How long does it take to get a mortgage?

The major stages of the mortgage application process are as follows, and we will take a detailed look at each of them below:

Mortgage agreement in principle

Having an agreement in principle (AIP), sometimes referred to as a decision in principle (DIP) is not an essential, but a highly recommended stage of the home buying process. You can apply for a mortgage without one, but especially as a first time buyer it can help you appear as a serious buyer. In fact, some estate agents won’t even arrange an appointment to view a property if you don’t have one.

As of 2022-23, the average age for a first-time buyer in England was 34, according to UK first-time buyer statistics.

They are also very helpful in determining how much you have to spend on a home, as they show what the lender will be happy to lend you, assuming your full mortgage application goes through without any issues. 

How long does it take to get a mortgage in principle?

An agreement in principle can be prepared in less than an hour, but this can take a little longer if you don’t have the necessary paperwork ready, or any issues are highlighted.

How long does a mortgage in principle last?

Once you have the agreement in principle it will typically remain valid for 30 to 90 days - depending on the lender. This is the time-frame in which you'll need to view properties and have an offer accepted on your chosen home. 

What documents will I need for an agreement in principle?

You'll be asked how much you need to borrow and what your income and outgoings are. You'll also need to supply the following original documents:

• Three to six months’ worth of bank statements

• Payslips for the last three months (if employed)

• Tax calculations for 12-36 months, depending on the lender (if self-employed)

• Photo ID such as a passport or driving licence

The lender will then ask a credit reference agency to check that the information you've given matches your credit file. At this stage only a “soft search” will be carried out, which means that no marks will be left on your credit file.  

If you know your credit history is poor, or you have no credit history at all (because you've never borrowed money), it's worth spending time to improve this before applying for a mortgage. 

You could also consider speaking to a whole-of-market mortgage broker, as they know the individual criteria of different lenders, so can recommend those most likely to approve you for a mortgage and give you up-to-date, current mortgage rates.

Mortgage application process

Once you’ve found a property and had an offer accepted, it’s time to make your full mortgage application. This doesn’t have to be with the same lender that you have an agreement in principle with, as it isn't binding. 

How long does it take to complete a mortgage application?

Applications vary from one lender to the next, but the average length of time to complete the actual form is around three to six hours.

It will be quicker if you’re applying as a continuation of your agreement in principle than if you start again with a new lender. It can also be quicker to complete a mortgage application through a mortgage broker, as they can do the paperwork on your behalf.

What documents do I need to apply for a mortgage?

In addition to the documentation needed for the mortgage agreement in principle, you'll also need:

• Three to six months’ worth of utility and council tax bills

• A P60 form from your employer (If employed)

• Proof of earnings for the last three years – self-employed people can provide business accounts

• Address and estate agent details for the property you wish to buy 

• Details of your outgoings, including insurance policies, childcare, travel and entertainment costs

• Proof of any benefits or additional income that you receive

• Credit card and personal loan statements – these can also double-up as an additional proof of address

Supplying original documents will often speed up the process – copies may not be accepted or may need to be verified by your bank or solicitor. That said, many brokers now use an entirely electronic submission process.

What happens after the mortgage application is submitted?

Once submitted, your lender will review your application and supporting documents. They will carry out a thorough or “hard search” of your credit record, which will be recorded on your credit file. 

The lender’s underwriters will look at how much you're currently borrowing on your existing mortgage deal, and how reliably you've been repaid financial obligations in the past. A valuation survey of the property you wish to buy will be arranged and you should be asked to supply your solicitor’s details. 

After submission comes approval, if all goes to plan. According to UK mortgage statistics, an average of 61,000 mortgages per month are approved in the UK each month.

Valuation and offer

The valuation survey is usually carried out by an independent surveyor appointed by the mortgage provider. They carry out a series of structural stability checks, and study the housing market to ensure your chosen property is worth the value of your mortgage loan.

Most surveyors complete their report within 24 hours, and then the underwriter reviews it alongside the other supporting information to make a final decision on the property value.

If you’ve offered more than the surveyor believes the property is worth, there could be delays. The lender could deny your application or ask you to pay a higher deposit or higher mortgage interest rate to compensate the discrepancy in price.

According to UK remortgaging statistics, interest rates on a typical two-year fixed term 95% LTV mortgage exceeded a near-record high of 6.57% in November 2022, before dropping to 5.71% in May 2023.

How long after valuation to mortgage offer?

It will typically take up to 14 days from submission of your mortgage application to get a mortgage deal approved. You should expect to wait up to another two weeks to receive the lenders formal mortgage offer.

So from application to offer is typically two to four weeks. It can be quicker or take a little longer, depending on the complexity of your application. 

Exchange of contracts

Exchanging contracts is where you swap signed contracts with the seller and pay your deposit – making the sale legally binding. You'll typically be ready to exchange contracts around two months after you received the lender's offer.

This can be much longer if you join a chain of other buyers who are also buying and selling properties, however, as the progress of their sales and purchases will have a knock-on effect on your timeline.

The longer the chain of properties, the more problems there can be and the slower the process becomes. Everyone in the chain has a responsibility to stay in close contact with their solicitor to avoid further delays. 

Completion

As the name suggests, the final stage of the mortgage application process is completion. Once you've exchanged contracts, your solicitor will organise the completion date with the seller’s solicitor. As this needs to be coordinated with the other people in the chain, it can be hard to speed up this part of the process.

The completion date is the day that you take ownership of the property. You won’t necessarily have to move in immediately, but this is the date that you will get the keys and become responsible for the upkeep of the property and payment of any bills. 

How long does it take to complete?

Completion is typically a single day event, and you can expect it to take place between seven and 28 days after you’ve exchanged contracts – although it is typically set for two weeks after the exchange date. This gives you time to pack, book a removal company and prepare for the move. 

While Friday is a popular completion day, financial hold-ups can leave you stuck through the weekend while you wait for the banks to reopen on Monday. It is, therefore, worth choosing to complete the sale on a Monday or Tuesday, as this way you have the opportunity to resolve any issues before the close of the week.

How long does a mortgage offer last?

A standard mortgage offer is valid for six months, but not all lenders use time validity in the same way, so check out our guide, mortgage offers explained, to find out more.

Remortgage offers are usually only valid for three months as the property does not need to be purchased, so the process is much shorter.

What factors affect the time the mortgage process takes?

There are a number of factors that can affect the progression of a mortgage application. Some of these are within the buyers control, and some, unfortunately, aren’t. This could include:

• Bad credit - if you have a poor credit history it can take longer to process your application. That said, the biggest delays will occur when there is a surprise in this area. If you're concerned about your credit file, it’s always best to inform the broker or lender from the outset, that way they won't uncover any unexpected problems that could hold things up

• Incorrect addresses - Something that can affect both your credit rating and your ID verification is not appearing on the electoral roll at your existing address. This also applies to bills, bank statements and any driving licence that may be used to support your application, all addresses must be correct and current

• Incorrect personal information - If you've recently married or changed your name or identity status, make sure all of your new documents reflect your current name and gender identity. It’s also important that your date of birth is accurate, whilst this won’t be subject to change, errors do occur

• Not having the required documentation - If you haven’t supplied everything the lender needs there will be delays whilst they request the missing information and you provide it

• Issues with the property - This is less within your control, but any issues that the surveyor finds during their valuation or that are found during conveyancing will need to be resolved before the application can progress any further. The best thing you can do to aid this is to stay available to your solicitor/broker/estate agent etc

• Delays in the chain - Again, this a difficult one to prevent, as other members of the chain may be struggling to sell their home or have an offer accepted on a new one. If everyone in the chain is as responsive as possible, delays can be minimised, but not really prevented 

How can you speed up the mortgage application timeline?

One of the best ways to avoid delays in the mortgage process is to go into it as prepared as possible. Bear the potential delays above in mind and think about how you could prevent them. For example:

• Assess and improving your credit status

• Collate the documents mentioned

• Ensure all of your supporting documents are accurate and up to date

• Be available to and keep in touch with your solicitor and mortgage provider

• Return requests for additional information, forms and documents in a timely manner

How a mortgage broker can speed up the mortgage application process

Using a mortgage broker can help to speed up the process, as they have more time to focus on liaison with the mortgage lender, solicitor and other key players involved with buying your home. It can be difficult to fit this around a full time job and family commitments, whereas this is what they do on a daily basis. 

At application stage, they can also save delays in having your agreement in principle and application approved, as they immediately know what each lender requires and whether or not you're likely to fit their criteria. This can prevent false starts where you apply with a lender that will end up turning you down. 

Buying an empty property

The major part of the home buying process that you have less control over is the chain. To avoid delays, you could therefore look for an empty property, which is chain free. Owners of unoccupied properties are typically keen for a quick sale, so this can be a helpful way to speed up the process.

Obviously this is not a factor that should hold too much weight in choosing your dream home, as some places are simply worth the wait, but it’s something to keep in mind if you see empty property listings.