Practical preparation · General information, assessed individually
Find out what is actually expiring
A mortgage offer, a reserved product and a property contract are different things. Read the offer and ask your adviser and solicitor to identify the date that matters, the conditions still outstanding and whether completion is likely before it.
- Share the written offer rather than relying on a remembered date.
- Ask the solicitor what prevents completion.
- For a new build, request the builder’s latest written programme.
Ask the lender what is possible
An extension is not automatic. The lender may need updated income evidence, a new property assessment or a fresh application. A different product could change the monthly payment and total cost.
- Ask which documents need refreshing.
- Disclose changes to employment, commitments, deposit or purchase price.
- Confirm any replacement terms in writing before relying on them.
Coordinate the purchase decision
Your solicitor advises on the legal consequences of delay and whether it is appropriate to exchange. A mortgage offer alone does not resolve the rest of the transaction.
- Keep the adviser, solicitor and selling agent aligned on dates.
- Identify any contractual deadline that needs legal advice.
- Update your moving and accommodation budget if the timetable slips.
Bring to the first conversation
- Offer expiry date and conditions
- Latest expected completion date and reason for delay
- Solicitor and agent contact details
- Changes since the original application
Start with an outline. Send sensitive documents only through the secure route agreed with Jack.
Your questions, answered
Will the lender definitely extend the offer?
No. The lender decides under its current process and your circumstances. Ask before the offer expires so any reassessment, new valuation or alternative application can be considered.
Link to this answerShould I exchange while the extension is being considered?
Ask your solicitor and adviser to coordinate before you commit. A pending request is not written confirmation that mortgage funds will be available for the intended completion date.
Link to this answerPrepared for Jack Cousins’s website · 12 October 2026. About Jack · How site content is prepared. Lender criteria and individual circumstances determine available options. This guide is not a mortgage offer or personal recommendation.