Mortgage Advisor - how much information are you obliged to give?

[maggiethecat]

Recently went to see one and was required to fill out a form with quite a bit of information. I appreciate that your earnings and financial commitments are needed but do they need things like your bank account details?

If it's just a speculative 'help me get a mortgage' process then they'll want to know who you bank with already (can be deals for existing customers) but they shouldn't really need more than that. It's only when you have selected the product that you want to proceed with that they need more details.

I still don't understand why they need my account number.

It could be that they are short-cutting the admin process, assuming you'll say yes to something, and getting all the information up front so that they don't need you to fill out a second set of forms when you choose a mortgage product. I would ask the reason directly and, if you're not happy with the answer, find a different adviser. BTW is this adviser attached to a bank or are they independent.

to collect your direct debit for payment each month.