Remortgaging? We're Here to Help
Switching lenders or securing a better deal? Our specialist conveyancing team has you covered from application to completion.
Resources
What Is Remortgaging?
Remortgaging means replacing your existing mortgage with a new one, either with your current lender or a different one. Most people do this when their current deal is ending, to avoid rolling onto a higher standard variable rate, though many also remortgage to release equity, consolidate borrowing, or switch to better terms. Behind the scenes, remortgaging is still a genuine legal process: your existing mortgage needs to be redeemed, a new legal charge registered against your property, and any lender requirements properly dealt with, which is where a specialist conveyancing solicitor comes in.
We are automating: Our systems just got 50% faster, so you can move through your remortgage without unnecessary delays.
Our dedicated remortgage team provides expert guidance through every step of the process, ensuring a smooth experience
We keep customers connected: Customers can be in control of their case through our portal, app and Alexa - 7 days a week
We provide quotes 7 days a-week: Customers can get a quote any day of the week.
PLS 24/7 Portal speeds up the process for customers: Customers can track every stage of their remortgage from application to completion.
We are on every lender panel: This gives customers the advantage of securing their mortgage with any lender they choose
Why should I Remortgage?
There are four key reasons to remortgage your property:
If you are paying a high interest rate - Switching to a fixed or tracker interest rate on your mortgage could lower your monthly payments and help you pay off your mortgage sooner.
You want to pay off your mortgage early - By switching to a mortgage that lets you make over-payments you can pay off your debt earlier than your original term.
Your current mortgage deal ends soon - If your deal ends soon then you can move to the lender’s standard variable rate. This rate is often higher and so this is a good opportunity to look for better deals.
Your property has increased in value - Remortgaging can allow you to borrow for home improvements, further increasing your property’s value. A lower loan to value ratio might mean you meet the criteria for a wider range of interest rates.
How does the Remortgage process work?
Considering your financial situation as a whole is vital in the remortgage process as well as understanding what happens when you remortgage. There are four key steps:
Complete an Agreement in Principle - Most lenders will let you get an online Agreement in Principle in order to see if a lender is willing to lend you what you need. This will help you understand your options without choosing a specific deal.
Considering the costs - It is important to make sure that a remortgage will leave you in a better position. Therefore, it is essential to consider costs such as application fees and valuation fees in the process.
Applying for a new mortgage - Once you have your Agreement in Principle, you can now apply for a new mortgage. You will be asked for various personal and financial information in addition to the details of your current mortgage.
Completing your remortgage - Your new lender will carry out a credit check and arrange to have your property valued. PLS can help you with the transfer of your mortgage and complete the process.
Liv
Sophie and her team and have been incredibly helpful during our house purchase through to exchange. We are first time buyers so this is all new to us, however Sophie and her team made the process really simple and seamless. Thank you!
Kevin Miller
Caroline worked tirelessly on what turned out to be quite a protracted conveyancing process. Her support and help was outstanding. Highly recommended.
James Harvey
Jack at PLS was brilliant from start to finish, he was very responsive and explained everything brilliantly. He always kept us up to date and if something needed to be chased he was always on it! Highly recommend PLS, the portal is a great tool to have!
Georgie
We recently used PLS Solicitors to both sell and buy a property for the second time, and they were brilliant from start to finish. Moving house is never stress-free, but Annabel was absolutely fantastic throughout both of our moves. She consistently communicates, responds quickly to emails and calls, and explains everything clearly. Knowing we were in her safe hands a second time around gave us so much peace of mind. A huge thank you to Annabel and the team—we won't hesitate to come back if we ever move again!
Nicola Dalton
Ms C Hessey & her Team were fantastic! Excellent communication, efficient and fast. Clare and her team communicated well throughout the process, kept me updated throughout. I found the PLS 24/7 Portal a really great tool as a buyer. I found this portal easy to navigate and it had all my relevant information and a tracker tool regularly updated. Clare was pleasant and helpful throughtout my buying a new home journey. Highly recommend this conveyancing Solicitor
Honey Montajes-Valencia
We would like to thank Mairtin and the team at PLS for helping us every step of the way in purchasing our first home. The process is overwhelming but he made it easier and even faster for us when we needed it the most. We highly recommend their team. -Valencia family
Kai Pettitt
First time buyer, impressions of this team was outstanding! No worries or misunderstanding, very quick professional and helpful throughout my purchase, very impressed! Lucy Hubbard team, outstanding.
Jack Scott
Recently purchased my first home and I used PLS as my solicitors. Chelsea Bennett was great throughout the process - she kept things moving and communicated with me proactively. I knew where I was up to and what I had to do at any given point - and that made things very simple for me! Would definitely recommend. Thanks very much Chelsea!
Shaun Casanova-Amos
Our experience throughout the house sale and purchase was certainly a journey, and if I'm honest, it wasn't always an easy one.We did experience some challenges along the way, including having to change solicitors, communication issues and times when I felt I was having to do a lot of the chasing myself to get updates and answers. At times, the lack of communication added unnecessary stress and frustration to what was already an incredibly stressful process. However, I also want to recognise the hard work, time and effort that went into getting everything over the line. Despite the challenges, there was clearly a lot happening behind the scenes, and I appreciate the work that was put in to resolve issues, deal with the legal complexities and keep things moving forward. Thank you to Jacob and his Team.
C C
It was a really good experience using PLS as our solicitor to buy our first home. We can't thank you enough Lauren Smith for being professional, keeping us updated and doing everything on time. Thank you for everything .
A Guide to our residential conveyancing costs
It is not possible to give precise costs1 figures without first understanding your specific transaction and your exact requirements. This costs guide is only an indication of the likely approximate cost of a transaction. For a costs estimate specific to your transaction, please contact us. This costs guide is intended to give you an approximate idea of the overall legal costs and is based on the average amount of work involved in a basic house remortgage. We start with a base fee for a basic house remortgage (around £150) and add fees for specific elements, such as leasehold status, ID verification, or banking charges, which are included in the £150- £900 range. If unforeseen complexities arise (e.g., title defects), the fee may be revised.
Typical Sale Costs1:Typical Remortgage Fees:
Legal Fees2 (Inclusive of VAT at 20%)
Additional fees are included in the above range and are applied where applicable. Some typical examples of these are as follows (inclusive of VAT):
Leasehold purchase fee:
Banking and bank charges fee:
Lawyer Checker fee:
ID verification administration fee:
OS1 search fee
Office copies fee:
Bankruptcy search fee:
Fee for provision of general searches, which includes local authority, water and drainage, and environmental searches
Search Indemnity fee – this is for a no search indemnity policy (Inclusive of VAT at 20%)
We carry out searches on a re-mortgage only if it is a requirement of the lender (below are an indicative costs if searches are required).
£150 – £900
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£30.00 – £50.00
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Search Fees (Inclusive of VAT at 20%) (these are not included in the legal fees mentioned above)
Dependant on the property type & location typical examples of these can be:
Mining Search:
Brine Search:
Chancel Search:
£50.00-£70.00 (per search)
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Other Disbursements3 (no VAT)*
Land Registry Fee: (Dependant on the value of the property)
1 Costs means fees and disbursements, taken together
2 Fees means our charges for the work we do for you (including any VAT element)
3 Disbursements means any costs or expenses paid or to be paid to a third party on your behalf
£20.00 – £140.00
£20.00 – £140.00
Typical Sale Costs1:Typical Remortgage Fees:
£450 – £1900
Additional fees are included in the above range and are applied where applicable. Some typical examples of these are as follows (inclusive of VAT).:
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£30.00 – £50.00
We carry out searches on a re-mortgage only if it is a requirement of the lender (below are an indicative costs if searches are required).
£50.00-£70.00 (per search)
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£20.00 – £140.00
£20.00 – £140.00
1 Costs means fees and disbursements, taken together
2 Fees means our charges for the work we do for you (including any VAT element)
3 Disbursements means any costs or expenses paid or to be paid to a third party on your behalf
Please contact us for a Free Quote.
A detailed quote will always be provided to you at the beginning of the case.
Our costs quotes for the work to be carried out are made on the following assumptions. If any of the assumptions are incorrect, we mayneed to revise our quotation:
That the property is registered land.
That you are obtaining a mortgage from a high street lender and that lender does not require separate legal representation.
That no third parties’ consents are needed to the transaction.
That in the case of leasehold land that there is no freeholder’s or superior lessor’s consent required as a pre-condition of there mortgage.
That no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
That the transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise
That all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providingdocumentation
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore our FAQs for Remortgage!
How long does a remortgage typically take?
Remortgages are usually quicker than a purchase or sale, often completing within 4-6 weeks, though this depends on your lender and how quickly documentation is returned.
Will I need a survey when remortgaging?
Your new lender will usually arrange their own valuation of the property. This is separate from the legal work we carry out on your behalf.
What is a legal charge, and why does it need registering?
A legal charge is the formal record of your lender’s interest in the property, registered at the Land Registry. When you remortgage, your old charge is removed and the new lender’s charge is registered in its place.
Do I need to pay Stamp Duty when I remortgage?
No, Stamp Duty Land Tax doesn’t apply to a straightforward remortgage with no change in ownership.
