So Santander do a credit check at completion?

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

We are about two weeks away from exchange and so potentially three weeks away from completion on our first property. Our mortgage is with Santander.

About two months ago, my HSBC current account had £1200 stolen from it. I switched accounts to a digital bank Starling who do an auto DD switch over service. My last DD from HSBC current account was on the 1st Sept. Without me realising the DD date of a loan repayment switched from the 1st to the 29th. On the 29th September Starling bank sent out a DD to the loan. So in September, I actually paid twice - however because the loan repayment is actually the first, even though I have paid twice, HSBC class it as late payment.

To make matters worse they have actually been calling. I was refusing to answer the calls - because of the recent fraud on my account. I would then call the general HSBC line and even used their live chat to ask them to check the number. Each time I was told it was a fraudulent number and not to answer.

I’m waiting for Starling to confirm it was their system that glitched things up and I feel confident I could dispute anything in my credit file. There’s nothing there yet but I am super worried it will show up as a late payment and I won’t have time to dispute it and have it removed.

My mum is a retired broker and has said that some banks do a final credit check at completion and some don’t. She’s not sure about Santander as she retired a couple of years ago. Does anyone know?

I’m anxious and stressed and worrying. I’m desperate to buy - I never thought we’d be able to buy and I’m terrified our offer will be withdrawn because of this mix up.

I got my mortgage with them about 7 years ago and I don't think they did a second check.

Hope it's all sorted for you soon and good luck with the purchase!

Have you checked your file yourself to see what it says? And I think you can also enter a reason/explanation about any issues on it, and contact the company involved to get it in writing what has happened so you have proof.

I would also contact Santander and ask them if they will be doing a credit check at completion. Have you had your mortgage offer? Check on that if it mentions further credit checks.

We do have the offer yes - it’s all on it’s way with the solicitors to being exchanged and completed. So they did their initial hard credit check and it was all good.

I can’t see anything in our offer about a final check. I’ve scoured online forums and it’s inconclusive - some people saying they’ve had second checks but not being specific about what bank and other people saying they weren’t checked.

My credit score is currently Good and has no mention of this. I’ll be checking it every couple of days to see if it comes up so I can dispute it. Waiting to hear back from Starling bank about their responsibilities to me as they’ve messed up.

Argh I’m so upset. I don’t think I can stand the next few weeks wondering and worrying.

I’m scared to contact Santander and actually ask. God knows why. I think I’ve built it al up in my head that it’s not going to go through, that it will all fall apart m.

No they don't unless you make changes to your application.

Hi all - thanks for all the messages of reassurance. I actually ended up calling HSBC back this morning and asking for a goodwill gesture to have them amend anything in my credit file.

I spoke to someone completely different to yesterday. She listened to my details then put me on hold for about 20 minutes. She came back offering me £25 compensation (??), promising a letter to prove they will amend anything in my credit file and wanting the name of the person I spoke to yesterday. I didn’t know but evidently they do what they were supposed to?

I’m so relieved. The person I spoke to yesterday was adamant that the extra payments wouldn’t count as early payment. The person I spoke to today couldn’t have bent over backwards any further to sort it all out.

Just very relieved there won’t be anything on my credit file whilst the mortgage process is pending.

I just wondered if you found out if they do another credit search before completion? Our offer lasts 6 months and completion October. My car finance PCP is up in this time and will have to renew as have no spare money after this mortgage process but worried if they do another search and it's changed since offer!

No they don't and unless your payment was more than 30 days late, it won't show as a default on your credit file.

Nope they didn’t in the end - I was looking back at my posts and it was such a stressful time, but it all just worked out so easily in the end.