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Being turned down for a mortgage can feel like a big blow.
However, it's crucial to remember that there are thousands of lenders out there, and, likely, you've simply applied to the wrong one!
The key to getting over the hurdle is to work out why you were turned down and what you can do differently next time - whether that's submitting a more robust application, providing a higher deposit, or applying to a more suitable mortgage lender.
In this guide, the Revolution Brokers team pools our years of experience to help you understand what you can do if your mortgage application has been rejected and the benefits of professional advice in moving forward successfully.
For help with your mortgage needs or further advice on any of the information in this guide, please get in touch at 0330 304 3040 or email us at info@revolutionbrokers.co.uk.
There are all sorts of reasons you could have been turned down for a mortgage. Usually, it's because of something within your application that doesn't align with the lender's policies.
Note that those eligibility criteria vary widely between lenders, so that absolutely doesn't mean you won't be approved elsewhere!
Some of the common reasons include:
That's by no means an exhaustive list, but just a few of the potential causes.
The best course of action is not to panic! If you don't know why you've been declined, get in touch with the lender and ask for the reason - they will usually be happy to explain.
Next, give us a call, and we'll walk through the alternative lenders and options to improve your chances of approval.
A whole-of-market broker is crucial since Revolution Brokers has an overview of every lending product from every lender in the UK.
We'll match your borrowing requirements and circumstances with the right deal and negotiate directly with our recommended lenders to make sure your application gets over the finish line.
Affordability isn't a static concept across every lender - they all use different calculations and assessment methods to decide whether they perceive you can afford the mortgage you're applying for.
For example:
Generally, a lender will work out four times your annual income and set that as the upper limit for what they'll offer - others will go up to five or even six times.
Others work on a stress test, so they'll take a worst-case scenario interest rate, apply it to the mortgage value, and see if they believe you'd pass an affordability assessment on that basis.
Therefore, it's impossible to quantify precisely why a mortgage has been declined for affordability reasons without asking the lender - the methods used to make these decisions can vary substantially.
First, check-in with the lender and ask for information about your mortgage refusal - you'll need to know why you've been turned down.
Next, look at your income structure and see if there is an apparent reason.
Perhaps they've eliminated a chunk of your earnings from the calculations or work on a three-year income average, and you now earn considerably more.
Let's take a quick example:
That basic example illustrates the point. You can't earn more and probably won't want to apply for a smaller mortgage if you've found your dream home.
The answer is usually to contact an independent broker who will assess your income and match you to a lender with suitable policies that enable them to approve you, based on their affordability calculation method.
If you've got an agreement in principle on the table, you might be surprised to find that you've been turned down when it comes to making the final application!
In short, a lender works through two assessment stages:
Now, the basic qualification criteria are also variable, so if you don't get past the mortgage in principle stage, there is likely something specific that doesn't comply with the lender's policies.
That could be:
If you've been declined after the agreement in principle, it means you've passed all of these evaluations, and there is something more particular.
Perhaps the property valuation has come in lower than expected, or the underwriter has uncovered a previous credit issue that wasn't declared on your initial application.
The good news is that if you've had an agreement in principle, it's usually not too tricky for an experienced broker to switch your application and get you complete approval.
As with any mortgage refusal, step one is to check what went wrong. Some lenders might not disclose the reason if it's related to credit, and they can't reveal information due to data protection rules.
However, in that scenario, they'll usually advise you to check your credit report since that gives you a nudge in the right direction.
Most of the time, it's possible for Revolution Brokers as your broker to dig a little deeper and determine which policy resulted in the refusal.
Don't worry if you're finding it hard to get feedback from your lender - we can usually assess your application and the lender's policies and use our experience to pinpoint the driving factor.
The next stage is to go back to the drawing board, signpost your application to a better-suited lender, and negotiate terms.
You may also strengthen your application to mitigate any perceived risks and start fresh with a new lender.
It can be massively frustrating to have a mortgage rejected at underwriting, particularly if you're keen to push on with your purchase.
Sometimes, you can resolve this by speaking with your lender and solving any concerns raised by the underwriter to request a new appraisal.
Most underwriter refusals relate to:
The trick here is to ensure your application is packaged in a way that mitigates risk and covers every point - so providing complete supporting documentation and evidence of deposit sources, so the underwriter is comfortable with your application.
One option after an underwriter declines a mortgage is to appeal their decision.
It's not likely to be successful, but if you think they've made a mistake, or you simply forgot to include a supporting piece of evidence, you can appeal and ask for the decision to be reconsidered.
Alternatively, you can provide new information to prompt a favourable decision, although note that it's unusual for an underwriter to overturn an adverse decision.
As with most of these scenarios, the best solution is often to seek out a lender with alternative policies who won't have the same challenge in approving your application.
Late payments aren't generally a severe credit issue, so it might be surprising to be turned down for a one-off late payment in the last six years!
Most rejections due to credit scores are more likely to be around a low credit score or a more serious credit issue that makes the mortgage too high a risk.
Low credit scores can happen because you haven't used much credit borrowing before, so it doesn’t mean you won't find a great deal elsewhere.
There are all sorts of reasons you could be turned down, such as:
If you've been rejected for a mortgage due to credit issues, there are several available actions:
You can also look into bad credit lenders, who take a more flexible approach to assess mortgage applicants with late payment or other credit history problems.
Give Revolution Brokers a call if you have any concerns about your credit file, and we'll run through a few options to help you make an informed decision.
Gambling recreationally isn't likely to have a massive impact on your mortgage application. However, severe gambling expenditure or being a professional gambler might make it tough to get a mortgage through a mainstream lender.
As a profession, gambling is a high risk since there isn't much stability or guarantee that your income levels will remain high.
Therefore, a lender will usually look for a long-term financial review to see how likely they think you are to keep up with your repayment schedule.
One of the possible options is to put down a larger deposit.
If you're paying a higher down payment, the LTV is lower, and the risk reduces, which might bring your mortgage file down into an acceptable risk profile for the lender to approve it.
It's also worth using personal funds rather than a gifted deposit if possible. The lender will perceive that you have a more significant investment in the property and may reverse their decision.
Otherwise, many niche lenders consider alternative income streams and non-standard employment, so get in touch, and we'll help you find a mortgage based on your gambling revenue averages.
Whatever the situation, mortgage advisors is on hand to provide independent, impartial advice to resolve your mortgage rejection issues and get your application back on track.
Give us a call on 0330 304 3040, or drop an email to the team at info@revolutionbrokers.co.uk, and we'll work with you to identify the best deals, with the right lenders, at a competitive rate to get your mortgage approved.
Unfortunately, yes. An agreement in principle, is an initial offer to lend, not a rock-solid loan agreement. Lenders can and do withdraw an offer when the application proceeds to the next underwriting stage.
If your mortgage has been declined after an agreement in principle, it's probably because of one of the following reasons
If a pre-approved mortgage is declined, the most probable reason is that the internal credit scoring process has thrown up an issue.
Some lenders use a nominal 'pass mark', and even if the application is otherwise sound, an underwriter can refuse a loan because of a simple score difference.
Specialist lenders are considerably more flexible, so they'll usually ask for context and assess the likelihood that the same credit issues will occur again.
Others don't use credit scoring at all - they assess each application on a case-by-case basis and look at more relevant factors such as your affordability and deposit without as much emphasis on a credit bureau score figure.
Revolution Brokers often hear from first-time buyers who have been turned down for a mortgage, and this is probably the most common scenario.
Usually, it's down to affordability or bad credit - or a combination of the two.
Lenders can also place additional demands on first-time buyers so that they might require a minimum annual salary of £20,000, for example.
There are plenty of solutions, such as a first-time buyer mortgage designed to help new homeowners get onto the property ladder, government backed mortgage guarantee schemes, or financial support through programmes like Help to Buy.
You shouldn't expect to reach the contract exchange stage and then be suddenly rejected for your mortgage, but it can happen. If you're declined after having a full offer, it's usually because of an error on your application, such as incorrect income or incomplete address history. In this scenario, the first stage is to try and get more information from your lender to establish what went wrong. An independent, whole-of-market broker is a solution to pretty much any mortgage refusal. Our UK mortgage experts can analyse your application, identify potential causes, and match your borrowing with a specific lender who we know will be happy to proceed. The good news is that a declined mortgage with a hard credit search will only stay on your credit file for 12 months, so it's not a permanent issue.
Yes, if your mortgage is refused after valuation, it's probably because something in the surveyor's report causes concern. That might be around the materials on the building, the construction type, or a higher risk situation such as a substantial amount of asbestos, which lowers the property's market value. Otherwise, the surveyor might feel that the property will need extensive repair to become habitable and be deemed unsuitable for a conventional mortgage. Down valuations are frustrating, but they do happen. The correct action depends on the reason for your refusal, so that might be to carry out an independent appraisal, apply for an alternative borrowing product (such as development or bridging finance), or use a lender who is comfortable lending against non-standard properties.
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The content included in our articles, blogs, web pages and news publications is based on information accurate at the time of writing. Note that policies and criteria can change regularly throughout the UK mortgage lending market, and it remains essential to contact the consultation team to receive up to date guidance. The information included on the Revolution Brokers site is not bespoke to any circumstances or individual application scenarios and therefore is not intended to be used as financial advice. The content we share is designed to be informative and helpful but cannot be relied upon to provide individual advice relevant to your mortgage requirements. All Revolution team members are fully qualified, trained and experienced to provide mortgage advice of an independent nature. We collaborate with lenders and providers who are regulated, authorised and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Should you require specific mortgage borrowing types, some products such as buy to let mortgages may not be FCA regulated. The Revolution team can provide further information about regulated and unregulated lending as required. Please remember that a mortgage is a debt which is secured against your home or property. Your home can be at risk of repossession if you do not keep up with the repayments or encounter any other difficulties in managing your mortgage borrowing responsibly. This also applies to any remortgage or home loan secured against your property, including equity release products.
Revolution Brokers understands that mortgages can be complex and confusing!
Ask us any question you might have, and one of our skilled consultants will come back to you as quickly as possible.
