Major banks have not increased savers' base rates for seven years, despite boosting  earnings with regular increases in borrowers' fees, particularly for property investors, analysis of savings' offers reveals.

Savers' base rates, which exclude special short-term promotions, are languishing at 1 per cent, or less than half the rate of inflation, or one-nineteenth of Sydney annual house price rises. 

For example, since Westpac increased the base rate for eSaver to 5.10 per cent in November 2010 it has slid to 1 per cent.

During the same period ANZ's online saver base rate has tumbled from 4.75 per cent to 1 per cent.

The base rate is earned by most bank customers with a call account requiring immediate access to their cash. 

The total rate refers to the base rate plus any promotional interest rate on offer for a set term, typically a "honeymoon" rate for three months, before reverting to the base rate.

 "Since November 2010 online savings rates have decoupled from the Reserve Bank of Australia cash rate of 1.5 per cent and fallen by 50 basis points," said Steve Mickenbecker, group executive financial services for Canstar. 

  "Savers should be looking at alternatives, such as term deposits, which requires locking money away. Alternatively shop around for the best honeymoon rates on offer and be prepared to move between banks every few months."

The rates and tables, provided by Canstar, which monitors saving and borrowing rates, show recent increases and falls in savings rates. 

*ANZ last increased the promotional rate on its high interest savings account to 2.85 per cent in November 2016. Since then it has fallen to 2.55 per cent.

*CBA's last increase was in April, taking the promotional rate to 2.55 per cent, where it has remained.

*NAB last increased its promotional rate in November 2014 by 100 basis points to 3.50 per cent. It has been since been cut to 1.90 per cent.

*Westpac last increased its promotional rate in March 2016 to 3.11 per cent. It has since been cut to 2.51 per cent.    

Banks claim they committed to offering competitive rates.

"Interest rates offered by CBA reflect a number of factors including local and international funding markets, regulatory requirements and competitive conditions and we frequently review our product offering to ensure they reflect market conditions," a CBA spokesperson said.

 Online savings accounts are down 111 basis points over two years. 

During that period the cash rate has fallen from 2.25 per cent to 1.5 per cent, or a dip of 75 basis points.

Over the same period standard variable borrowing rates for owner-occupied have come down by less than half the lower cash rate, or 37 basis points. Most lenders have increased rates on interest-only investor products from between 10 basis and 76 basis points. 

A recent survey found that in the past three months rates have been raised on more than 110 principal and interest loans, more than 100 interest-only loans and more than 60 residential principal and interest loans.

The average margin increase over the past 12 months on investment loans was 41 basis points with most of the majors, including Macquarie Bank, between 47 and 60 basis points, according to analysis of Australian Prudential Regulation Authority statistics. 

Assuming an investor book of about $120 billion, which is reasonable for major lenders, an average premium of 41 basis points on each bank's loans represents an increase in gross interest revenue of more than $490 million a year each, the analysis shows.