UK mortgage borrowers now have the choice of two loans with interest rates fixed at 0.94% for two years as the price war between lenders heats up.
HSBC and TSB are offering the ultra-low rate, which undercuts the previous best buy of 0.95%, and adds to a rising number of sub-1% deals for borrowers with large deposits.
HSBC said 0.94% was the lowest rate it had ever offered. Its mortgage comes with a £999 fee and is available to homebuyers and remortgagors. TSB’s deal, which was launched last week, is available to remortgagors only and has a £995 fee.
Previously, the cheapest deal on the market was a two-year fixed-rate at 0.95% from Platform, part of Co-operative Bank. It has a £1,499 fee and is available only via mortgage brokers.
The mortgages are available only to borrowers with at least a 40% deposit. Those with less equity will pay higher rates.
HSBC has a five-year fixed rate of 1.29% for those borrowing up to 75% loan-to-value (LTV), while those borrowing 95% of the cost of their home can fix for two years at 3.39%. Remortgagors at TSB can fix for two years at 1.09% up to 75% LTV but that rises to 3.14% for between 85% and 90% LTV.
The rates are among the lowest ever offered and show how keen lenders are to attract borrowers.
HSBC’s deal is available on loans of up to £5m. However, Ashley Thomas, a director at the mortgage broker Magni Finance, said anyone borrowing less than £500,000 would pay less if they took HSBC’s no-fee deal with a 1.14% rate.
Katie Cave, a director at the brokers Clearpoint Finance, warned: “Beware buying into short-term savings and losing out on longer-term better value.”