Mortgage Agreement Delays - Halifax

longtimewaiting_2

Hi, first time poster looking for some advice.

I first applied with for a mortgage through Countrywide Mortgage Services, who I believe operate from a panel of lenders at the beginning of July and they recommended Halifax (who incidentally offered the AiP).

The problems started when we found out I had a defaulted account and my OH had been subject to identity theft with various accounts showing on her credit report. Thankfully these were all errors and we managed to get them resolved quickly (within 3 weeks) and corrected on our credit reports. The revised reports were then faxed over to the Halifax for their referral process.

The problem we have now is that over the last 6-7 weeks Halifax seem to be stalling or can't get all the information straight. First it takes Halifax 24 hours to acknowledge receiving any documentation, and then we have to wait a min of 5 days for it to even be looked at. I have now lost count of the number of times we have gone through this process with reasons/excuses being named as illegible documents, valuation not received, and employer’s reference awaited. Rather than looking at a document dismissing it and requesting an amendment/further copy, why can't these people just say we need to have X, Y & Z in the first place.

We now have the added problem that our vendor tells us they are on the verge of getting repossessed and exchange needs to complete in order to keep their mortgage company at bay.

My questions now are these:

1) The Halifax KFI mentions that the arrangement fee is payable on application (this was being rolled into the mortgage) will I have to pay this if we go elsewhere considering the problems we have had?
2) Am I better off now contacting a broker/going direct and starting the process again?
3) How long will it take another lender to provide a mortgage offer?

Mortgage info as follows:

My Income - £27k
OH - 11.5k
Credit Cards - £9.5k
No other liabilities or commitments other than mobile phone(s).

First time buyers
House price £109,950
Offer accepted at £100,000
Deposit 10%
Survey completed - all ok
Conveyancing completed (inc searches)
Searches showing on credit reports for Halifax & Birmingham Midshires (I assume undertaken by Countrywide).

Thanks in advance for any answers to my questions or other tips users may have

opinions4u

What is your broker doing to move things along? Apply some pressure to get them to apply some pressure!

That way you get a decision one way or the other and can then progress things elsewhere if needed.

(Unless things have changed since my day, you won't have to pay the mortgage product fee if the mortgage doesn't go through).

why can't these people just say we need to have X, Y & Z in the first place.

Two reasons.

1) The underwriters haven't properly assessed the whole case so didn't ask for everything they should have done

or (more likely)

2) each piece of information provided can create more questions than answers, requiring further verification checks.

longtimewaiting_2

opinions4u wrote: »

What is your broker doing to move things along? Apply some pressure to get them to apply some pressure!

Broker seems to be chasing on a regular basis and we have even got our solicitor to fax Halifax telling them exchange needs to be completed in a couple of days.

opinions4u wrote: »

2) each piece of information provided can create more questions than answers, requiring further verification checks.

Thats what is seems like, but once they 'appear' to be satisfied with one and ask for the next, they then go back and rasie another query on the first. i.e. they say everything is ok with my report, then go onto the OH's then revert back to mine.

The problem is that they wont be specific with the problems and the broker says this is usual with the Halifax and other lenders aren't like this.

Speaking to friends they have also said they have experienced difficulties with Halifax.