Tracker mortgages

What are tracker mortgages?

A tracker mortgage is a type of variable rate mortgage where the interest rate tracks (or follows) the Bank of England Base Rate. This means that the interest you are charged on your mortgage (and therefore the amount of your monthly mortgage repayments) depends on how the Base Rate changes:

For some people the flexibility of tracker mortgage rates is an advantage whilst others will prefer the security of knowing what their interest rate will be for a set period of time ( as per fixed rate mortgages ). With a tracker mortgage (sometimes referred to as a variable rate mortgage) you need to prepare for your interest rate and mortgage payments to go up if the Base Rate rises.

Is a tracker mortgage right for me?

See how a tracker mortgage could be the right choice for you and what you need to be aware of:

• Tracker mortgage rates track the Bank of England Base Rate (a variable rate of interest) over a specified period of time.
• This means that the interest rate you are charged will rise when the Base Rate increases and fall if it decreases, affecting your mortgage payments in the same way.
• A minimum rate of interest is applied to Tracker products (‘the collar’) which means that when the Base Rate falls, the interest rate you pay also falls but won’t go below this minimum rate of interest.
• A maximum rate of interest applied to a Tracker product is called a “cap”. This means that if the Base Rate increases, the interest rate you pay will not go above this maximum/cap.
• If you’re interested in Tracker mortgages, you need to make sure you are happy to accept the risk that your mortgage payments would increase in the future if the Base Rate rises.
• You have the right to repay the loan either partially or in full during the term of the loan.
• Early Repayment Charges and other fees and charges apply.