers instructed through the Halifax Conveyancing Service offer a 'no completion, no legal fee' guarantee, so you'll have nothing to pay for the legal work done if the purchase falls through.
Although there will be no legal fees if the purchase falls through, if the conveyancer has made payments to third parties on your behalf, such as fees for searches, you will need to make a payment to cover these charges.
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On average, it takes around 2 - 3 months from appointing your conveyancer to exchanging contracts.
When you’ve read all the documents, your conveyancer will ask you if you’re happy to proceed with the purchase. They'll then ask you to sign the contract. When everyone is ready, contracts will be exchanged, usually by phone, to form a binding legal agreement to buy and sell.
Before exchanging contracts, you’ll need to:
- Transfer the deposit to your conveyancer’s account.
- Sign the contract to buy the property sent to you by your conveyancer. In Scotland you exchange 'missives', which are a series of letters sent between solicitors and their clients.
- Tell your conveyancer the date that you'd like to complete the process by.
Who’s involved:
- Conveyancers acting for both parties.
Once you’ve exchanged contracts (or in Scotland when you've concluded missives) you can start to make your moving arrangements.
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After you've exchanged contracts, your conveyancer will ask you to sign the mortgage deed. This is the official document needed to transfer your new home to your name. They'll also apply to us for the mortgage money and ask you for any balance they need to complete your purchase.
On the day fixed to complete the purchase, your conveyancer will send all the money needed to pay the balance of the purchase price to the seller’s conveyancer. They will also call you to confirm when the legal process is complete. You’ll then be able to pick up the keys to your new home and move in.
We'll send a letter to your new address to tell you when the mortgage has started.
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Once all the paperwork is complete and you've collected the keys, it’s a great time to make sure you’ve protected what matters.
Home insurance
You should already have buildings insurance as it is a requirement of your mortgage, but it’s also a good idea to take out contents insurance to protect your household goods and personal belongings.
Protecting your mortgage
You may also want to think about protecting your mortgage with our Life and Body Cover. This type of insurance can give you the peace of mind of knowing that you and your loved ones will be able to keep your home, even if something happens to you. It could help to pay off your mortgage in the event of your death, or if you become too ill to work.
We have a range of options available to Halifax mortgage customers. Our Mortgage and Protection Advisers are on hand to discuss your situation and can help you to find the right level of cover for your needs.
You can find out more about protecting your mortgage, the cover we offer and how to get a personalised quote by visiting our Mortgage Protection page.
Who provides this policy?
This policy is arranged by Scottish Widows, who are a part of Lloyds Banking Group, like us. They’re our life insurance experts, and they’ve been protecting what matters most for over 200 years.
Popular questions when moving home
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1. How much do I need to save for my deposit?
We will only lend you a percentage of what the property is worth, so you will need to put down some of your own money towards the cost of the property. We call this a deposit. Your deposit should be at least 5% of the property’s value. If you can put down more than 5%, you can often get a lower initial interest rate.
We’re supporting the Government’s mortgage guarantee scheme, if you only have a deposit of at least 5% but less than 10%. The scheme is expected to accept applications until 31 December 2022, however, it may be withdrawn earlier. You can apply for a mortgage under the scheme by following our usual application process.
If you’re planning to put down a deposit between 5% and 10%, to qualify you’ll need to be:
- a home mover
- thinking about borrowing less than £570,000
- buying a property which isn’t a new build
- buying a property which isn’t Shared Ownership, Shared Equity, Right to Buy or buy to let
- thinking about getting a repayment mortgage and not interest only.
Lending is subject to an affordability assessment, credit score and a full mortgage application.
As well as your deposit, there are other costs associated with buying a property and taking out a mortgage. Typical ones that apply to most buyers include conveyancing fees, Stamp Duty Land Tax/Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (properties in Scotland), valuation fees and Land Registry fees. There are often unexpected costs too in buying a property, so it's a good idea to have a reserve fund to cover them.
Use our mortgage calculator to see how much you could borrow and what your monthly payments might be. Or, to get a better indication apply for an Agreement in Principle.
2. Can I move home in the middle of my mortgage deal?
If you have a Halifax mortgage and you’ve decided you’d like to move home, you might be able to move your product with you. This is called 'porting‘. It could save you money by not having to pay early repayment charges. You’ll learn more about this in your appointment with one of our Mortgage Advisers. Your illustration and offer letter will also say if any of your products are portable.
3. How much could I borrow?
You can use our online calculator to get an idea of how much you could borrow. Or, to get a better indication you can apply for an Agreement in Principle, also know as a 'Mortgage Promise'. We'll start by asking about your income, for example your basic salary and any regular overtime or bonuses.
We'll also ask about your regular outgoings, for example credit card or personal loan repayments, and we'll take these off your income. After that, we make a further allowance for average day-to-day living expenses. This allows us to see how much we think you can afford for your mortgage payment each month.
As part of our process of assessing whether we think you can afford the loan, we'll ask your permission to contact a credit reference agency. They can give us information about:
- how you've conducted your finances in the past
- how many credit commitments you've got and how long they will last
- whether you've kept the payments up to date.
We'll use credit scoring to help us decide whether to lend you money. Credit scoring works by awarding you points based on the information that:
- you give us about yourself
- we already have about you, if you've an existing relationship with us
- is on your credit file at the credit reference agency
We use this information to provide an indication of whether we'll lend you money and if so, how much we'll be willing to provide to you as a mortgage.
4. How does an Agreement in Principle differ from a mortgage offer?
An Agreement in Principle, also known as a 'Decision in Principle' or 'Mortgage Promise', is useful if you haven’t found a property you want to buy but would like to know how much you could borrow. All we need is a few personal details about you and anyone else who will be named on the mortgage. Then we’ll contact a credit reference agency for a credit search and give you a credit score. If you reach our pass mark, we’ll give you a certificate, so that you can show the seller you can get a loan.
An Agreement in Principle is subject to us performing a number of additional checks and so is not a guarantee we will be able to lend you the money, for this you need a mortgage offer.
A mortgage offer is issued by a lender once your mortgage application has been received and the necessary checks, such as the property valuation and confirmation of your details, have been carried out. It sets out the terms under which the lender is prepared to offer you a loan.5. What type of properties will you lend on?
The property you buy must be located within the UK and loans can only be used to buy your main residential home or for purposes relating to this home.
We'll consider lending you money to buy different types of property. We may ask you to provide a bigger deposit on some types of property than others. Any loan we make will be subject to a satisfactory property valuation by a surveyor of our choice.
7. What are the risks I should be aware of?
A mortgage has one key difference to other loans - it's secured against your home. If you can't keep up with your monthly repayments or you get into financial difficulties you should contact us straight away so we can give you the help you need.
Remember, house prices can go down as well as up. If you owe more than the current value of your home, you will be in negative equity. If you need to move home and sell your property, and if its value has dropped below what you paid for it, there may be a shortfall between the amount you owe on your mortgage and the amount you get for the sale which you will need to repay.
8. What should I consider when applying for a mortgage?
Mortgages can last for a long time, so it's important you get the one that's right for you. You'll need to think about such things as the type of loan, how long you want it for and what type of product you'd like.
Methods of repayment - there are three different ways of repaying your mortgage. These are repayment, interest-only, and a combination of repayment and interest-only.
Mortgage terms - mortgage terms of up to 40 years are available. How long the mortgage lasts will affect your monthly payments and the total cost of the mortgage. With a repayment mortgage, the longer the term, the lower the monthly payment. However, it'll take you longer to pay off the loan so you will pay more interest. This means it'll cost you more over the life of your mortgage.
With an interest-only mortgage, the length of the term makes no difference to the monthly payments because these are only paying off the interest charges and not the loan itself. With an interest-only mortgage your mortgage term needs to match the time when you will have enough money in your repayment plan(s) to repay the loan.
Mortgage products - we may have different types of mortgage products with different types of interest rates. These change from time to time and we'll give you details of the current range when you apply.
Product incentives - from time to time we may offer mortgage products that include an incentive. The interest rate for products with incentives may sometimes be slightly higher than for products without incentives. So you'll need to consider whether the incentive available at the start of the mortgage is more important to you than the slightly lower interest rate you may get during the product rate period without the incentive.
Your mortgage adviser will ask you about your preferences and discuss your needs and circumstances before deciding which mortgage to recommend to you.
9. How can I speed up the mortgage completion process?
Return any requested documentation for your mortgage as soon as possible.
Work closely with your conveyancer to understand timings and next steps in the process – such as local authority search turnaround times.
Ensure all parties are working towards the same completion date and be aware of any chains you may be in which may impact this.
Consider any other third parties you’ll need to contact and obtain quotes from (e.g. removal firms), and ensure they are aware of the completion date you are aiming for.
10. What insurance will I need?
It's a requirement of your mortgage to have buildings insurance. This covers the bricks and mortar, fixtures and fittings. It's also a good idea to take out contents insurance as well - this protects all your possessions in your home, from furniture to jewellery.
It’s also important to think about what would happen to your mortgage in the event of your death, or if you are too ill to work. Our expert Mortgage and Protection Advisers can help you to find the right level of cover to protect your mortgage, should the worst happen.
11. Will I be charged any fees?
This will depend on the mortgage product, there may be a product fee to pay and early repayment charges if you repay early. Any product fees can be added on to your mortgage on completion. There could be other charges and standard costs which you may have to pay during the course of setting up your mortgage. You'll be charged interest on any fees, charges and standard costs added to your loan.
There are other costs associated with buying a property and taking out a mortgage.
12. What happens at the end of my mortgage deal?
When you take out your mortgage, you arrange to have a fixed or variable rate product for a period of time. At the end of this time, the product will end and your loan will usually be transferred to one of our Lender Variable Rates. At this point, you may choose to move it to a new product for a further period of time.
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- Cashback will be paid on mortgage completion via your conveyancer.
- Customers must have a valid EPC showing on the EPC Register or a certificate confirming the property has an A or B performance rating.
- New Build properties currently in development will not have an initial EPC rating, in this instance customers should obtain a Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA) from the builder.
- Excludes second homes and Buy to Let mortgage applications.
- Available to customers who take out a new mortgage product.