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Original poster

Not disclosing pregnancy on mortgage application

59 replies

Gtool91 · 03/08/2023 00:04

We are about to submit a mortgage application and I'm in a panic that I’m 5 months pregnant with my second child and haven’t disclosed the pregnancy! I know they’re not allowed to ask and my circumstances financially won’t change because I’ll receive full pay for all the time I’m off.

Should I tell them last minute and risk the mortgage or should I not disclose and wear baggy Clothes when we meet the mortgage advisor?

OP posts:
Capitulatingpanda · 03/08/2023 06:08

I told them that I was on furlough and would then be on maternity leave a year and they didn't care.

3rdtm · 03/08/2023 06:10

I am currently pregnant with my 3rd and we've successfully applied for a mortgage.

It was all done via online via video call, so there was no need to show my belly.

I didn't disclose :)

thatsn0tmyname · 03/08/2023 06:24

Being realistic, if you don't tell them you will need to factor childcare into your stress test budget calculations. You could lose your home if you overstretch yourself.

1990s · 03/08/2023 06:43

Malificent1 · 03/08/2023 05:35

Nope, don’t disclose. The baby isn’t here yet, sadly being pregnant doesn’t always guarantee a baby. We didn’t disclose that I was pregnant with our first baby when applying for our first mortgage. It’s the same as how a prospective inheritance can’t be taken into account, as the person might change their mind. It’s not a guarantee.

p.s. wishing you a healthy baby and a stress free mortgage. Congratulations!

Agree with this! You’ve no idea what could happen between now and the birth. It’s very likely it will all be fine and I hope it is, but this is not something I would tell them about.

greenteaandmarshmallows · 03/08/2023 06:58

thatsn0tmyname · 03/08/2023 06:24

Being realistic, if you don't tell them you will need to factor childcare into your stress test budget calculations. You could lose your home if you overstretch yourself.

Yes. You need to make sure if you don't yell them that you borrow less than they allow you too

Summerslimtime · 03/08/2023 07:10

We didn't. As long as you have done your sums.

Starseeking · 03/08/2023 07:37

OnTheRoll · 03/08/2023 04:09

Definitely say nothing.
A slightly different situation but we were remortgaging just as my son was finishing his A Levels in private school. The mortgage advisor asked about school fees and I honestly said that my son is finishing in a few months time so there won't be any more school fee payments. Yet the advisor said that since he is currently still at school then he needs to factor in this expense. Even though there would be NO expense.

When I had similar with Santander (DC leaving nursery 6 months after mortgage application), they didn't factor it into their calculations.

It was just as well really, as it ended up taking me a further 9 months to complete on a (different) property using that mortgage application, and DC was deep into reception school by then, with nursery fees thankfully a distant memory!

You are better off not telling them as your circumstances may change, and you don't want to disadvantage yourself.

Sothisiit · 03/08/2023 07:42

I always think mortgage applications are mad. Everyone's circumstances are going to change over the course of a 25 or 30 year loan. I don't understand the fixation with the number of kids etc. If you go on to have 3 more kids the won't give a stuff so why the focus when applying?
You could be newly weds applying and then in 3-4years have a large family. It's an absurd model to work out your financial risk.

greenteaandmarshmallows · 03/08/2023 07:48

Sothisiit · 03/08/2023 07:42

I always think mortgage applications are mad. Everyone's circumstances are going to change over the course of a 25 or 30 year loan. I don't understand the fixation with the number of kids etc. If you go on to have 3 more kids the won't give a stuff so why the focus when applying?
You could be newly weds applying and then in 3-4years have a large family. It's an absurd model to work out your financial risk.

You're supposed to tell them when you have kids so they can adjust their rating accordingly. But that is partly why they have the stress test.

Notyetthere · 03/08/2023 07:59

I wasn't about to declare a pregnancy of a baby that wasn't born yet at the time of application.

Sothisiit · 03/08/2023 08:20

@greenteaandmarshmallows
· Today 07:48
Sothisiit · Today 07:42

I always think mortgage applications are mad. Everyone's circumstances are going to change over the course of a 25 or 30 year loan. I don't understand the fixation with the number of kids etc. If you go on to have 3 more kids the won't give a stuff so why the focus when applying?
You could be newly weds applying and then in 3-4years have a large family. It's an absurd model to work out your financial risk.

You're supposed to tell them when you have kids so they can adjust their rating accordingly. But that is partly why they have the stress test.

They're hardly going to reduce the loan amount during the mortgage term though if you tell them you've just had twins!
Personally I think that a 50 year average interest rate (currently 7%) should be the stress test. Banks were happy to apply very low interest rates to their affordability calculations in recent years fully aware they were historically low and due to increase to around 5-8% over the next 15years. Now with increases customers are reeling and the monthly repayments, interest rate rises always occur at the same time as increased inflation too so daily expenses rise aswell. The interest rate is the biggest key to affordability our your mortgage term.

LoonyLois · 03/08/2023 08:28

If they were to find out you’ve lied they could remove their offer. You have to declare anything that will change your situation and shortly going on maternity leave with a reduced salary definitely does that

greenteaandmarshmallows · 03/08/2023 08:35

Sothisiit · 03/08/2023 08:20

@greenteaandmarshmallows
· Today 07:48
Sothisiit · Today 07:42

I always think mortgage applications are mad. Everyone's circumstances are going to change over the course of a 25 or 30 year loan. I don't understand the fixation with the number of kids etc. If you go on to have 3 more kids the won't give a stuff so why the focus when applying?
You could be newly weds applying and then in 3-4years have a large family. It's an absurd model to work out your financial risk.

You're supposed to tell them when you have kids so they can adjust their rating accordingly. But that is partly why they have the stress test.

They're hardly going to reduce the loan amount during the mortgage term though if you tell them you've just had twins!
Personally I think that a 50 year average interest rate (currently 7%) should be the stress test. Banks were happy to apply very low interest rates to their affordability calculations in recent years fully aware they were historically low and due to increase to around 5-8% over the next 15years. Now with increases customers are reeling and the monthly repayments, interest rate rises always occur at the same time as increased inflation too so daily expenses rise aswell. The interest rate is the biggest key to affordability our your mortgage term.

Yes but then its on you if you can't afford it so they've done their bit.

MaverickSnoopy · 03/08/2023 08:41

We didn't tell them. I was pregnant both times we bought. What we did do was make sure we would be able to afford the childcare costs within our new budget.

Respectfully, I always think that until there is a child, anything can happen. If you tell them they may not give you the mortgage because of it.

Daniki · 03/08/2023 11:33

Malificent1 · 03/08/2023 05:35

Nope, don’t disclose. The baby isn’t here yet, sadly being pregnant doesn’t always guarantee a baby. We didn’t disclose that I was pregnant with our first baby when applying for our first mortgage. It’s the same as how a prospective inheritance can’t be taken into account, as the person might change their mind. It’s not a guarantee.

p.s. wishing you a healthy baby and a stress free mortgage. Congratulations!

This. I didn't disclose mine on application and thankfully I didn't as I unfortunately lost it.
Best of luck in your pregnancy and with your mortgage!

ScarlettBeauregarde · 03/08/2023 11:36

Absolutely don’t. I was pregnant when I completed ours and ticked ‘no dependants’ as I didn’t have any at that point. Also made sure to secure for the longest term possible, which was 5 years, as I knew we were intending to have another in that period and wanted to be able to lock down that no dependant rate as long as possible. Now pregnant with my second and still have 3 years left on our current rate, very glad I did it this way!

SPink91 · 03/08/2023 11:39

Daniki · 03/08/2023 11:33

This. I didn't disclose mine on application and thankfully I didn't as I unfortunately lost it.
Best of luck in your pregnancy and with your mortgage!

Show quote history

Yes we didn’t either and ended up having a miscarriage so glad we didn’t disclose as it would have impacted us unnecessarily.

Chachatrex · 03/08/2023 11:45

Don’t disclose. They ask how many dependents you have but baby isn’t born so you don’t have to. Also, it pisses me off the way banks deal with stuff - we went in recently to get a bit more as a contingency for some building works we’re about to do and I have a signed letter from work saying my salary increasing significantly from sept when I’m going back full time and they won’t take that into account. It’s cuts both bloody ways! Didn’t make a difference in the end as was approved but I found the whole thing stressful and difficult so to keep it as stress free as poss I’d not mention it

Julesni77 · 03/08/2023 11:49

I did exactly this while pregnant with twins and me being the main earner - as long as you know you can afford the repayments and your job is secure!

TurquoiseDress · 03/08/2023 21:09

I would say nothing!

No obligation to disclose- look after you self first, it'll only put you in a worse situation if you disclose it

Factor in future childcare costs and borrow accordingly

legsjusttoomanylegs · 03/08/2023 21:34

Why are you doing a face to face? As above I would also recommend London and Country, whole of the market and completely free. They are also recommended by Martin Lewis on the Money Saving Expert website. No face to face needed with them.

LittleRedYoshi · 03/08/2023 21:45

I did disclose my pregnancy and "The baby isn’t here yet, sadly being pregnant doesn’t always guarantee a baby" was exactly the bank's response - they didn't take it into account.

carly2803 · 03/08/2023 23:05

do not disclose

i waddled into a broker almost term. Broker smirked, knew. We didn't discuss it.

Do it online and wear baggy clothes to go in

your borrowing power will go to shit if you disclose it

bowlingalleyblues · 03/08/2023 23:24

Don't disclose it. A pal had to disclose childcare costs when borrowing and even though their child was 2 months away from leaving nursery and starting school the full nursery fees were taken into account, so "upcoming change of circumstances" only works in the banks favour and not in the borrowers. We were about to have an increase in salary when buying, guaranteed due to passing professional exams (where any job post-qualification pays about 50% more) but that wasn't taken into account either.

StaySpicy · 04/08/2023 00:16

I didn't disclose (it actually never occurred to me as it was my first house and they just asked if we had dependents via the forms so I said no). Really interesting to hear that it would have affected us negatively, despite having plenty of savings so there was no decrease in income during maternity.

OP, as all have stated above, just don't say anything! Just sounds like a way to make it even harder for people to buy a house in this day and age, judging by all the examples above of banks factoring in nursery fees and stuff.