Mortgage applicants face tougher questions about their lifestyle, under new rules that take effect on Saturday.
The changes are designed to "hardwire common sense" into the mortgage application process, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.
Questions from lenders about customers' regular outgoings - including childcare costs and even haircuts - could be included in affordability checks.
Brokers say the changes could lead to delays and rejections of applications.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said the transition to the new rules would be smooth, despite it being the biggest change to the mortgage market for more than a decade.
And many lenders have already changed their systems so they comply with the new rules.
Questions
The rules - known as the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) - are designed to protect consumers from the kind of reckless mortgage lending that would leave them unable to make repayments.
They were drawn up during the financial crisis and originally planned to come into force last summer but changes were made following consultation with lenders.
At their heart is a new affordability check, that will see applicants interviewed by a lender and asked about their income and outgoings.
Previously, many mortgage offers were based on a multiple of the buyer or homeowner's income. Now, more consideration will be given to the household budget and how much spare money is available to them.
That is likely to mean more detailed checks, with questions asked about anything from subscriptions to childcare costs.
Applicants will be expected to explain if they are predicting any significant change in their income or spending.
Lenders will also have to "stress test" an applicant's ability to repay if interest rates increased over a five-year period. This is expected to lead to some applications being rejected.
However, the Building Societies Association (BSA) said this did not mean that those on lower incomes or those only able to offer a small deposit would be frozen out of the property market.
Paul Broadhead, head of mortgage policy at the BSA, said: "It is understandable that people are concerned about the changes to the mortgage application process, however it is vital that this new regime does not dent consumer confidence or sentiment in the housing market.
"It is highly unlikely that a single purchase or category of expenditure will make the difference between yes or no decisions."
Mortgage lenders have had to train staff in the new rules, but the extra pressure on time could mean the process of securing a mortgage to buy a home could take longer.
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