Halifax existing customer rates. Where are they?

alexlyne

I have been regularly checking Halifax rates as we are on a SVR for some of our mortgage, and wanting to keep an eye on the fixed rates.

But now I cannot find them on their website... just a page about mortage info with a contact number.

Note: I can find rates for other mortgage products, it's just the existing customers wishing to change their product.

Does this mean they could be now offering different rates to different people, instead of publishing one set of rates? Highly suspicious.

Thrugelmir

Circumstances differ from customer to customer. This is most likely an opportunity for the Halifax to review their mortgage lending book. Particularly as their lending criteria has been progressively tightened.

Let_Us_See

Halifax do this on purpose, as they want you to call them and they will then undoubtedly try and sell other products, such as B & C and mortgage protection, at the same time as discussing rates for your re-mortgage. Any broker can access your mortgage details (you will need your mortgage acount number that begins A/..............), and provide re-mortgage rates for existing clients.

alexlyne

Well your words are certainly the likely reason why they're not published, but they have only been taken off in the last week. i.e. before that I have a piece of paper noting dates and %s of 3 and 5 year fixes that I got from their website.

So they have only just started doing it.

So in theory, if they have become suddenly tighter with their lending, is it possible that they could refuse to give us a fixed rate (even if ltv is ok)..? because if so we can't go anywhere else for 4 years because of the fix we already have on the other half of the mortgage.

Leon_W

They do not re-underwrite product transfers so as long as your LTV is OK then you should be fine.

Pages 14 and 15 here http://www.halifax-intermediaries.co.uk/pdf/mortgage_guide.pdf give you current intermediary rates which are sometimes better and sometimes worse than direct. Nothing I can do about that but I do despise any lender that is not open and honest about their rates and FORCES a phonecall with the inevitable cross sales questions that entails.

Regards

Thrugelmir

alexlyne wrote: »

So in theory, if they have become suddenly tighter with their lending, is it possible that they could refuse to give us a fixed rate (even if ltv is ok)..? because if so we can't go anywhere else for 4 years because of the fix we already have on the other half of the mortgage.

Not suddenly tighter, mortgage lending criteria has been progressively under review for some considerable time. In recent months as well there has been a noticable increase in bank swap rates. Causing nearly all lenders to review and increase their fixed term product lending rates recently.

I'm not suggesting that you will be refused a mortgage product by the way. My comments were made in the broader context of the Halifax's current action.

Banks such as Lloyds of which the Halifax is part. Have an enormous amount of wholesalefunding and Government borrowing to repay and refinance in the next 2 years. The rate that this is financed at will directly relate to the cost to you as a consumer for fixed term mortgage products.

alexlyne

I know Thrug you weren't suggesting that we would be refused, so no worries there... it was just hypothetical - we've had no problems in the past, so should still have excellent credit records.

As I understand it from the link Leon W, for Product transfer for 75-90% ltv,
3 year:
was (04/1/11) 5.29% no fee
now 4.79% £1000 fee

5 year:
was 5.49% no fee
now 5.79 £1000 fee.

ouch. We were planning that if we go on a fix it'd probably be 3 years, so that both parts of our mortgage combine in 2014. But I am resentful of paying fees as it makes it more complicated to work out the actual % over the fixed time assuming the fee is put on the balance.