Nationwide's Strengths: New-Build and Members
Nationwide stands out in two areas:
- New-build property — Nationwide has a strong commitment to new-build lending, often offering higher LTV and more favourable terms on new-build remortgages and further advances than many competitors, including where a Help to Buy equity loan is involved.
- Member loyalty — existing Nationwide members (mortgage or long-standing savings customers) can access preferential rates. If you're already a member, always check your member rate against the open market.
Nationwide also scores consistently well on customer service in independent surveys, reflecting its member-owned ethos.
Product Transfer vs Switching From Nationwide
Existing Nationwide members choosing whether to stay or switch:
- Product transfer — switch to a new Nationwide deal. Fast, no valuation or legal work, and member loyalty rates can be competitive. Nationwide makes this easy via its app and online banking.
- Switch to a new lender — access the whole market if another lender beats Nationwide's member rate by a meaningful margin (0.3%+).
Because Nationwide's member rates can be genuinely competitive, the product transfer often wins for existing members — but always compare before assuming.
Best Alternatives to Nationwide
Compare Nationwide against:
- Halifax — similar criteria breadth, often competitive, strong for self-employed.
- HSBC / First Direct — frequently cheaper for clean-credit borrowers at low LTV.
- Santander — flexible criteria, competitive pricing.
- Coventry / Yorkshire BS — other strong building societies with competitive rates and flexible underwriting.
A broker compares Nationwide's rate (including any member pricing) against the whole market for your profile.
Important: Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. There will be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual rate available will depend on your circumstances. Think carefully before securing other debts against your home.
