The prize, a Fortum & Mason hamper awarded by specialist distributor TFC Homeloans, went to Max Mace of NM Finance for his entry about the case of the Alpaca mistaken identity.
Here’s a round-up of the best of rest.
Martin Croxford
In the autumn of 2014, an application I was doing for a flat above a commercial premises had been dogged by a lender software error delaying the case over two weeks. This case was delayed even further by an underwriter asking for confirmation that the flat had its own entrance and that there was no access to the property though the commercial premises above which it was situated.
The commercial premise was a NatWest bank.
Gary Howe
The clients were married in Italy, we were asked to get their marriage certificate professionally translated into English.
Ian Thomson
I was told by an underwriter that I had to ask my clients ‘if they were planning on having any more children’. I refused to ask my clients this question and the loan was referred to a senior underwriter.
They withdrew the question as they agreed that this should not form part of the approval process for a mortgage as lenders’ affordability calculators should stress test an application to cope with potential life changing events without the need for a broker to pry in to a client’s personal business.
Paul Turner
Underwriter: Please provide proof that the client actually lives in the UK . . . we would like to see shopping receipts from Sainsburys or any other supermarket to show that she actually resides and shops here in the UK.
Me: We’ve provided more receipts and bill payments than you could shake a stick at.
David Sorrell – Director
I was once asked by one lender to provide a written explanation from the client as to what a payment to Butlins for £375 was in relation to.
I called them to ask if they required this in writing as it was pretty obvious what it related to but yes, we had to provide written confirmation from the client.
Kerry Howard
I had an underwriter who wanted to know why my client was able to take part in the Dakar Car Rally if he was employed.
Turns out they had been looking at the client’s Twitter account.
Obviously my client happened to be on holiday at the time, the rally is over two weeks and he was in touch with me via email.
Thanks to all our readers for sending in their entries.
