What To Do If Your Mortgage Application Is Declined By Skipton

In this article, we’ll explain what steps you can take if Skipton has rejected your mortgage application, highlight the most common reasons why this may have happened and how a broker can help you get the borrowing you need.

Are Skipton Building Society a strict mortgage lender?

Like all major UK building societies, Skipton can be strict towards customers who don’t fit their criteria for a mortgage. They do offer mortgages to people with certain types of minor bad credit, but issues such as debt management plans, recent defaults and payday loan usage can trigger an automatic rejection.

Skipton can also take a strict stance on property issues, including contaminated lands and build types such as Wollaway or wholly timbered construction.

How long does Skipton take to process a mortgage application?

The average amount of time a mortgage application takes to process from start to finish is usually between two to four weeks, depending on the intricacy of the application.

Very straightforward applications can be processed towards the lower end of this timescale, but if issues such as bad credit or complex income are a factor, it might take longer.

What to do if Skipton have declined you for a mortgage

If Skipton have rejected your mortgage application or you think it’s inevitable that they will, there are steps you can take to give yourself the best chance of salvaging your plans…

• Think twice before making another application
  Don’t rush into another mortgage application straight away, as there is no guarantee things will turn out any differently than they did with Skipton, unless you have in-depth knowledge of the market. By approaching another lender so soon, you’d be running the risk of another rejection, and two in such a short space of time could harm your credit report.
  Immediately after a mortgage rejection is a good time to take a pause and seek professional guidance from a broker. They will be able to advise you on your next move.
• Find out why Skipton wouldn’t approve you
  Gather as many of the facts around your rejection as possible, as this will help you avoid whatever issue Skipton found next time. Download all of your credit files so you can see what Skipton saw when they looked into your financial history, and try to get your hands on any reports the lender had carried out. If you don’t have time to gather these things, no problem! Simply jump ahead to step three below…
• Let us match you with the right mortgage broker
  The best way to boost your chances of turning that rejection into a mortgage promise is by speaking to a mortgage advisor. The right broker for you will have the knowledge and expertise to re-negotiate with Skipton if there’s grounds for appeal, but they might even be able to find you a much better mortgage deal with another lender who’s a better fit for you.

We offer a free broker-matching service that can pair you with the mortgage expert who’s best qualified to help a customer with your needs and circumstances. This will be someone we’ve personally vetted, who has a strong track record helping customers just like you – make an enquiry to be matched with a broker today.

Can you appeal the decision?

Yes, you can usually appeal straight away. This can normally be done either online or via email to the appropriate department (this information is typically found on the lender’s website, with instructions as to how to follow the correct procedure).

It’s probably best to wait until you have all the details as to why this happened and then consider all of your options before lodging an appeal.

Get expert advice immediately if…

• You need to borrow between 5 – 6 times your salary
• You’re purchasing an unusual property type including non-standard construction
• You have any form of bad credit
• You’re purchasing in Northern Ireland and further afield
• You need an expat mortgage
• You’ve been declined for a mortgage previously

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Common reasons Skipton decline mortgage applications

They identified something they didn’t like in the property survey

Skipton Building Society might have offered you an agreement in principle (AIP), but decided not to progress to a full mortgage offer when they saw the results of the property surveys. There are many things that could come up in a property survey that might put Skipton off.

For example, they don’t lend on Grade 1 listed buildings, properties on contaminated land, or anything that was built using Wollaway or wholly timbered construction.

The underwriters found a problem on your credit report

It’s not uncommon for lenders to offer a mortgage in principle, only to think twice about a full mortgage offer when the underwriters have carried out the final credit check.

Although Skipton does offer bad credit mortgages under some circumstances, they won’t lend if you’re in a debt management plan, have a default that was registered in the last 3-12 months, or have a history of payday loan use, to name a few examples.

Your income won’t stretch far enough

Skipton caps the amount they’re willing to let eligible customers borrow based on 4.75 times their income. So, for example, if the combined earnings of all applicants named on the mortgage is £70,000, they could potentially borrow £332,500 on a mortgage.

If your salary multiplied by 4.75 does not amount to the sum you need to borrow, there’s a good chance Skipton will turn you down on affordability grounds, if they haven’t already.

You’re buying a property in Northern Ireland or off the UK mainland

Skipton is a viable choice of lender if you’re buying a property in England, Scotland or Wales, but if you’re purchasing anywhere else in the UK, you’ll likely find they’re not right for you.

Properties based in Northern Ireland and certain islands away from the UK mainland (Channel Islands, Isle of Man etc) fall outside of Skipton’s lending criteria, so they’ll almost certainly reject a mortgage application if any of these locations are listed on it.

You’ve been living abroad and only recently returned to the UK

If you’ve been living abroad, are returning to the UK and want to buy a house here, Skipton won’t be the right lender for you.

They reject mortgage applications outright from customers who are relocating back to these shores, even if you have a full-time job lined up.
If the exact reason Skipton turned you down for a mortgage doesn’t appear on this list; don’t worry, the brokers we work with could still help you out. They offer lifelines to customers who have been declined for every reason you can possibly think of, and never discriminate when it comes to the circumstances surrounding a mortgage rejection.

Whatever problem stops you from getting a mortgage, there will be an expert who specialises in solving that issue, and our broker-matching service will find them for you.

How long does it take to re-apply for a mortgage?

This all depends on the reasons why you’ve been declined by Skipton. If, for example, you have severe adverse credit on your record, such as a recent bankruptcy or repossession, this may take anywhere up to a number of years before your credit record is cleared.

Once you know why you’re application was declined you can then take steps to resolve these issues thoroughly. When this has been done, with the help of a mortgage broker, your new application should hopefully take as long as is standard to process and get the approval you need. ㅤ

How Online Mortgage Advisor can help

Our broker-matching service – which is completely free to use – will pair you with the right mortgage advisor, a fully-vetted expert with the knowledge and expertise to help a customer just like you get a mortgage after a rejection from a high street building society.

Call 0808 189 2301 or make an enquiry online and we’ll set up a free, no-obligation consultation between you and your perfect broker today. One rejection shouldn’t mean the end of your homeownership dreams, and the right broker can help you keep them alive.