Does my employer have to provide a reference?

MortgageMeee

I'm applying for a mortgage and my lender needs a reference for my income. I have non-standard income and don't receive payslips or a p60 or anything like that. It's all above board and legal but it's bursary income. My employer is refusing to provide a reference and I can't get a mortgage without one. Surely this can't be allowed?

Comms69

No, your employer doesnt have to provide a reference.

macman

Can you show evidence of a regular income into your account? Bank statements?

greatcrested

Doyou not have a contract of some kind?

[Deleted User]

Bursary income is normally to help with education?  What do you mean by bursary income.  The fact that there is no payslip or P60 might make it difficult to assess as income by a lender.  Do you have a broker? You might need one in this situation.

cooltt

MortgageMeee said:

I'm applying for a mortgage and my lender needs a reference for my income. I have non-standard income and don't receive payslips or a p60 or anything like that. It's all above board and legal but it's bursary income. My employer is refusing to provide a reference and I can't get a mortgage without one. Surely this can't be allowed?

Effectively, to a lender, you have no income they would consider lending on.

Annisele

Employers don't have to provide a reference. But are you technically an employee at all? The term 'bursary' suggests not.

AdrianC

How are they employing you but not providing payslips? Do you not do PAYE? P60? Tax returns?

MortgageMeee

1. The lender fully accepts my income. Bursary income is accepted by many lenders. Not at all relevant.
2. I did have a broker but found this lender by myself. Not at all relevant.
3. Yes I have a contract and proof of my income. The lender requires a reference person that they can contact to confirm my income - they've required the same thing for my husband who does a very standard job with standard income. This, again, it not relevant.
4. Bursary income is not taxed. I don't have PAYE, P60 or tax returns as a result. Even if I did - it's not relevant, they need to speak to a human being to confirm the paperwork that they've been supplied with.
What is it with this forum and people just completely avoiding what OP has actually asked and just thinking they know best? My lender says they need a point of contact from my employer in order to get a reference from them to confirm my income (they would require this regardless of what kind of income I had). What do people do if their employer just refuses to do this? Surely either the employer should be obliged to confirm/deny the income or the mortgage lender should demand this?

elsien

MortgageMeee said:

1. The lender fully accepts my income. Bursary income is accepted by many lenders. Not at all relevant.
2. I did have a broker but found this lender by myself. Not at all relevant.
3. Yes I have a contract and proof of my income. The lender requires a reference person that they can contact to confirm my income - they've required the same thing for my husband who does a very standard job with standard income. This, again, it not relevant.
4. Bursary income is not taxed. I don't have PAYE, P60 or tax returns as a result. Even if I did - it's not relevant, they need to speak to a human being to confirm the paperwork that they've been supplied with.
What is it with this forum and people just completely avoiding what OP has actually asked and just thinking they know best? My lender says they need a point of contact from my employer in order to get a reference from them to confirm my income (they would require this regardless of what kind of income I had). What do people do if their employer just refuses to do this? Surely either the employer should be obliged to confirm/deny the income or the mortgage lender should demand this?

Tends to come from posters giving minimal information in the first post which could have a number of underlying scenarios so people wish to clarify in order to avoid giving incorrect advice or suggesting alternative options the OP may not have considered. It is not known what the OP may already have considered otherwise. 

DoaM

Your contract with the mortgage lender is of no concern to an employer. As such they have no obligation to provide anything to a mortgage lender ... at all. (This was what you asked, and the answer was given in the very first reply). Some may agree to do so, but there is nothing in law that compels them to do so. If your mortgage lender won't offer the mortgage without confirmation of income, and you are unable to provide this - it is your responsibility, not your employer's - then you'll have to find another lender.

There's no point in getting sarky with people providing correct information simply because it doesn't fit your idea of an answer. This is MSE forums, not Mumsnet.