Has anyone been declined a mortgage due to pregnancy/maternity leave?

[Meredith2010]

Grrrrrr I am FUMING!

We are in the process of remortgaging onto a new fixed rate as ours is coming to an end and we are being turned down by Woolwich due to me being on maternity leave.

This is despite the fact that:

1) I get full pay for 6 months which I have in writing from my employer and payslips to show this.
2) I have it in writing from my employer that I am intending to return to work in October once the 6 months has come to and end, and am entitled to return to work in the same position under the same terms and conditions (i.e. my salary will be the same).
3) The mortgage would start in August therefore there would only be 2 months of payments before I return to work. We have shown that we have more than enough in savings to cover these 2 payments if we had to.

We had already been accepted in principle based on income multiples, credit checks and affordability therefore they ONLY reason they are turning us down is because I'm on maternity leave (and they are actually very upfront and admitting this).

So, has anyone else come across this and put in a formal complaint? I've been onto the Financial Ombudsmen and the Equality and Human Rights commission and have been informed about the process I'd need to go down but just wanted to know if anyone has been in a similar situation before?

xxx

 

[JessPape]

Can't help you out saddly. But hopefully you guys can figure something out, not sure how this works, but it makes me curious as we have to do ours in three years and I don't plan on going back to work. Hope u get it sorted!

 

[My_First]

I would say bugger them and find another mortgage provider. They tend to all think we are desperate for mortgages and there are many out there that probably will accept you. Good luck, I know a friend of mine was asked to go back early from mat leave when they applied for a new mortgage!