Homeowners sat on Halifax standard variable rate mortgages at 3.5 per cent could be in for a rude shock, as the lender has paved the way to hike their monthly payments, an expert has warned. The mortgage lending giant has an estimated 1million borrowers paying its standard variable rate, many of whom will have reasoned that they are safe from having their rate jump as long as the UK base rate remains at its record 0.5 per cent low. But Halifax’s recent move to lift a SVR cap - a special deal that only affects 40,000 of its borrowers - could actually mean an imminent rate rise of almost 0.5 per cent for all, says Ray Boulger, of mortgage broker John Charcol....Read more HERE