The lender said it would now only be accepting applications where a decision in principle (DIP) had already been approved.

In a statement the building society said it had ‘continued to experience a very high demand’ for its products and had taken the decision to prioritise serving brokers on cases already in its pipeline.

It was concerned its underwriting resources would be stretched over the Christmas period and wanted to maintain the quality of its service as its ‘top priority’.

The temporary suspension will mean it won’t take any new enquiries over the holiday period in order to best ensure this.

Tim Vigeon, head of lending at Buckinghamshire Building Society, said; “We pride ourselves on offering and maintaining exceptional service standards.

“Our award winning product range is perhaps the widest of any small society, serving first time buyers, movers, landlords, lending into and in retirement, self-build and all points in between.

“Our individual human underwriting approach is time consuming but ensures that we can offer our products to many borrowers who are rejected by the standard “computer says no” approach.  We look forward to re-opening for new DIPs again in the new year”.