BettyCrocker
VIP Member
Walk away - too many red flags here and it all sounds ropey.
I’m not 100% sure on some of the stuff you’ve mentioned, but don’t feel pressured into using solicitors (or mortgage advisors) by the estate agents. This happened on my recent sale/purchase and the solicitors were terrible - so bad that I’ve taken a formal complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.Hi guys
Just wanted to get a bit of advice from people.
I applied for a flat last week on a shared ownership basis. The seller got 3 offers. The estate agents said I will need to refer you to the mortgage advisor to check you are eligible. MA calls and says ok will get you a MIP ( I was not aware that’s what the call was going to be about - I have been speaking to my own MA)
Emailed the estate agents who told me they would be able to sell my offer better if I use the guy they recommend and I would need a really good reason to not use him. im Aware I don’t need any reason as I can use whoever I wish..
4 days later I receive a call from estate agents sayingthey have received financial checks and I have passed. The MA has applied for a MIP for me( without even asking/ sayingwho the lender is). I assumed this would be a joint process and we would look at lenders together?. The MA is also refusing to tell me who the lender is as he ‘ does not need to disclose this information’
To make things more complicated the estate agent called to say the credit checks came back fine for all 3 offers and the seller ( apparently) wants to know if I would commit to using their mortgage advisor for the mortgage and their solicitors(I don’t even have the name of them??) because if so this may help my offer and they can push my offer more to the seller.
I’m quite disappointed in both the MA and the estate agent who are obviously working together.
Do you think I should make a complaint?
And can a mortgage advisor apply for a mortgage in principle without telling me who the lender is first, and then refuse to tell you who the lender is once you find out they have applied?
Any help would be greatly appreciated !
Thank you I will. That’s my worry with using estate agent recommended services. I’m not sure how I can possibly agree over the phone without knowing anything about the solicitors. Sorry to hear about the troubles you went through! XI’m not 100% sure on some of the stuff you’ve mentioned, but don’t feel pressured into using solicitors (or mortgage advisors) by the estate agents. This happened on my recent sale/purchase and the solicitors were terrible - so bad that I’ve taken a formal complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
I should have known better because the same thing happened with my first home - we used the solicitors recommended by the estate agents because there were two other people with offers, so they said if we agreed to use their solicitor our offer would be the one accepted.
I would definitely get a second opinion on what you’ve mentioned though before you agree to anything
That’s exactly it - both times I made a quick decision because I really wanted the properties but in hindsight I should have done a bit of research about the solicitors myself before agreeing. You’re much better off finding your own - the estate agents get a finders fee of some sort (I think) and in my experience they didn’t really care when I told them how crap they’d been!Thank you I will. That’s my worry with using estate agent recommended services. I’m not sure how I can possibly agree over the phone without knowing anything about the solicitors. Sorry to hear about the troubles you went through! X