Santander mortgages - your experiences please!

[ImMrsBrightside]

Hi.

Had a mortgage in principle from Santander. Formal application submitted this morning and received a text to confirm. We are using a broker so he is managing it all.

Am feeling really nervous about this (for a number of reasons) and wanted to get people's feedback - how long they tend to take, did they get asked for more info, how long to/from valuation etc?

It's taken since mi jo even for our Santander mortgage to go through beginning to end, went live yesterday. They only asked for regular stuff, but it does seem to have taken a while. Though our solicitors were rubbish as well.

What? Beginning of November that was meant to say!

@SoapyChoc I changed my 123 account to a Lite version a while ago as the usage then worked out better on that than the classic (after they cut the interest rates). I now have Santander mortgage so need to work out whether better to stay Lite or revert back to classic. Thanks for the reminder!

Oh this is good to read, waiting on approval for a Santander mortgage at the moment, feel quite sick!

I am in the same situation as you OP. Got the text saying mortgage approved yesterday and using a mortgage broker/advisor.

Our solicitor is on holiday at the moment so can't move on any further until Tuesday next week.

It's our first home so we haven't a clue what to do but hopefully we will muddle through to completion :)

We only applied yesterday but our broker emailed to say they've arranged the valuation. They wouldn't do a valuation if they weren't planning to give you the money, right?

I just want it to all be over!

We've just been through approvals but we are porting our current Santander mortgage to another property and increasing the mortgage amount (2nd loan). We had to go through approvals as if it was a new mortgage.
Took less than 2 weeks but I sent them everything they asked for the same day by uploading pics of documents online. Everyone was fantastic and very knowledgeable.
Initial call circa 1 hour.
Affordability checks call circa 2 hours (with a break in between)
Valuation was swift.
Report back to Santander sane day.

Great portal to track progress. Can't fault them.

Glad you posted this. All my previous mortgages have been with the Nationwide, but our broker has suggested a Santander 5 year fix, which given the current state of the market & likelihood of interest rate increases seems like a good deal!

How did you get on?

Our application done on 3rd September
Got a call from MA today to say the valuation is been done and the price come back at the purchase price
But the application has to be looked at by an underwriter before the offer.
How long did it take from this stage? nervous wreck here!

Thanks

It's taken ages to be honest!

We applied on 21st August, they did a 'desktop valuation' I.e. they didn't go round there, they approved the mortgage offer to the broker on Tuesday this week (£300 less than we wanted 🙄, not sure why £300 matters in the grand scheme of things!) and although they've apparently approved it I'm still to see any paperwork saying that's the case.

Our broker is fantastic so I'm certain it's not him but I've not found them to be as great as I thought they might be. We are at the absolute top maximum of our budget though and I'd expect we're probably right on the line of what they'll lend us on our salary.

So that is 8 working Days.

Cool My MA said according to the current time scales apparently Stander have advised it is going to be until next Friday.
Offering 300 less seems to be a bit weird like you said not sure what 300 would have done in the grand scheme of things exactly.

Was your one a new build property? Ours is a new build and the property would not be completed until November so I am thinking it is just a desktop valuation.

I thought according to the previous posts that we would receive a text about valuation so not entirely sure if they have changed the process as its only the MA who rand this morning to say valuation is completed.

Thanks

Yes I suppose it's not asking as it's seemed! Not a new build here.

I don't remember anything being slow about it, so I think it was probably fine (and we had to reapply because we negotiated a £5k discount on the house because of complications in the chain, so had to go through it twice).
Affordability interview much more helpfully-orientated rather than interrogative than I expected too.

All you people getting valuations and stuff done now. Please, for the love of all that you hold dearly, DO NOT take any free legal services Santander may offer.

I swear it will almost end you if you do. And you may run the very real risk of your mortgage offer expiring before their totally shitty legal firms do their job. Just cough up for your own reliable and trustworthy advisers.

I had just a couple of hours remaining on my 3month, bog standard remortgage offer when it finally completed (only down to me and my broker haranguing them from both sides)

My experience was entirely positive. We completed yesterday.
Santander did everything they said they would well before they suggested it would be and delivered the cash when needed. Not sure I could have asked for better. The advisers, each time I called, were all very helpful and understanding.

Good Luck in the new place.

We havent heard anything yet. On the website www.santanderforintermediaries.co.uk/submit-and-track-business/our-service-levels/

They are currently reviewing applications sent to underwriters on the 3rd September.
We applied on the 3rd September but dont know when our application was sent to underwriters. Service level information is slightly misleading but according to MA it could take up to Friday based on the current levels.

Fingers Crossed.Hope everything goes well.

We've just had an email this evening to say all approved, hurrah! So a little slow but they're giving us the money!

Hi @poster TokyoSushi

Did you get the email from your MA or from Santander itself.

Was wondering when your file went to underwriters if you have had your valuation done on the 22nd.

Did you have to go back and forth with the documentation or it has been generally so slow.

their service levels on website do not give out anything much

We got an automated email from Santander last night saying they'd issued the formal offer and then received that formal offer from our broker this morning.

No back and forth, or at least none that the broker told us about, just a bit slower than I expected but it's all come good in the end!

I am with Santander
Quick and efficient

When you say last night was it out of office hours.
Iam so nervous Iam Only checking my phone till 5. after that it's only next day.

Was wondering if they email you later in the evening or is it just office hours.
Our MA doesnt call unless there is an update by which I meant like not even letting us know of it is still with underwriters etc.

Thanks.

Thankyou

Yes, 19:50 last night

Thanks

No Update yet! Was very hopefully for today.
No update from the broker either because last update on last Friday 7th was it could take anything up to this Friday as the file went to underwriters she said.

She told me at 9 30am. So not sure if it went to underwriters as of that morning or she checked the status on that day and called me.
According to timelines on the santander intermediaries they are looking today the applications sent to underwriters on the 6th.
So not sure what is happening but sick of this wait.
..