If you’re planning to buy your first home or remortgage, how long a mortgage application takes is often a big consideration when it comes to finding the right time to make the first move.
While mortgage application timelines can vary depending on your personal circumstances, lender, and property, understanding the typical process and expected durations can help you plan, reduce stress, and avoid unnecessary delays.
This guide breaks down the full mortgage application timeline, explains what can delay it, and shows how using a mortgage broker can save you time.
How long does it take for a mortgage application?
On average, house buyers can expect to wait:
- Mortgage application to offer: 2–6 weeks assuming everything goes smoothly and your paperwork is in order.
- Full process (application to completion): typically 8–16 weeks, though 12–20 weeks is common where chains are involved.
First-time buyers don’t always face longer timelines, but delays can occur if there are gifted deposits, affordability complexities, or additional scheme requirements, whereas remortgaging applications will take less time (often 4–8 weeks) as there’s no property chain involved.
How long for a mortgage application to be approved?
Mortgage approval depends on several stages, so breaking down the process step by step helps you to understand how much time it will take.
1. Agreement in Principle (AIP)
Before submitting a full mortgage application, most buyers secure an Agreement in Principle (AIP), which is also called a Decision in Principle. The purpose of this is to show how much you could borrow which helps to strengthen your offer on a property. It’s often approved in as little as minutes, or in up to 48 hours.
At Mortgage Saving Experts, we can secure you an AIP within hours, so you can move quickly and easily once you find the right home for you.
2. Submitting a mortgage application
Once your offer on a property is accepted, you can submit your full mortgage application. This includes:
- Proof of income (payslips, tax returns)
- Bank statements
- ID verification
- Property details
If your documents are ready, this can take only 1–3 days, depending on lender requirements and how quickly supporting information is provided, along with any additional checks requested during the initial review stage.
3. Underwriting
Underwriting is the stage where lenders assess your mortgage application in detail, such as reviewing your credit history, verifying your income and employment, checking affordability and confirming the source of your deposit.
This stage can take between 5–10 working days, provided there are no missing documents or unusual income situations.
4. Valuation stage
Your lender will arrange a property valuation to confirm it’s worth the purchase price. Types of valuations can include:
- Basic lender valuation
- Homebuyer report
- Full structural survey
This can be around 1–2 weeks, including scheduling and report turnaround. However, busy surveyors or restricted property access can cause delays — particularly during peak housing market periods or when adverse weather conditions affect access.
5. Mortgage offer
Once underwriting and valuation are complete, the lender will issue you a formal mortgage offer which is typically completed within 2–6 weeks from submission and will be sent through to both you and your solicitor to progress the legal work required.
6. Conveyancing and completion
After your mortgage offer, your solicitor handles legal work, including property searches, contract checks, and the exchange of contracts. This stage is often the longest, especially in chains or with complex property issues. In best cases, this can be 8–12 weeks, but 12–20 weeks can be common with chains.
What can delay the mortgage application process?
Even with preparation, delays can happen. Common delays can be due to:
- Incomplete or incorrect documents
- Complex income situations, such as self-employment
- Credit issues which require extra checks
- Property complications, like non-standard construction
- Lender backlogs during busy periods
- Solicitor delays due to extra searches, legal issues, or chain complications
How to speed up your mortgage application
To minimise delays to your mortgage application, you can:
- Gather important documents, such as bank statements, payslips, and ID, before applying
- Check your credit report to resolve any issues beforehand
- Work with a mortgage broker to reduce errors and speed up each stage of the process
- Some lenders process faster than others so it’s important to choose the right lender
Most high-street lenders now issue offers in 2–6 weeks, while specialist lenders may take slightly longer.
How long does a mortgage application take through a broker?
Using a mortgage broker like Mortgage Saving Experts can actually speed up the process. We help gather documents and prepare accurate applications to avoid mistakes and unnecessary delays. We also liaise with lenders and solicitors on your behalf, and we know which lenders process applications quickly, so you’ll receive better lender matching.
In many cases, working with a broker can reduce your timeline by several days to a few weeks compared to applying directly.
Ready to start your mortgage application?
Delays in your mortgage application can cost you time, money, and even the property you want. At Mortgage Saving Experts, we make the process quicker and smoother by handling the paperwork, matching you with the right lender, and avoiding common mistakes that slow applications down.
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or remortgaging, our experts are here to guide you from Agreement in Principle through to completion.
Get your free, no-obligation mortgage consultation and find out how quickly you could be approved by getting in touch with us today.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not maintain payments on any mortgage or loan secured on it.
Mortgage Saving Experts Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA number 779662.
