Overlay
Helping you understand if a tracker rate mortgage is right for you

Tracker mortgage

What is a tracker mortgage?

A tracker rate mortgage, unlike a fixed rate mortgage, means your interest will rise and fall in line with another interest rate – typically the Bank of England’s base rate – for a certain period of time. This is usually two or five years. Please note that NatWest tracker mortgages will track the National Westminster Bank Plc's base rate.

If the rate drops, your monthly mortgage payments will also drop. You could take advantage of these lower rates by overpaying on your mortgage. This can make it quicker to pay off your mortgage and reduce the amount of interest you pay. 

If you are on a fixed or tracker rate, you can pay up to 20% of your outstanding balance each year without incurring an Early Repayment Charge.

However, if the tracker rate goes up and you continue to repay the same amount as before, it could take longer to pay off your mortgage.

Benefits of a tracker rate mortgage

  • If the rates go down you pay less interest on your mortgage.

Bear in mind that, if the rate goes up, so will your mortgage payments as you're not protected by a fixed rate.

What happens when my tracker rate mortgage ends?

After the initial deal period ends, your mortgage interest rate switches to the Standard Variable Rate (SVR), which means your rate could both rise or fall, depending on changes in the interest rate we charge.

At this point, if you don’t want your mortgage to be on the SVR, you'll have the option to switch and move onto a new rate.

Do not worry, we will contact you before your tracker rate ends so that you can make arrangements.

For more information on the SVR, take a look at our SVR mortgage guide.

Already have a mortgage with us?

Take a look at our mortgage switcher information to see if it would be suitable to move to a new deal.

Frequently asked questions about tracker mortgages

Something else we can help you with?