Mortgage broker - any reason we shouldn't use estate agent's?

[WazFlimFlam]

We are looking for mortgage brokers at the moment and have a few specialists in mind (I am self-employed and may need some specialist knowledge) and have been offered an appointment with one of the estate agents we are viewing through.

Is there any reason not to use these brokers? It all seems a little too convenient to me.

Because they are biast and also the EA are just pushing them on you because they get a cut. Politely say no thank you.

Because they are unlikely to be independent and may update the EA with any bad news. You want someone independent who will look at every possible option for you and not pay commission to third parties.

Thanks for the feedback. We are actually considering an EA broker as we met her on Saturday, we really liked her and we are actually looking at buying a house through a completely different estate agent.

Her cost is lower than the other broker we are looking at and the payment structure clearer. Oh, and she takes appointments on Saturdays which the other one doesn't!

With that in mind is it still a bad idea?!

I'd still go independent.

Why is that Troopers?

I'd go to a whole of market broker that wouldn't charge you a fee at all myself

Outnumbered do you have any suggestions? I have looked at John Charcoal but they are pretty steep.

I've always found These the best. www.landc.co.uk

We had this when we were first time buyers. We already had a mortgage in principle from the bank, but figured it was worth speaking to the EA's broker because of their assurances that they looked across the entire market and would get us the best deal. What they came back with was worse than the offer we already had, so either they were lying about what they had access to, or they had some agenda in what they offered.

We've recently remortgaged using London and County to find something. Like you, we had some specialist requirements this time around. They were excellent and charged no fee.