Comparing a 2.72% 20-year fixed mortgage near Manchester

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The fee altered my view more than the rate did. I have a mortgage quote at 2.72% for a purchase near Manchester at roughly £877,500, with a 20-year fixed period, but its loan-to-value band and arrangement charge make the apparent saving less clear.

Because the monthly gap between the options is small, I am trying to compare them over the time I might actually keep the mortgage. Should I focus on payments and fees over that period, the balance remaining when I might move, or APR as a common reference point? Portability and early-repayment charges could decide it if the cheaper-looking loan is costly to leave.
 
I would compare total cost over the period you realistically expect to keep that mortgage, not automatically over 20 years. Include monthly payments, arrangement fees and any fee added to the loan, then compare the outstanding balance at the end of that period. APR is a useful cross-check but can obscure your actual plans. Is the mortgage itself 20 years long, or is 20 years only the fixed period?
 
I would not dismiss APR quite so quickly. It gives you a consistent starting point when one lender shifts cost from the rate into fees. But Nicolas is right that your own comparison period matters more if you expect to move or refinance early.

The missing figures are the loan amount, LTV tier and arrangement fee. On a large loan, a small rate difference may outweigh a fee; on a smaller loan, the reverse can happen.
 
Since the monthly difference is small, read the flexibility terms as carefully as the price. Compare how early-repayment charges change over time, whether regular overpayments are allowed, and what portability actually requires if you move. Portability may not mean you can transfer the mortgage automatically in every circumstance, so the conditions matter. How likely are you to sell or make a large repayment within those 20 years?
 
Another useful table would show each option at years 2, 5, 10 and 20: cash paid, fees paid, capital remaining and the cost of leaving at that point. That exposes refinance assumptions instead of hiding them in one headline figure. If this really is fixed for the full 20-year mortgage term, rate-reset risk is much less relevant; if the mortgage continues beyond the fix, it belongs in the decision.
 
I would narrow it to two scenarios rather than trying to predict everything: keep the loan for the full fixed period, and exit at the most plausible earlier date. Price both using the same loan amount and LTV. Then choose between the cheapest option and the more flexible one consciously. Also make sure the current monthly payment remains comfortable without relying on a future refinance or income increase.
 
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