The only exception to the rule is if the original interest was below a set minimum rate — the three-month Budapest interbank offer rate (BUBOR) plus 2% — by the law.

Banks will have to apply an interest rate that is pegged to the three-month BUBOR.

The interest spread over the BUBOR should be the same as the spread on the original loan, but the spread is limited to a range of 2-5.5% for home mortgages and 2-7.0% for other mortgages.

The conversion law will apply to loans taken out between May 1, 2004 until borrowers’ relief legislation came into force in the summer.