Abbey/Santander application

A question about : Abbey/Santander application

Is anyone else experiencing a delay to a decision on their mortgage application with Abbey/Santander?

We have an AIP in place and Mortgage Broker submitted the application over the weekend and said we'd get a response within 48 hours. As of today, no response.
I asked the Broker who said she hadn't heard anything. I am getting very nervous we will be turned down.
We are First Time Buyers but this is not the 1st house we have bought (we sold back in 2010 and have been renting).
We have no debt (all paid off in 2013) and are putting down 13.5% deposit. Husband is self employed but I am the main breadwinner.

Best answers:

• Submitted ours on the fourth still waiting for official a approval. Check the longer running thread, there are lots of us!
• A response within 48 hours?! Join the at least 2 weeks waiting club
• thanks - what is the name of the thread everyone else is replying to? Can't find it.
• https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...711931&page=49
• Yep I'm another one waiting, the place is a joke. I've now got plan b in place, so if I don't hear back by Monday I'm going with someone else.
• Thanks for link - found it and reviewed. REALLY feel for all of you!
  I just spoke to Mortgage Broker (used to work with Abbey). Abbey/Santander have had an unprecedented demand in last 8 weeks due to Help to Buy scheme so have a huge backlog. Apart from the main worry that we just cannot relax until we know we have been approved, their mortgage deals could change in the meantime.
• The problem is they won't send out a surveyor until the mortgage is approved. So you are left wondering for weeks when it's going through and your seller is probably thinking the same. Patience has never been one of my qualities!
• Santander have at least sent my surveyor out and the valuation is back (they were quick but I think that's because my MA in the bank is ace & she chased it down and got it booked, then when the surveyor pushed it back she rang then and pushed it forward again)
  So I am hoping that valuation (which came back ok) basically means mortgage approved and it's just sat in someone's in tray waiting to print a letter)
  IMO Santander is the best HTB2 offer out there at the moment so I'm not surprised that they have delays
• Not so helpful for those who aren't HTB though and just want to get going. Swings and roundabouts!
• Could we all be any more stressed waiting on Abbey lol?
• Abbey like most lenders now are starting to gear up to MMR ~(Mortgage Market review) which comes in from April, and will place far more emphasis on the lender with regards affordability and plausibility, as a result underwriting is starting to take far longer, this combined with increasing volumes of applications is starting to cause delays, having said that Abbey are currently working at 4-5 days from application to underwriting, so comments above about 2 weeks + would imply a problem with the application submission, so you should raise this with the broker.
  Unfortunately over the next few months delays will only get worse, and underwriting more difficult, don't blame the brokers/lenders, this is an FCA thing in a bid to help the "consumer" - however short term it will cause massive delays, we are starting to see lenders increase rates to slow applications down, and I suspect brokers will start to increase fees to cover the additional paperwork involved.
• My application went in on the 13th so I am on 7th working day without news. I am not using H2B. Losing the will to live with another looong weekend to get through!
• I'm starting to wonder if I should look elsewhere!!
• Still Nothing from Santander - won't deal with me on the phone either as I'm am in branch customer. Their phone system was broadcasting that they have delays in answering calls due to high demand for their products.
• Seems like mine's going smoother than some so far then. I applied through L&C to Abbey last week. Application submitted on Thur 13th, approved subject to valuation on Wed 19th. I was also originally told first response would be in 48 hours but then I did get a call from case manager to say there were delays. There was also an request for extra documentation in that time. I'm now waiting on survey (been told by estate agent a request for access was received on Wed, at that time still be arranged with vendor, but I don't yet know if survey has actually been done yet.)
  It is pretty nerve racking though waiting for each stage, so I do feel sorry for those that haven't heard anything yet.