At what point can you complain a mortgage offer is taking too long to approve?

Twins

Hi all, is there a "standard" time for a mortgage offer to be either offered or declined?   I understand that approval times are longer than they were a year ago however, we submitted an offer with Metro Bank on 19th July and we are still waiting for an approval.   The whole process is painful.   Once you reply to one of their queries you effectively go to the back of the queue again and the cycle repeats.    We are now at risk of our seller pulling out of the deal as it's been so long and people are starting to get uncomfortable up the chain.   
Is there any process to complain or do I just have to sit it out and wait?  

Freyaanniemae1958

Hi! We are in a similar position. It’s a nightmare

housebuyer143

Twins said:

Hi all, is there a "standard" time for a mortgage offer to be either offered or declined?   I understand that approval times are longer than they were a year ago however, we submitted an offer with Metro Bank on 19th July and we are still waiting for an approval.   The whole process is painful.   Once you reply to one of their queries you effectively go to the back of the queue again and the cycle repeats.    We are now at risk of our seller pulling out of the deal as it's been so long and people are starting to get uncomfortable up the chain.   
Is there any process to complain or do I just have to sit it out and wait?  

That's how it works. The wait for an underwriter starts again every time you send something new they ask.
Two months isn't that long at the moment, esp if you are self employed or anything out of the ordinary.

Twins

Freyaanniemae1958 said:

Hi! We are in a similar position. It’s a nightmare

It really is!  Hope you get some positive news soon

K_S

Twins said:

Hi all, is there a "standard" time for a mortgage offer to be either offered or declined?   I understand that approval times are longer than they were a year ago however, we submitted an offer with Metro Bank on 19th July and we are still waiting for an approval.   The whole process is painful.   Once you reply to one of their queries you effectively go to the back of the queue again and the cycle repeats.    We are now at risk of our seller pulling out of the deal as it's been so long and people are starting to get uncomfortable up the chain.   
Is there any process to complain or do I just have to sit it out and wait?  

@twins There's no standard time unfortunately but you definitely can complain if you think that there's been a shortfall in service.
https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/help-and-support/forms/give-us-feedback/ 

I had a client recently with a mainstream lender where the underwriter was playing query ping-pong with the Tax Year Overview even though I'd given an explanation and an HMRC letter that should have satisfied them. I drafted a complaint on behalf of the client and asked them to submit it, and it worked to get the case moving again.

It may or may not work for you but its perhaps worth a shot if there's nothing else you or your broker can do.