Mortgage and Maternity Leave

tiredad

Situation: My wife and I are looking to get a mortgage soon. She owns the property that we just sold and was the mortgage holds, this would be my first mortgage. My wife will be going on Maternity leave in about a month.

Questions:

• Can you be refused a mortgage because of one of the applicants going on Maternity Leave?
• I hear that they will ask for a letter from your employer confirming that you will be returning to work on X salary and at X date. What if you change your mind (you don't have to tell your employer the date usually)? Can you just say 6 months but actually extend it - would this be any kind of breach of contract?

Any help or advice would be appreciated. It seems odd that there could be a problem as you could get a mortgage and then find you're pregnant after with no repercussions. Then again - i know that things are never sensible or straightforward in the world of money.