New research from Boon Brokers surveyed 1,000 recent UK borrowers to understand which parts of the mortgage application process borrowers found most stressful.

The survey examined overall stress levels, the stages of the application that create the greatest pressure, and how experiences differ across age, gender and location.

Download the Research File in the footer of this study.

88% of Borrowers Found Their Mortgage Application Stressful

88% of borrowers found their most recent mortgage application to be a stressful experience, with 45% describing the process as either very or extremely stressful. By comparison, only 12% of respondents said they experienced no stress during their mortgage application.

Overall Mortgage Application Stress Levels (%)

Respondents were asked to identify the three main parts of the mortgage process that they found most stressful. The findings revealed that waiting for lender approval (29%) was the most stressful part of the process, closely followed by finding the best mortgage deal (28%).

Survey and valuation issues (23%), proving income (21%) and unexpected document requests (17%) also ranked among the most common sources of stress.

For the industry, these findings reveal that borrowers are still encountering pressure throughout the mortgage application journey. Whether that is choosing a suitable mortgage product, evidencing their income, or the timeline of being informed for a lender’s final decision.

18-24-Year-Olds Reported the Highest Levels of Stress

Age was found to be an outlining factor that differentiated the stress levels, with younger participants showing increased levels of stress compared to older participants.

Borrowers aged 18-24 reported the highest levels of stress during their mortgage application, with 59% describing the process as either very or extremely stressful.

By comparison, only 29% of respondents aged 55-64 reported the same level of stress, making younger borrowers more than twice as likely to experience high levels of mortgage application stress.

The research also found that mortgage application stress generally declined with age. Just 3% of borrowers aged 18-24 said they experienced no stress during their mortgage application, compared with 23% of respondents aged 55-64.

The findings point towards the benefit younger borrowers may get from greater support before beginning a mortgage application, particularly in understanding lender criteria, affordability assessments and the documentation required throughout the process.
 

Mortgage Lenders Were the Biggest Source of Stress During the Application Process

Mortgage lenders were selected by respondents to be the biggest source of stress during the mortgage application process, with 44% of borrowers selecting their lender as the party that caused them the most stress.

Surveyors followed at 25%, then mortgage brokers at 23% and only 7% stated that no individual party caused the most stress.

Although mortgage brokers received the lowest proportion of responses from the three options presented, still almost one in four borrowers (23%) identified their broker as the party that caused them the most stress during the mortgage application process.

This remains a particularly notable finding given that several of the biggest stress points identified elsewhere in the research are areas where borrowers would typically expect their mortgage broker to provide support.

The data showed that finding the best mortgage deal was the second biggest cause of stress (28%), while proving income (21%) and unexpected document requests (17%) also ranked among the most stressful parts of the mortgage application process.

As a broker’s role is to identify suitable mortgage products, understand lender criteria, prepare supporting documentation, and manage communication throughout the application, these findings suggest there are still many opportunities for the mortgage industry to improve how borrowers are supported and kept informed during what can be evidently a stressful process.

Survey and Valuation Stress Was Highest in South East England

The research found “Survey and Valuation” issues to be one of the most stressful parts of the mortgage application process, with many respondents selecting it as a source of stress.

Comparing the regional data, South East England recorded the highest percentage with 28% of borrowers, followed by South West England (25%) and Northern England (22%).

The data found that survey and valuation stress declined from 19% in Scotland and 18% in Central England to 11% in Wales and just 6% in Northern Ireland.

The city-level findings followed a similar pattern. London recorded the highest level of survey and valuation stress at 29%, compared with 28% in Leeds, 27% in Sheffield, and 26% in both Manchester and Norwich.

Comparatively, only 18% of borrowers in Cardiff, 16% of borrowers in Glasgow and 6% in Belfast selected survey and valuation issues.

While the research did not specify why their experiences differed by location, these findings indicate that the differences in local property markets, property values and the potential financial impact of valuation outcomes may be contributing factors.

What This Mean for the Mortgage Industry

A main finding that the research highlights is that the stress for borrowers is rarely caused by a single issue or stage during the mortgage application.

Instead, the data shows broad results of borrowers experiencing pressure at multiple stages of the process, from choosing a suitable mortgage and proving their income to waiting for lender decisions and navigating property surveys.

Waiting for lender decisions, finding the right mortgage, providing proof of income, and responding to additional document requests all ranked among the biggest causes of stress, while younger borrowers reported significantly higher stress levels than any other age group.

Together, these findings highlight clear opportunities within the mortgage industry.

Improving communication, setting clearer expectations on stage progression from the start, and helping borrowers understand the lender requirements before an application is submitted could all play an important role in reducing unnecessary stress throughout the mortgage journey.

Ultimately, while some elements of a mortgage application will always be outside a borrower’s control, the research indicates that better preparation, clearer guidance, and more proactive support could make a meaningful difference to the overall experience.

 Download the Full Results – Consumer Stress During a Mortgage Application – July 2026