House prices surprise with fastest rise for two years, says Nationwide

Mortgage rates started falling in the summer after the Bank of England began cutting its key interest rate.

However, mortgage rates have edged up in recent weeks on expectations that the Bank will not cut rates as quickly as had been previously expected.

In addition, there are still millions of people who are set to see their mortgage repayments increase over the next few years, as their current fixed-rate deals come to an end.

Last week, the Bank of England estimated that about 4.4 million mortgage holders are expected to see payments rise by 2027.

It said a typical owner-occupier coming off a fixed rate in the next two years would see their monthly mortgage repayments increase by around £146.

According to financial information website Moneyfacts, the average two-year fixed mortgage rate is currently 5.52%, while the average five-year fixed rate is 5.28%.

To get over the problem of mortgage affordability, an increasing number of homebuyers are taking out deals over longer-than-usual time periods.

Ultra-long, or extended, mortgages have become more popular as people aim to spread the cost of buying a house.

More than a million mortgages have been issued in the past three years which homebuyers are set to still be repaying into pension age.

However, while this can cut the size of monthly payments, it will ultimately make the loan more expensive, and experts say it can affect financial planning for retirement.