For existing home loan borrowers, there are options available to reduce the high interest burden.
Lenders are aggressively reducing interest rates on new home loans.
But   what if you are an existing borrower? Those who have taken home loans   before April 2016 are still paying a higher interest as their loans are   either base rate-linked or benchmark retail prime lending rate (BRPLR)-linked. The options before you are as follows.
If bank is the lender
One-time   switch to MCLR: You can switch from a base rate to MCLR or marginal   cost-offunds based lending rate. The latter is more dynamic as it is   directly linked to repo rate and allows you to enjoy the change in   interest rates faster. In the current cycle of lower interest rates, it   makes sense to shift to MCLR as a downward change in repo rate will lead   to lower MCLR. However, the opposite also holds true. In case of an   upward surge in rates, the increase will be passed on to borrowers   faster
There is also a cost involved. Banks charge a conversion   fee of around 0.5% on your outstanding loan amount, plus taxes. For   instance, if your home loan outstanding is `20 lakh, the conversion fee   would be around `10,000, plus taxes. Most importantly, switching to MCLR   is a one-time option, you cannot revert to base rate again. And once   you choose an MCLR rate, you cannot reset it for the next one year.
If loan is with NBFCs
Reset to a lower rate: The MCLR system doesn't apply to housing finance companies (HFCs) and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs). So, if you have taken a loan from either, you can reset your interest rate by paying a conversion fee.
HFCs and NBFCs   usually do not change the base or BPLR rate, they change the spread,   which results in an overall reduced rate (actual interest rate = base   rate +spread). For instance, a lender with a base rate of 16% and a   spread of -6%, will allow you to change your spread to say -7%. This   would result in a reduced rate of 9% [16% + (-7%)] than the earlier 10%   [16% + (-6%)]. The conversion fee will vary from lender to lender. Also,   unlike with banks, you can reset your interest rate any number of   times.
Once you opt for a reduced interest rate either with banks or NBFCs,   you have the option of maintaining the same EMI or lower the loan   tenure and vice versa. In case you choose the option to lower the EMI,   you would be required to provide new ECS mandatepost-dated cheques.
Cost-benefit analysis
Before   taking the plunge, calculate the total cost you are incurring to reduce   your interest rate, and the savings you are making in the process. If   the fees are higher than the savings, it doesn't make sense to switch or   reset. Account for the total cost--conversion fee plus taxes. Look for   at least 25 bps difference in interest rates.
Also,   consider the remaining tenure of your loan. When the balance tenure is   only a few years, it is not advisable to switchreset as the bulk of the   interest component would have been paid and EMI would constitute mainly   the principal
Next, check on the spread being offered   by the lender. "Lenders can't lend below MCLR or base rate, but if you   have a good credit history and track record, you can negotiate on the   spread
You also need to look at the charges. They vary from lender to lender and can be negotiated.

Refinance options
If   the deal with your existing lender isn't lucrative, you could consider   refinance or balance transfer option. However, it is a lengthy process.   It is like getting your loan approved all over again. Refinancing can be   costly too.Various fees of the new lender can be up to 50 bps of the   loan amount and then there is the mortgage fee plus taxes. If the   processing and transaction fee is less than the savings on the interest   rate difference (between existing and the new lender) for one year, it   makes for a case to switch to a new lender. If there is a minimum   difference of 75 bps between the interest rate offered by a new lender   compared to existing lender, refinancing makes sense. That too only for   loans with residual tenure of more than 7-10 years
So the choice   between refinancing, switching or resetting a loan rate depends on the   outstanding amount and tenure, the difference in rates and the amount of   time you have to get the job done. As interest rates may not remain low   for ever, make the most of current low rates.