Rate switch

Note:

You can cancel a rate switch on or before the 20th of the month before it's due to start. Requests to cancel rate switches after this will not be accepted. See our 'how to cancel a rate switch' section for full details.

If your client already has a mortgage with Nationwide, you can switch on their behalf using NFI Online. Please see below to check they’re eligible to switch and read all the information which may be relevant to the case.

Eligibility

You can request a rate switch on behalf of your client on NFI Online if:

  • Your client is on a Nationwide Base Mortgage Rate (BMR) or Standard Mortgage Rate (SMR) product OR
  • Your client is currently on a tracker product and doesn't have an early repayment charge (ERC) OR
  • Your client is within six months of their product expiring.

Tip:

If your client does not meet the criteria, they may be able to switch, but must contact us directly. Examples of situations where this applies include:

  • having more than six months remaining on their fixed rate, and they have an Early Repayment Charge
  • being unable to obtain joint consent,
  • or being in arrears.

The following criteria must also apply:

  • Your client isn’t amending their existing mortgage term.
  • Your client is no more than one month in arrears.
  • If your client has been subject to a Bankruptcy Order or Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA), they must have had their bankruptcy or IVA discharged and the trustee confirmed they no longer hold an interest in the mortgage.
  • Your client must have already made their first payment if it’s a new mortgage.
  • The property isn’t let.
  • It’s not your own mortgage.

There is no need for us to complete a new credit search as part of the switcher process as your clients are existing customers.

Switcher dates

Rate switches always take effect from the 1st of the month. Switcher applications must be submitted and accepted by the last submission/acceptance date- see the table below for full details. After this time, the new deal won’t apply until the 1st of the following month.

Rate switch dates table
Current product
end date
Earliest log on date
to see rates
Earliest date new
product can start
Other start dates
offered*
Last submission/
acceptance date
29 February 2024 1 September 2023 1 December 2023 1 January 2024
1 February 2024
1 March 2024
10am on 24 February 2024
31 March 2024 1 October 2023 1 January 2024 1 February 2024
1 March 2024
1 April 2024
10am on 23 March 2024
30 April 2024 1 November 2023  1 February 2024  1 March 2024
1 April 2024
1 May 2024
10am on 25 April 2024
31 May 2024 1 December 2023  1 March 2024  1 April 2024
1 May 2024
1 June 2024 
10am on 26 May 2024
30 June 2024  1 January 2024  1 April 2024  1 May 2024
1 June 2024 
1 July 2024 
10am on 23 June 2024
31 July 2024  1 February 2024  1 May 2024  1 June 2024 
1 July 2024
1 August 2024  
10am on 26 July 2024 
31 August 2024  1 March 2024  1 June 2024  1 July 2024
1 August 2024
1 September 2024 
10am on 25 August 2024 
30 September 2024  1 April 2024  1 July 2024  1 August 2024
1 September 2024
1 October 2024 
10am on 23 September 2024 

*When completing a rate switch application on NFI Online, you’ll be offered a maximum of four start dates, the earliest being the first of the three months ERC free waiver period. If the preferred start date isn’t showing, you may need to create a new case in the next calendar month.

If your client has a tracker product with no ERC, it can be switched to a fixed rate at any time.

If your client has a fixed or tracker product with an ERC, the rate switch can be applied for up to six months ahead of the current product end date. The earliest the switch can take place is the first month of the three months ERC free waiver period. The system will also show an ERC expiry date that matches the current product end date.

Your client will be sent a 'Product Maturity' letter sixteen weeks and four weeks before their product ends. They may receive a further letter closer to the product ending if the Bank of England base rate changes and there is an impact on their current product.

If a switch isn't made before the end of your client's current deal, the account will move onto the revert rate detailed in their mortgage offer. If your client is on a BMR or SMR product, it can be switched at any time. Product end dates can be found on the client's latest mortgage offer, mortgage statement or the product maturity letters.

If your client has less time remaining on their term than the length of the chosen product they'll either need to select a product that doesn't exceed their term or complete a term extension.

How to submit a rate switch application

Most rate switch offers can be produced on NFI Online. The illustration and offer are produced at the end of the application, before confirming the switch and paying any applicable fees.

Download our step by step rate switch keying guide for more information.

If your client has an overpayment reserve, we'll only use the outstanding balance to calculate the Loan to Value (LTV). For example, if the clients have overpaid £20k into an overpayment reserve, their current mortgage balance is £150k and the property is valued at £200k, so the LTV would be 75%.

If the product LTV being offered isn’t what you expect this could be down to the property valuation, see below on how to appeal the property valuation figure.

Also, ensure sure you’ve chosen a specific switcher product by using our product finder.

If NFI Online doesn’t recognise your clients details when inputting them in, please double check they are correct before contacting us using Broker Chat

Once an offer is generated, this will be valid for 45 days, however, the product is not reserved. The product will only be reserved once the application has been fully submitted.

When you’ve chosen the product and start date, remember to scroll to the bottom of the final page and click ‘Submit’. This will ensure the rate switch is submitted and will start on the chosen date.

How to appeal the property valuation figure

To confirm the valuation figure we currently hold for the property, please talk to our NFI Online technical support team on Broker Chat

If the figure on the AVM is lower than expected, you can appeal the valuation figure using the rate switch valuation appeal form

Paper applications exceptions

The following rate switch scenarios need to be submitted as paper applications:

  • Where there are more than two applicants on the existing mortgage.
  • Where your client is switching more than four accounts.
  • Where your client is serving in the armed forces or works for the FCO or UN with a British Forces Post Office (BFPO) address and their property is currently let.

To request a manual offer for an exception, please complete the rate switch application form and follow the instructions on the form. Once this has been completed by our team, you will need to complete our rate switch offer acceptance form to confirm that your client has accepted the offer.

Your client may be at risk of losing features when switching to a new mortgage product. For more information, please go to the borrow back section.


What happens next?

We’ll send your client an email as soon as the application is received. A letter is then sent to confirm that the application has been submitted, with any fees that your client has chosen to add to the loan added to their mortgage balance. There is nothing further for your client to do and the new product will be switched from the start date chosen during the application process.

When the new product goes live, we will write to your client to confirm their new payment details.

We currently pay procuration fees for new rate switch applications. Visit our Procuration fees page for more details.

Rate switch keying guide

Our keying guide will help support you with submitting a rate switch case.

Rate switch keying guide

A-Z criteria

Search our A-Z criteria to find what you’re looking for.

A-Z criteria

NFI Online

Use NFI Online for new cases, Mortgage Illustrations, DIPs and case tracking.

NFI Online