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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU or is my future employer?

79 replies

pcofmushu · 22/11/2021 17:12

I have been offered a fantastic new job that I have accepted, however I have said that I cannot start until after XXXX as I am currently in the process of buying a house and the mortgage advisor informs me that changing jobs during an application is not ideal. (We have the formal mortgage offer, just waiting to move in).

New employer says they feel "let down" that I cannot start any sooner. I maintain that I cannot scupper my chances when we are so close to moving in.

Thoughts? AIBU to not take the risk (and ultimately follow the financial advisor's advice!), or should I be accommodating the desires of the new job?

OP posts:
unfortunateevents · 22/11/2021 18:28

What happens if you don't move in over Christmas and only end up being in a position to hand in your notice of a month say beginning of January? Are you then going to expect the new employer to wait until February for you? I can see where they are coming from - your mortgage is not foremost in their minds and they don't really want to get into all the details of why things have been delayed so far, what your mortgage adviser is saying, your confidence that you will move over Christmas etc.

bassackwards · 22/11/2021 21:50

I changed jobs in the middle of my mortgage application and it wasn't a bit deal tbh. They just asked me to confirm my new salary and provide copies of related documents, namely my new employment contract, my first pay check and the P45 from my previous employer. This has slowed things down slightly but didn't affect eligibility.

alwayswrighty · 22/11/2021 22:01

The new position is permanent with a higher salary. The mortgage adviser went down the route of "with a new job comes risk of new probationary periods so best not to change jobs until you've got the funds confirmed" - what do you make of this as a M.A yourself?

I would suggest the lender who has offered your mortgage doesn't like clients in probation.

There maybe a number of quirks that you don't know about that would make your job change the tipping point, or it may be you have a crap adviser.

user1471457751 · 22/11/2021 22:03

What happens if the house is delayed by a further 2 months? You then wouldn't be starting until March.
Unless you've told them previously about your 1 month notice period, they'll probably annoyed by the fact you won't confirm a start date.

Luredbyapomegranate · 22/11/2021 22:08

It sounds like a reasonable notice period to me, and (while I’m not a mortgage advisor) the idea that mortgage providers like to see you’ve been in your job for a while is a familiar one - I assume because they know that new jobs are often less secure - because you may not work out in the role, and you certainly don’t have any rights for a while.

So assuming you didn’t mislead your new employer I would be quite brisk with them.

purpledagger · 22/11/2021 22:23

Did you tell them your notice period was 1 month? This may have factored in to their decision making, they offered you the role and now you are dragging your heels. A 2 or even 3 month notice period isn't uncommon, but I think the fact that you haven't committed to a start date is the issue.

As an employer, I would be wary of a candidate that wouldn't agree a start date. It makes it difficult to plan work/induction and also that they are not committed to the offer (e.g are interviewing for other roles and hedging their bets).

Hope478 · 23/11/2021 04:14

You are being ridiculous, start the job.
As your future employer, I'd be questioning my choice of candidate.

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 23/11/2021 04:26

Exact move in date hasn't been confirmed yet as the property is new build and has experienced delays in completion due to issues with supplies.

This is very likely to keep stretching as a date in my experience of new builds.

MinimumChips · 23/11/2021 04:29

What happens if there’s another delay? Presumably to start in Jan you’ll have to give notice in the next couple of weeks before you know either way about further delays.

RedRobin100 · 23/11/2021 04:34

I’d be concerned your move in date shifts further. What do you do then - keep pushing back your new job?
Can’t advise on the risk with your lender, but personally, I just signed up a new mortgage offer (yet to drawdown) the same week I changed jobs. I have no break in employment and took the probation period risk.

HeartsAndClubs · 23/11/2021 04:46

Exact move in date hasn't been confirmed yet as the property is new build and has experienced delays in completion due to issues with supplies. and you think that with all that it’s going to be completed in January? Just after Christmas when all builders and tradesmen are on holiday? You’re having a laugh, and your employer likely knows that.

What you’re essentially saying to the employer is “well, I’m going to be moving some time next year and while I’d really like the job I won’t be able to start until my house is ready, which given it’s a new build is, well, how long is a piece of string?

if you knew that you shouldn’t have changed jobs during the mortgage period you shouldn’t have been looking for a new job then knowing that you wouldn’t be in a position to accept it if you were offered it.

If I were the new employer I’d be withdrawing the job offer on the basis you’re clearly not very committed to wanting this job.

But I notice you’re only replying to the posts that agree with you so this thread is pointless really.

FWIW, I know someone who was due to move into their new build in May and didn’t move until the beginning of November. You’ll be lucky if you’re in by the spring IMO.

HeartsAndClubs · 23/11/2021 04:48

Exact move in date hasn't been confirmed yet as the property is new build and has experienced delays in completion due to issues with supplies. bold fail and it won’t let me quote the post…

cherrybonbons · 23/11/2021 06:10

OP I left my job when I had a mortgage offer and they never checked. I think you are being overly cautious. You have the mortgage in principle. Just hand your notice in now or next week and take the risk!

Aprilx · 23/11/2021 06:29

There is nothing odd about a January start date considering we are already towards the end of November. But what is odd is that you said you cannot start before “XXXX”. What was the XXXX? Was it a specific date, which is not too bad, or was it an event such as house completion.

If it was the latter, then as an employer I would think you are a time waster and would probably pull the job offer. I would not expect to have to work around an unknown like that, particularly if you had not mentioned it before.

You already have the mortgage offer lined up, there is no reason that you cannot move jobs before house completion. Probationary period has no meaning in employment law.

jay55 · 23/11/2021 10:22

With a months notice you'd be starting Xmas week which is totally daft. Starting in January once people are back from break and caught up makes a lot of sense, even if you weren't moving house.

MaggieFS · 23/11/2021 10:29

I thought they couldn't do credit checks without notifying you? And those were done when you make your full mortgage application? What the MA is saying sounds weird but I'm no expert!

However, you say you see red flags about your potential employer, but I would think they can see them about you... it doesn't seem like you have given them an actual date? (Sorry if I have missed that?). Ignore the emotional language about let down, but give them a date and get on with giving notice and signing a contract. That should make any concerns for both sides go away.

MeltedButter · 23/11/2021 10:34

I wouldn't risk loosing mortgage over this. If house sale falls threw for any reason and you're in a new job it would very difficult to get a new mortgage with diff house as you'll be in your notice period.

HeartsAndClubs · 23/11/2021 10:39

With a months notice you'd be starting Xmas week which is totally daft. Starting in January once people are back from break and caught up makes a lot of sense, even if you weren't moving house. except the OP has said she won’t be handing in her notice until 2 weeks before her moving date, a moving date which is not yet known based on the fact it’s a new build, and the fact it’s highly likely that no progress will be made on it until January at the earliest at this point.

It’s not unreasonable to think a January start date would be the preference, it is however unreasonable to expect the employer to wait around indefinitely for a moving date which isn’t even known, in a climate where new builds are being delayed by months at a time.

SpamIAm · 23/11/2021 10:45

I'd just not mention the house any further tbh. It's a bit of a red herring in all this.

If they ask for a start date again then surely the best you can say is that once all pre-employment checks are completed then you have a 1 month notice period. So 1 month from whenever you get your unconditional offer.

Regarding the house I'd see what the situation is once you've got that firm offer. I'd delay an extra week or two if needed but any more than that I'd think was taking the piss tbh. Changing jobs shouldn't normally be an issue - they'd just be asking for evidence of your salary, typically via your contract? Does the job actually have a probation period?

ElftonWednesday · 23/11/2021 10:52

They are being unreasonable to not let you start in January, but you need to commit to a start date in January so they can send you the offer letter and you can hand in your notice.

Theluggage15 · 23/11/2021 10:55

We were buying a house a couple of months after my husband changed jobs. Our mortgage broker said it might be best to wait until probation was completed before the checks were done. We didn’t want to lose house so husband spoke to his company and they kindly ended his probation early as the probation was 4 months as I recall.

So might be the probation thing maybe?

Triffid1 · 23/11/2021 10:57

If you're being as vague with your new employer as you are with us, then I can understand their frustration. When exactly are you planning to start? Early January? Late January? Some unspecified date in the first quarter of next year?

If you've said to them that you would aim to hand in your notice in mid December to start Mid January, that doesn't seem unreasonable as with the checks etc, realistically, even without the mortgage you wouldn't be handing in your notice until at least early December. So it's just a couple of weeks. But after being offered the job to want to delay for 6-8 weeks (with the potential for longer) , when you have only 1 month's notice seems a bit much.

HeartsAndClubs · 23/11/2021 10:58

So According to the other thread this isn’t actually about the mortgage at all but the OP’s reluctance to leave her job. Except it seems that she can’t tell the new employer she doesn’t actually want to leave her previous job, so has given the excuse of the mortgage to buy herself time to decide.

And as the new employer doesn’t want her to start until March, by refusing to commit to that she is absolutely taking the piss, and if I were the employer I would be withdrawing the job offer.

peppersauce1984 · 23/11/2021 11:17

I thought you had to declare any likely change of circumstances (like a nee job) in the future that you're aware of.

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