Mortgage deals available for just 13 days, Moneyfacts reports

UK mortgage deals are available for just 13 days amid continuing market volatility, according to a report published by Moneyfactscompare.co.uk on 19 October 2026. The comparison website said lenders were changing rates and removing products in response to international developments and their effects on the UK.

The report adds an availability concern to the pricing pressures documented by Moneyfactscompare.co.uk earlier in October. For buyers and homeowners arranging borrowing, a product being advertised does not mean it will remain available throughout their search.

What does the 13-day shelf life mean for mortgage deals?

Moneyfactscompare.co.uk’s latest mortgage news listing identifies 13 days as the period for which deals are available. Its accompanying description points to both rate amendments and product withdrawals, rather than changes in pricing alone.

The published listing does not provide a previous shelf-life figure, the measurement period or a breakdown by mortgage type. It therefore does not establish how much availability has shortened or whether the same pattern applies across different parts of the market.

The availability update follows a more mixed picture on rates. On 14 October, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reported that some fixed rates had fallen, offering limited relief after the increases recorded earlier in the month. Those selected mortgage rate cuts were not presented as a fall across every product.

On 5 October, the website reported that the average five-year fixed mortgage rate had reached 6%. It also said deals priced below 5% had become scarce, indicating that the pressure extended beyond the headline average.

How the market changed after the summer improvement

Moneyfactscompare.co.uk’s earlier coverage shows that the autumn disruption followed a period of improving availability. On 8 June 2026, it reported that the number of mortgage products had moved back above 7,000, describing this as evidence of recovery after several turbulent months.

That improvement in supply did not coincide with an equally strong picture for borrowing activity. On 29 June, the website reported that mortgage approvals had fallen to their lowest level in two and a half years.

Pricing subsequently improved: Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reported on 13 July that mortgage rates had recorded their largest decline in almost two years. Its coverage nevertheless raised the possibility that renewed geopolitical tensions could interrupt that movement.

By 10 August, the website was reporting the first mortgage rate rises in months, which it linked to renewed conflict in the Middle East. It also highlighted the repayment pressure facing hundreds of thousands of households approaching the end of fixed deals charging less than 3%.

The upward movement continued into the following month. In its 7 September update, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk said mortgage rates had begun increasing during the first week of September, while leaving open whether that represented a brief reversal or a longer-lasting trend.

Moneyfacts points to affordability pressure on activity

Moneyfactscompare.co.uk’s assessment on 14 October was that affordability constraints were still affecting activity despite the selected rate reductions. Its position distinguished an improvement in some advertised prices from a broader easing of the pressures on borrowers.

The website’s housing coverage also described a weakening backdrop. Its 1 October report on the Nationwide House Price Index said UK house price growth had halved in September. That was a separate measure of housing market conditions, rather than evidence that mortgage product withdrawals had caused the slowdown.

November rate expectations remain forecasts

The next policy possibility identified in Moneyfactscompare.co.uk’s coverage is a potential Bank of England rate increase in November. Its 17 September report said the Bank had held its base rate at 3.75% despite mounting inflationary pressures, while noting expectations among some observers that a rise could follow.

That November outlook was a forecast reported in September, not an announced decision. The 19 October mortgage listing gives no confirmed timetable for further lender changes and does not specify how long the reported 13-day availability period might persist.