It used to be that most people got mortgage approval with no strings attached.

For example, the number of mortgage approvals remained low, at just over half the long-term average.

Compared with last year, mortgage approvals were down 11pc.

The best gains were on mortgage approvals: processing time dropped from eight days to three.

This might include a refusal to permit an inspection or allow almost no time to get mortgage approval.

We can derive some encouragement from mortgage approvals holding firm in November.

A contract can normally be set aside without penalty prior to mortgage approval.

Lawyers say that the likelihood of losing the contract deposit is slim because most sales contracts are subject to mortgage approval.

The Bank of England reported that mortgage approvals fell by a record of nearly 70 percent.

Despite the rise, mortgage approvals remain significantly below the 88,000 monthly average since 1993.