Can you remortgage with Help to Buy without paying it off?

You do not necessarily have to repay your Help to Buy equity loan when your mortgage deal ends. You may be able to remortgage with Help to Buy still in place if the mortgage balance does not increase and the lender accepts the second charge. Affordability, credit history, the property and lender criteria also matter.

The process differs depending on whether you stay with your lender or move. Staying may require fewer steps. Moving requires Homes England’s permission and a Deed of Postponement so the new mortgage keeps the first charge. This guide covers Help to Buy: Equity Loan in England.

Can you keep your Help to Buy loan when you remortgage?

Potentially, yes. The Help to Buy equity loan can remain as a second charge while the first mortgage changes, but the mortgage lender must accept that arrangement.

Under Homes England’s route for remortgaging without borrowing more, the new mortgage balance should not increase, apart from permitted lender charges. The £1 monthly management fee, any interest due and the outstanding equity percentage continue. Fees and interest do not reduce the equity loan.

We would first establish whether you need a new deal or also want extra money, because that changes the Homes England process and suitable lenders.

Do you have to repay Help to Buy when your mortgage deal ends?

No, not solely because a fixed, tracker or discounted mortgage deal has ended. The mortgage deal and the Help to Buy equity loan are separate borrowing arrangements.

The end of your mortgage deal may move you onto the lender’s standard variable rate. Separately, the end of the five-year Help to Buy interest-free period means interest starts to become payable. It is not an automatic repayment deadline.

Help to Buy: Equity Loan is closed to new applicants in England, but existing loans continue. Our planned guide about what happens to Help to Buy after five years will explain the interest rules.

What is the difference between staying and changing lender?

Route	Homes England application	Deed of Postponement	Main consideration
Stay with your current lender without borrowing more	Homes England says you do not need to contact it or apply	Check whether your lender requires one	Product availability and lender-specific checks
Move to a new lender without borrowing more	Permission is required	Required so the new mortgage remains the first charge	The new lender must accept Help to Buy remaining
Borrow more	A separate permission process applies	May be required	Additional borrowing is restricted to specified purposes

A rate switch or product transfer can be operationally simpler than a legal remortgage, but the terms are not interchangeable and lender requirements vary.

Can you stay with your current lender?

Yes, potentially. Homes England’s remortgaging guidance says that if you remain with your current lender and do not borrow more, you do not need to contact Homes England or apply for permission. You should still ask the lender whether it requires a Deed of Postponement.

The lender’s rules apply, and some changes may trigger affordability checks. We would compare the rate, fees, early repayment charge and overall cost with realistic new-lender options rather than assume staying is best.

Can you change mortgage lender and keep Help to Buy?

Potentially, if the new lender accepts the equity loan remaining as a second charge. Homes England’s permission is required before you change lender under the no-additional-borrowing route.

You will normally need a mortgage offer, a redemption statement, a breakdown of lender charges and your conveyancer’s details. Homes England says the statement must be less than 12 working days old. Check with its Customer Service team if lender charges exceed £2,000.

Help to Buy arrears must be cleared or covered by an agreed payment plan. The administration fee is currently £115, and an Authority to Proceed lasts six months. Specialist remortgage advice can help identify realistic routes before you apply.

What is a Deed of Postponement?

A Deed of Postponement is a legal agreement confirming that the new repayment mortgage keeps the first charge while Help to Buy remains the second. It does not repay Help to Buy. Your conveyancer handles it.

How does the process work when you move lender?

1. Confirm that no extra borrowing is requested. Compare the current redemption figure with the proposed new loan.
2. Find a lender that accepts the remaining equity loan.
3. Obtain the mortgage offer, redemption statement and fee breakdown.
4. Instruct a conveyancer. Homes England requires their details.
5. Apply to Homes England and pay the fee. Address any arrears first.
6. Receive the Authority to Proceed. It is currently valid for six months.
7. Complete the legal work. The conveyancer handles the Deed of Postponement and completion notification.

The official no-additional-borrowing checklist does not currently list a Help to Buy-compliant RICS valuation. The mortgage lender may still arrange its own valuation.

Can you borrow more and keep Help to Buy?

This follows a separate process. Additional borrowing requires Homes England’s permission and is limited to specified purposes, including repaying the equity loan, approved structural alterations and funding a transfer of equity. Some arrears cases may be considered individually.

Unrestricted equity release should not be assumed to qualify, and additional borrowing is not allowed in negative equity. If you want to increase the mortgage and remove the equity loan, read about remortgaging to pay off your Help to Buy loan.

Will keeping Help to Buy restrict your mortgage options?

It can. Some lenders consider it, while others require repayment of the equity loan. LTV, term, repayment and property rules differ. Help to Buy interest may affect affordability alongside the usual income, credit and property checks.

We would check policy before rates because an affordable-looking case can still fail a lender’s shared-equity criteria.

What happens to your Help to Buy payments?

Remortgaging does not reset the equity loan or its interest-free period. The £1 monthly management fee and any interest due continue, but neither reduces the equity loan. The outstanding percentage remains linked to the property’s relevant market value when eventually repaid.

What will a mortgage lender check?

We would check the redemption figure, deal-end date, early repayment charge, proposed loan, Help to Buy percentage and interest, property value and LTV, income, credit commitments, property type and future plans.

We would want to separate a straightforward lender switch from any request to change ownership, increase the mortgage balance or alter the property. Those changes can move the case into a different Homes England process.

Is it better to keep Help to Buy or repay it?

There is no universal answer. Compare the mortgage rate and fees, early repayment charge, Help to Buy costs, equity percentage, property value, mortgage term, legal costs and likely time in the property.

Keeping Help to Buy may avoid increasing the first mortgage today, but the equity percentage remains. Repaying it removes that interest but can substantially increase the mortgage. Compare this with using a remortgage to repay Help to Buy.

What if you cannot switch to a new lender?

Possible reasons include lender policy, affordability, credit history, LTV, property concerns, arrears or additional borrowing. You could investigate a product transfer, address arrears or incorrect information, review the mortgage later, or consider Help to Buy repayment where affordable and permitted. None is guaranteed.

What should you check before remortgaging with Help to Buy?

1. Are you staying with your lender or moving?
2. Is the mortgage balance increasing?
3. Does the lender accept Help to Buy remaining?
4. Is Homes England permission required?
5. Is a Deed of Postponement required?
6. Are your Help to Buy payments up to date?
7. What fees and early repayment charges apply?
8. Does the new mortgage work on affordability and LTV?
9. How does keeping the equity loan compare with repaying it?

We would identify the correct Homes England route, then check which lenders accept the remaining equity loan. This avoids comparing unavailable products.

Need to remortgage while keeping Help to Buy?

Monday Mortgages can assess staying or moving and check which lenders accept the equity loan remaining. Compare your remortgage options.