Average mortgage fees reach five-year high

The average mortgage fee* has increasing by £15 since August to stand at £1,005 this month – the highest average recorded in more than five years.

Charlotte Nelson, finance expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, said: “Providers are currently fighting among themselves to be seen as the lender offering the lowest rate on the market, all in a bid to attract borrowers who are considering remortgaging after the recent rate rise by the Bank of England. However, the increase in the average fee is in direct response to these rate cuts, as lenders try and compensate these deals.

Source: Moneyfacts.co.uk    *Average mortgage fee excludes fee-free deals

She continued: “Despite the Bank of England increasing the base rate twice since November 2017 – from 0.25% to the current rate of 0.75% – mortgage rates are still far lower than providers’ costs. For example, the average two-year fixed rate only stands 0.16% higher than it did in November 2017, increasing from 2.33% to 2.49%. By increasing fees, providers are making a small attempt to recoup some of this extra cost.

“It is important to note that fees can vary in impact depending on how much you borrow, with the low rate/high fee scenario ideal for those looking to purchase properties at the higher end of the market, for instance. However, for the average borrower who remortgages every two years, the fees can soon add up and this additional cash could be better spent overpaying the mortgage.

“While these low-rate deals look great on paper, the hefty fee that goes alongside them can mean that what appears to be a cheap offer, may in reality be a much costlier one. For example, based on the lowest rates available at 60% loan-to-value (LTV), opting for the lowest rate mortgage without a fee would make a borrower £577.02 better off (see below table) than opting for the cheapest rate in the market alone.”

True cost workings

**True cost based on borrowing £200,000 over 25 years on a repayment only basis. Source: Moneyfacts.co.uk