The fact that many lenders are frantically pulling product ranges — sometimes their entire offering — off the shelves with the promise of a quick relaunch is hardly an industry secret.

For example, according to data provided by Moneyfacts, things kicked off in August with Post Office Money removing its range, followed by Coventry Building Society taking the same action on 5 August. On 9 August, Suffolk Building Society withdrew its mortgage range too and, on 12 August, Platform took itself off the mortgage market, with Family Building Society removing all its fixed-rate offerings on the same day as well.

Come 16 August, Gatehouse Bank took its home finance products off the market, as did Al Rayan Bank on 19 August, followed by Dudley Building Society on 20 August.

Among these are sprinkled numerous cases of certain fixed rates, specific loan-to-value range products and other niche mortgage offerings being switched off and on, which to an outsider appears quite chaotic.

And, according to Moneyfacts again, they are not always switched back on. At the close of July there were 4,409 residential products for brokers to choose from; a number that, by the end of August, had shrunk to 3,918.

Another startling statistic: in July, the average shelf life for a mortgage was just 17 days; in June this stood at 21 days.

The rationale is clear to everybody: the economy is entering dangerous territory and new buyers and existing homeowners alike want to get mortgage rates locked in before the Bank of England makes yet another dramatic change to the interest rate.

Knowing this doesn’t make things any easier for brokers and their clients, however. Most brokers Mortgage Strategy spoke to expressed frustration.

Trinity Financial product and communications director Aaron Strutt says product withdrawals over the past few months have “caused carnage”, and processing backlogs have made this problem worse.

Mortgage Advice Bureau network partner director Clare Jarvis says: “I’m often with clients when the email comes, advising of a product being withdrawn in a few hours, meaning there won’t be a chance of securing the rate in time.

“It is really frustrating, and I take personal responsibility to try and get my clients the best deal. If, for example, I was unavailable during the product withdrawal notice period, I would take it that I had failed my client and cost them money by them having to take a more expensive rate!”

SPF Private Clients chief executive Mark Harris speaks of a similar issue, saying: “While some lenders provide reasonable notice of product changes, others give little to no warning. This causes frustration to brokers and clients.

“Managing client expectations by briefing them on current market activity is a key part of the broker’s role. We are obtaining client documentation as soon as possible in order to move quickly should a product change occur.”

Strutt says: “Our brokers are explaining to clients that the market is busy and many lenders are struggling. They let them know about the service standards and the dangers of a case taking weeks to be processed and then potentially declined.”

A longer notice period for product changes is, of course, what brokers would like to see. When asked, Jarvis says 48 hours would make her more comfortable and Strutt goes further, wanting 24 hours as an industry standard — although he concedes: “This potentially opens the lenders up to huge volumes of last-minute submissions and that’s what many of them want to avoid.”

He adds: “Some banks and building societies give more notice than others but I’m sure the conversations come up internally and the lenders do what they can to provide as much notice as possible. That said… a rate withdrawal email at 4pm, saying to submit applications that night, causes unnecessary stress.”

As with marriage, for mortgages it seems communication is key.

Harris says: “Where some lenders are not as generous with their notice periods, a gentle ‘heads-up’ from the business development managers is always helpful. Clear communication with brokers is vital.”

He adds: “In most instances, a full application is required to secure a product. Barclays, however, only asks for an Esis [European standardised information sheet] to be generated on its system for the chosen product, with the Dip [decision in principle] and full application to follow before a confirmed deadline.”

On this topic of standout lenders, says Jarvis, “Halifax seems to manage service, and HSBC’s communications are fabulous.” Halifax and Accord are “particularly broker friendly”.

She adds: “Smaller lenders don’t always get the industry press headlines and, if brokers are not registered with them or have not used them before, they may not get the product withdrawal notice email, which can mean we quote the rate and the next day it is gone without knowing.”

If anybody reading this is looking forward to calmer times soon, bear in mind Strutt’s parting words: “There is… the big issue of £100bn-worth of remortgages coming up before the end of the year, with the unfortunate combination of base rate hikes.”

Media studies and communication degree holders… perhaps it’s time to show the (mortgage) world what you’re made of!