In my case I started haggling BEFORE the sale & the charges were waived in full before completion. However, I was in a 6-year deal and even nearer to the end than you. Generally speaking the banks do face some loss if you terminate early on a fixed rate or low start deal so I very much doubt you'd be entitled to the full £16k back - but even the most simple maths tells you theyre better off after 22 months then if youd terminated in month 1 - so to charge you the same redemption fee irregardless of time passed implies its a penalty rather than a genuine pre-estimate of their loss. Most lenders now taper the redemption so that the longer you've paid the lower the % applied. If you were tied in for 36 months the £16k = £444 per month & youve redeemed 14 months early so 14 x £444 = £6,222 or around 2%. That would seem a fairer figure. If I were you Id start the ball rolling now by writing & stating that the £16k constitutes a Penalty under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts legislation & offering to settle at the £6,222. Advise them that if they dont accept then you'll be seeking redress through the Courts. You can still claim in the County Court - but go for the full £16k. If they defend (and they will!) you can then make a Part 36 Offer to settle at circa £10k (ie £16k less £6,222) If they refuse and the judge subsequently rules in your favour for £10k or more then Im pretty sure the other side becomes liable for your costs as well as their own - but please note Im not a lawyer so Id strongly recommend you engage a solicitor to issue proceedings and have this strategy in mind from the start. Good Luck!

Hi darren Basically the UTCC regulations say " a requirement to pay more in compensation for breach [of contract] than a reasonable pre-estimate of the loss to the supplier is one form of excessive penalty. Such requirements will, in any case, normally be void as a penalty under English common law". It goes on to say "an unfair penalty can apply to any term which requires excessive payment in the event of early termination" Julie

Before. I was moving house & initially offered to keep my (about to double) mortgage with them if they waived the redemption fee - but they werent having it so I arranged a mortgage elsewhere & battled it out with them. In my case I was in the final year of a 6-year deal & the redemption fee was more than the remaining repayments! Quoted the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts regulations, worked out what I considered their actual loss to be, and after a few letters they eventually waived the lot - even though Id offered to pay what I thought was reasonable. Maybe I just got in early, but at the same time I managed to get RBS to refund all of the fees on my boyfriend's bank a/c caused by "timing differences" on between his mortgage & his current a/c (both with RBS!). Either I was lucky - or I really am as scary as people tell me! Currently going to court with MyTravel over their belief that its OK to chop a day off my holiday & then charge me 50% if I want to cancel as a result! Keep on Fighting! Julie

I feel a bit of an "old hat" as I managed to get my mortgage redemption fees (6%) cancelled way back in 2001 !! It took me 5 weeks and 3 letters, but I got there! Good luck to anyone else who tries it - it can be done!