Brokers are bracing for a bumper year of remortgage activity in 2026 as product maturities surge, pricing sharpens and clients rush to get ahead of rising payments
After a relatively flat end to last year, signs are mounting that 2026 could be a much stronger year for remortgage activity.
The BoE’s consumer credit data shows that while demand for secured lending for remortgaging was broadly flat in Q4, it is expected to pick up meaningfully in Q1, with a net balance of 17.4 forecast. Against a backdrop of easing rates and large volumes of product maturities, brokers are already beginning to see the early stages of a remortgage rebound play out in real time.
On the front line, advisers report that the drivers of this activity are varied – from clients rolling off ultra-low fixed rates to landlords reassessing portfolios and borrowers looking to consolidate unsecured debt.
Tranches of maturities set up a “bumper year”
For Anthony Rose (pictured top left), CEO of LDN Finance, the remortgage story in 2025 starts with a simple structural factor: a wall of product maturities.
“A lot of the remortgage activity we are seeing is linked to existing client products coming to an end and there are huge tranches of product end dates coming through this year, which will make it a bumper year for refinance activity,” he told Mortgage Introducer.
At the same time, lender behaviour is subtly reshaping how brokers manage these cases. Rose notes that “where a lot of lenders have reduced their remortgage window to a more normal three or four months, we are seeing less rebroking of cases through the remortgage journey, as the timeframes are shorter and often it is more focused on picking a new deal with the chosen provider if rates fall as the application is going through.”
In other words, shorter windows and more dynamic pricing are pushing brokers to be nimble – but also pragmatic – about switching strategies mid-application.
Competitive pricing and the return of sub‑3.5% two‑year fixes
One of the catalysts for renewed remortgage appetite is sharper pricing.
“Pricing has started very competitively this year, with lenders reducing rates over the last couple of weeks and the first sub 3.5% 2‑year fixed rate seems imminent which will give a further boost to demand to remortgage activity,” said Rose.
For many borrowers, the comparison point is stark. Rose highlighted that this will be “attractive to clients coming off rates that were in the high 4% levels a couple of years back and means product transfer rates will need to be very competitive to retain that business.”
That dynamic is giving brokers more leverage in conversations with existing lenders, and more scope to justify a full remortgage where the savings stack up.
Payment shock for clients coming off sub‑2% deals
Louis Mason (pictured top right), Head of Marketing and Communications at Oportfolio, is also seeing inquiry levels move in the right direction – particularly among those rolling off ultra-cheap fixes taken out during the final phase of the low‑rate era.
“We are starting to see early signs of a pick‑up in remortgage enquiries as we move into Q1. It’s not a huge surge yet, but there’s a clear shift in sentiment, with more borrowers proactively reviewing their options rather than waiting until the last minute,” he said.
“The bulk of it is clients coming to the end of fixed rates taken out in 2022, some of which are coming off sub‑2% deals. Seems like a fever dream now but yes, you could get a rate below 2% back in 2022! These clients are understandably more engaged, as the payment shock is still very real, even with rates having eased slightly – adding hundreds of pounds onto monthly bills in some cases.”
Alongside this core cohort, Mason is also seeing “steady interest from landlords reassessing portfolio costs and from owner‑occupiers exploring remortgaging as a means of consolidating unsecured debt, particularly where affordability allows.”
Fix now or wait? Pragmatism over rate‑timing
In the current environment, one of the most challenging conversations for brokers remains the question of timing: should clients fix now, or hold out in the hope of further cuts?
Mason says his firm’s approach is rooted in pragmatism rather than market‑timing calls.
“For clients with tight affordability or higher loan‑to‑value ratios, getting a competitive rate now can give a bit of certainty and protect people against rate volatility,” he explained. “For others with more flexibility, we’re having open conversations about shorter‑term fixes or tracker options, balancing the possibility of future rate cuts against the risk of delaying too long.”
“The key is, as always, aligning the product choice with the client’s wider financial resilience rather than trying to time the market perfectly.”
Katrina Horstead, director at Versed Financial, echoed that sentiment: “For clients who are torn between fixing now versus waiting for potential rate cuts, our approach is to look at locking in a rate now, then actively monitor the market and switch to a cheaper option if one becomes available right up until completion.”
That lock‑and‑review model is becoming a common way for brokers to give clients psychological reassurance while still leaving room to benefit from any further pricing improvements.
Product transfer vs remortgage: more scope to move
Both Rose and Mason point to an important shift in the product transfer versus remortgage equation.
On one hand, Rose notes that sharply reduced remortgage windows and faster‑moving pricing can mean fewer opportunities to re-broke cases multiple times on the journey. That can tilt some clients towards sticking with their incumbent lender – provided the product transfer is keenly priced.
On the other hand, more competitive pricing and gradually loosening criteria are opening doors that were effectively closed during the rate spike of the past couple of years.
“In the various niches within the industry, such as buy‑to‑let, HMO and Ltd, extra competition in these sectors means there is more scope to remortgage than there was two years ago when often a product transfer was the only option available to some clients as rates had increased and criteria tightened,” said Rose. “It is good to be able to give more clients a full spectrum of options rather than have them only really able to choose an option from their existing lender.”
Horstead has seen a similar trend from a client‑behaviour perspective: “As the market is becoming more competitive there are more opportunities for remortgage, so those conversations are picking up and clients are more open to comparing options rather than defaulting to a transfer.”
Mason agreed that while more borrowers are willing to explore remortgaging, product transfers still have their place: “As pricing becomes more competitive and criteria slightly more flexible, some borrowers who would previously default to a product transfer are now willing to explore remortgaging if the savings justify it. That said, for certain clients, especially those with complex circumstances, the simplicity of a product transfer is still preferable.”
High‑net‑worth borrowers: mainstream lenders step up
At the higher‑net‑worth end, Rose says the competitive landscape has changed markedly, with the high street increasingly encroaching on territory once dominated by private banks and specialist players.
“At the more HNW end of the market we are seeing lender affordability increases, positive criteria changes and appetite more generally for higher‑end borrowers mean the big six lenders are a potential home for more borrowers than ever,” he said.
“This means we are seeing a number of clients being refinanced away from private banks, building societies and more specialist lenders who may have been the only suitable options for a client a few years ago. This is great for consumer outcomes and combined with a general reduction in rates across the market is making a huge difference to some clients’ rates.”
Outlook: opportunity – and responsibility – for brokers
With a strong pipeline of maturities, improving product choice across mainstream and niche segments, and signs of renewed borrower engagement, the conditions are in place for a meaningful remortgage rebound in 2025.
For brokers, the opportunity is clear: more clients needing advice, more scope to demonstrate value by navigating product and criteria changes, and more chances to move borrowers onto significantly better‑suited deals.
But as Mason points out, the responsibility is just as clear – particularly for those facing payment shocks or stretched affordability. In this next phase of the cycle, the winners are likely to be advisers who combine sharp market knowledge with a laser focus on long‑term client resilience, rather than simply chasing the headline rate of the day.
