Maidenhead Law Firm Owner: Legal Delays, Not Rates, Derail Remortgages

Remortgaging in 2026? The Legal Steps to Get Right Before Your Fixed Rate Ends

Maidenhead, United Kingdom – July 16, 2026 / J Scott & Co /

As 1.8 million UK fixed-rate mortgage deals expire this year, J Scott & Co Solicitors’ owner Tamseel Din says homeowners are focused on the wrong risk — and it’s costing some of them the rate they secured

MAIDENHEAD, Berkshire — More than one and a half million UK households are about to have the same difficult conversation with their lender. According to UK Finance, around 1.8 million fixed-rate mortgage deals are due to expire during 2026 — up from roughly 1.6 million in 2025. Many were fixed in 2020 and 2021, when a five-year deal could be secured below 2%; the average five-year fix sat at about 2.57% in May 2021, and is closer to 5.7% today.

Tamseel Din, owner of J Scott & Co Solicitors, a conveyancing firm in Maidenhead, says the real risk for many of these homeowners in 2026 is not where mortgage rates go next — it is the legal work that gets left until the last minute.

“People understandably focus on the rate. But the rate is only protected if the transaction actually completes on time — and that depends on the legal work being lined up early,” said Din. “My advice this year is simple: if your fixed deal ends in the next six months and there is any legal element to your remortgage, get a solicitor instructed now, not the week before.”

For a straightforward product transfer with the same lender, a solicitor may not be needed at all. But for property in England and Wales, a significant number of remortgages involve legal work that has to be handled correctly and on time — including:

Transferring equity — adding a partner to the title, removing an ex-partner after a separation, or buying out a sibling on an inherited property. This is a legal transaction in its own right, separate from the mortgage, and can carry Stamp Duty Land Tax implications depending on what changes hands.
Changing lender on leasehold flats — where the new lender’s requirements around the lease, ground rent and service charges must be checked before completion.
Releasing equity or a further advance, where the lender instructs a solicitor to act.
Moving home as a fixed rate ends — the busiest scenario of all, and the one where timing matters most.

None of this is exotic — it is everyday conveyancing. But it takes time, and it depends on third parties, including lenders, managing agents and HM Land Registry, who do not move to a homeowner’s deadline.

Why delay is expensive in the current market

When a fixed rate ends and nothing is in place, a mortgage does not simply continue — it rolls onto the lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR). Average SVRs are currently around 7%, well above the best fixed deals, with the Bank of England base rate held at 3.75%. Every week of delay on the legal side can mean a week spent on a far more expensive rate.

Din points to a common scenario his firm sees: a remortgage involving a transfer of equity, instructed three weeks before the fixed rate expires, with a lease that needs chasing and a managing agent who takes a fortnight to reply. The client does everything right on the mortgage — and still slips onto the SVR because the legal file could not complete in time.

A remortgage is also a moment to check the things people put off

Din notes that when clients come to remortgage or move, it is often the first time in years they have looked closely at how their home is owned and protected. He recommends using the moment to check:

How the property is owned — as joint tenants or tenants in common, which matters significantly for what happens if one owner dies, and is inexpensive to correct while the file is already open.
Whether a will reflects the current situation, particularly after a separation, a new relationship, or a change in who is on the title.
Whether a Lasting Power of Attorney is in place, so decisions about a home and finances can be managed if someone is ever unable to manage them personally.

“The homeowners who come through 2026 with the least stress are the ones who treated the legal side as part of the plan, not an afterthought,” Din added. “If your fixed rate is ending, talk to a solicitor early — even if it turns out you don’t need us, you’ll know where you stand.”

J Scott & Co Solicitors offers homeowners a free initial conversation to talk through the legal side of a remortgage, along with a fixed-fee quote once they are ready to instruct. Homeowners whose fixed-rate deal ends in 2026 can call 01628 777233 or visit jscottlegal.co.uk.

About J Scott & Co Solicitors

J Scott & Co Solicitors is an SRA-regulated law firm based in Maidenhead, Berkshire [SRA number: 621898], established in 2003. The firm specialises in residential conveyancing alongside wills, probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney and related private-client work, serving clients across England and Wales. The firm’s conveyancing clients rate their experience 5.0 on ReviewSolicitors .