Nearly one million Australians say they are likely to dump their current home loan provider in the short term, a new national poll has found.

The Newspoll survey commissioned by communications firm Perception Partners, shows more than 900 000 Australians, or nearly 1 in 5 mortgage holders (18 per cent), are likely to change their lender within the next 6 months.

When asked if they would change lender if there were no exit fees, the proportion more than doubled with 40 per cent saying that it was likely they would change home loan provider within the first half of 2011.

Thirty-five per cent or 5.1 million Australians own their own home and are paying off a mortgage. This includes joint mortgage holders such as couples.

Eighteen per cent or approximately 900 000 mortgage holders said they were either very likely or somewhat likely to change their financial institution for their current mortgage in the next 6 months

Forty per cent or an estimated 2 million mortgage holders said they were either very likely or somewhat likely to change their financial institution for their current mortgage in the next six months, if there were no exit fees.