Agency (NHS Bank) Mortgage

orangeyred

My girlfriend and I are first time buyers looking for a flat in London. She is on a full time contract earning £41k and isn't a problem but I work for the NHS and am employed through an agency (bank). I have been employed here since Nov 2013 and each week have had the same "shifts" amounting to just over £39k pa. The only reason I am on agency instead of full time contract is that it's less paperwork (NHS bureaucracy).

Essentially I work every week just as I would as full time staff, the only difference being I am paid by the NHS via an agency. My pay is weekly and reflects the days I work so if I take a week off for example, I'm not paid but my salary is topped up by 20% every week I am paid to cover the holiday pay (reflected in payslip). I think this is unique to the NHS.

We have around £80k for deposit. My concern is that lenders will see me as a zero hour contract and I'm not able to produce a signed contract to prove otherwise. I have spoken to a broker (London and Country) and the advisor said it "should" be okay to borrow between £300-400k over 35 years.

Does this all sound reasonable? What do you think my chances are of getting a mortgage with my contract situation? The DIP is rather vague and I'm concerned with making an offer on a property (as the advisor suggested) up to the value of £450k and not being able to get a mortgage or being stuck with a poor rate. Also, is there any benefit of a 35 year mortgage over what we initially wanted which was 25 years?

Thanks for the advice.