How to remortgage your Help to Buy home without borrowing more money
When you need permission to remortgage, what documents you’ll need and how to apply.
Applies to England
Making changes to your equity loan
Before you make any changes to your equity loan or mortgage, you need to understand how those changes may affect you. You should think about getting independent financial and legal advice.
You need to keep paying your management fee, and monthly interest if this is due, until you repay your equity loan.
You’ll need to settle any outstanding payments in full or ask our equity loan administrator Customer Service team to set up a payment plan, before they we can continue with your request to proceed.
Remortgaging with a current or new lender
If you’d like to stay with your current lender and remortgage without borrowing more, you don’t have to contact us or apply to remortgage, but check with your current lender if you need what is known as a Deed of Postponement.
Contact us if you’re changing lenders
If you want to remortgage with a new lender without borrowing more, you must contact our Customer Service team for permission.
You’ll also need to get some documents ready before you apply.
Negative equity
You are in negative equity when your home’s current value is less than the total of what you owe on your repayment mortgage and equity loan.
If you’re in negative equity, please contact us to discuss your options.
What you’ll need before you apply for permission
You’ll need to have these things to apply for a remortgage.
1. Get a repayment mortgage redemption statement
Contact your current mortgage lender to get a redemption (or repayment) statement. This confirms the total amount you need to repay.
We need to check this to make sure you’re not borrowing more when you remortgage.
The statement must be less than 12 working days old when you send it to us as part of the application process.
If it’s older than this, you’ll have to get a new one.
2. Get your mortgage offers
Contact your current mortgage lender to get a copy of your current mortgage offer.
You’ll also need to contact your current or new mortgage lender to get your new mortgage offer.
3. Get a breakdown of your lender’s charges
Your current or new mortgage lender may charge you fees to remortgage and move to a different product or rate.
Ask for a breakdown of their fees, and check that they’re not more than £2000.
If they are, you may not be able to remortgage with this lender. Contact our Customer Service team to check.
4. Arrange money to pay the administration fee
You’ll need to pay an administration fee of £115 before we can process your application.
5. Find a conveyancing solicitor
We’ll need your conveyancing solicitors’ details on the application form.
You can either:
- find a conveyancing solicitor on the Law Society’s website
- ask your lender if they can instruct their own solicitor to act for both of you
6. Pay any arrears
If you’re behind with your equity loan payments, you cannot remortgage.
Make sure you repay everything you owe on your equity loan, or contact us on the details below to set up a payment plan.
How to apply
Follow these steps if you want to remortgage without borrowing any extra money.
1: Contact us
You’ll need to let us know how much you’ll be remortgaging. We can then talk you through the next steps.
Phone: 0300 123 4123
Email: customerservices@myhelptobuyloan.co.uk]
Post: Help to Buy Customer Service team, PO Box 5262, Lancing, BN99 9HE
Our Customer Service team is available 9.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (excluding UK public holidays).
2: Get your paperwork ready
See the checklist in the section ‘What you’ll need before you apply for permission’.
3: Complete the application form and send your paperwork
Complete the application form and send your documents to us by post or email as shown above.
4: Pay the administration fee
After you’ve sent your application form and documents, you’ll need to pay us a £115 administration fee.
You can pay this by:
- online bank transfer
- debit card by calling 0300 123 4123
- cheque
If you pay online, you must tell us by email or phone so we can confirm it on your customer file.
They cannot progress your application until they’ve received this payment.
Payment details
Bank name: Lloyds Bank PLC
Account name: EQGATEWAY RE HE HELP TO BUY ADMIN
Sort code: 30-80-12
Account number: 24501860
Reference: Your customer reference number or first line of your address and postcode.
5: Getting a decision
We’ll contact you with a decision by email or post within 5 working days of receiving your documents.
We’ll record the total repayment amount and your solicitor’s details.
If your application is accepted or declined
If your application is accepted, we’ll contact you by phone or email and explain the next steps.
This permission is valid for 6 months from the date we issue the form. If you do not complete your remortgage within this time you may have to repeat the application process.
If your application is declined, we’ll contact you by phone or email explaining the decision.
Complete the remortgaging process
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Send the Authority to Proceed form either to your mortgage lender or through your mortgage broker.
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Once you’ve completed the remortgage, your solicitor must send us your new lender’s offer and the legal documents to sign.
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We’ll make sure the documents are correct, update our system and record the interest rate of your new mortgage.
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You and your solicitor will receive a final acceptance letter from them.
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We’ll send the finalised legal documents back to your solicitor.
Last updated 4 February 2022 + show all updates
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Updated to make the separation between Homes England and the equity loan administrator clearer.
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First published.