If you are thinking about moving in the next year, the right time to talk is before you list your home, not after you have had an offer accepted. I compare your existing lender’s porting terms against the whole market, tell you what the early repayment charge would really cost, and set the timing so the sale and purchase complete on the same day.
HTG Mortgages
Moving Home Mortgages | Port It, Replace It or Top It Up
Last Updated: September 2026
Featured in The Telegraph • Daily Mail • The Times • Sky News
When you move house you have three routes for the mortgage: take your current deal with you (porting), replace it with a new one, or port what you have and add a second piece on top for the extra borrowing. Which one works depends on your lender’s rules, how far into your fixed rate you are, and how much more you need to borrow. I work through all three before you offer on anything.
Porting keeps your current rate and avoids the early repayment charge, but it still means a full new application
Selling and buying on the same day is normal, and the equity from your sale becomes the deposit on the next place
Borrowing more usually means a second product alongside the ported one, with its own rate and end date
As featured in…
Meet your Advisor
Harry Goodliffe
- FCA Authorised
- Director & Mortgage Advisor
“I‘m not about confusing jargon or passing you from person to person. From our first chat to the day you get the keys, you’ll deal directly with me. I‘ll keep you updated, answer any burning questions, and do everything I can to make the whole process as stress-free as possible.”
Let’s Talk About Your Mortgage
The mortgage process when you move home
1
Step 1
First Chat
Tell me what your current mortgage is, when the fixed rate ends, what your home is likely to sell for and what you want to spend on the next one.
2
Step 2
Research
I check your lender’s porting rules, what the early repayment charge would be if you switched instead, and what the whole market offers for the amount you actually need.
3
Step 3
Application
Once you have chosen a route, I handle the application and the timing with both solicitors so the sale and the purchase line up.
4
Step 4
Completion
After the offer I stay on it through to completion, including the redemption of the old mortgage on the day you move.
About
Our approach.
Why choose HTG Mortgages?
Moving home is where a small mortgage decision costs real money. Leaving a fix early can mean a charge of several thousand pounds, and porting badly can leave you on two products with two end dates that never line up again.
Porting is a new application, not a transfer.
Your lender reassesses your income, credit and the new property from scratch. Passing the affordability test on the original loan does not mean you pass it again, especially if your circumstances have changed since.
The early repayment charge decides a lot.
If you are one year into a five year fix, the charge for leaving can be the biggest number in the whole move. If you are in the last few months, the sums can look completely different. I put the figure in front of you before you decide.
Two products, two end dates.
Port the existing loan and borrow more, and the top up sits on its own rate with its own end date. Lining those up later takes planning, and some lenders will not let you switch the top up early without a charge.
Selling and buying at once.
The equity from your sale is your deposit, so the price you achieve sets what you can buy. A decision in principle based on realistic numbers stops you falling in love with a house you cannot fund.
Porting your mortgage: how it actually works
Porting means taking the terms of your current mortgage, including the interest rate and the remaining fixed period, across to a new property. Most mainstream lenders allow it, but it is a right to apply rather than a right to have. You go through a full application, the lender values the new home, and if you fail its current affordability test it can decline even though you have paid on time for years. If you need to borrow more for the new place, the extra is usually a separate product from the lender’s current range, so you end up with two parts to the mortgage. If you need to borrow less, some lenders charge a proportionate early repayment charge on the part you repay. Timing matters too: if your sale completes before your purchase, most lenders give you a window (often around three to six months, but it varies) to port without paying the charge. I check the exact rules with your lender before you commit. If your current deal is close to ending anyway, see my remortgage page, because the answer may be a clean new mortgage rather than a port.
Selling and buying at the same time
Most movers sell and buy in one chain and complete both on the same day. The money from your sale pays off your old mortgage and the balance becomes the deposit on the new home, so what your house actually sells for sets your budget. A decision in principle based on a realistic sale price and realistic borrowing is worth getting before you start viewing. If you want to keep your current home and rent it out instead of selling, that is a let to buy rather than a move, which I cover in my let to buy guide. If you are buying before selling, a bridging loan is one option, though it needs a clear exit and is not right for most movers. Remember stamp duty is due on the purchase; my stamp duty calculator gives you the figure for a home mover.
Related: Bridging Loans, Stamp Duty Calculator.
Why use HTG’s mortgage services?
Available 24/7, so we are always there to help when you need us
We are an independently owned, whole-of-market mortgage broker offering first-charge mortgages
We provide unrivalled customer service, ensuring that you get the care you deserve
Let’s get your mortgage sorted
Written by Harry Goodliffe
Director & Mortgage Adviser, HTG Mortgages · FCA Authorised (1017945)
CeMAP Qualified · Featured in National Press · South England Prestige Awards 2026/27 winner