FCA mortgage conduct rules: what they mean before your fixed rate ends
A dated note on how FCA rules govern lender communications at the end of a fixed-rate mortgage deal and why the end date itself is the active decision point.
Published January 2026
What changed
FCA rules in the Mortgages and Home Finance: Conduct of Business sourcebook (MCOB) govern how lenders communicate at the end of a fixed-rate deal and how the reversion rate is disclosed.
Reversion rates move with lender funding costs, which are anchored to the Bank of England Bank Rate over time — so the reversion rate published on the original mortgage offer is rarely the rate that actually applies on the day.
What it means before the fixed-rate end date
On the day after the fixed-rate end date, the mortgage typically reverts to the lender's standard variable rate. That reversion rate is usually higher than the original fixed rate and recalculates the monthly payment.
Any early repayment charge window that ends near the same date frames how early a remortgage can be completed without a penalty, so the end date is a hard anchor for the decision either way.
What to do now
Find the fixed-rate end date
It is on the original mortgage offer and on the most recent annual statement.
Read the lender's current standard variable rate
This is what applies from the day after, if no action is taken.
Check any early repayment charge window
Acting too early can trigger an ERC; acting too late means the SVR applies.
Related pages
Fixed-rate ending reminders
Track your fixed-rate ending renewal date so the next change is on your calendar, not the provider's.
Fixed-rate mortgage ending report 2026
Evidence on how UK prices move at this renewal — what households are paying and why.
What to do before your fixed-rate mortgage ends
A short guide to the dates, terms and decisions behind this renewal.
Sources
- FCA — Mortgages and Home Finance: Conduct of Business sourcebook (MCOB). FCA rules govern how mortgage lenders communicate at the end of a fixed-rate deal and how reversion rates are disclosed.
- Bank of England — Bank Rate and monetary policy. Mortgage reversion rates and new fixed-rate pricing move with lender funding costs, which are anchored to Bank Rate over time.