If u're buying thru an agent on subsale, normally your earnest deposit is non refundable unless otherwise stipulated earlier when both seller & buyer had agreed to refund the money should u not obtain a loan or valuation fails. Normally most owners would be adamant to agree to such clause as they would have bound themselves to the sale & had to forego other offers. But in your case if verbally or as stipulated in your letter of offer that a refund is in order should u not obtain a loan, then u should in all diligence try to abide by those terms to secure the refund. Call up your loan officer whom u applied with & disclose your predicament, hopefully he'll help out. But banks are also sometimes reluctant to get involved in your private treaties & as such would refuse help, u may insist your rights to a letter since u've applied for a loan, so it all depends on your personal clout & persuasive powers with all parties concerned. If all else fails, u could at least try to ask your banker to vouchsafe for u verbally that u were unable to obtain a loan on good will basis.

Apologies for the long winded reply but my fingers have a mind all its own! Stop! Stop!