Paying for desktop mortgage valuation?

[Beach1983]

Hi! Did mortgage application with NatWest (through a broker) had to pay mortgage valuation up front (£250) have now found out it’s a desktop valuation only, feel a bit ripped off 🤣

Is it normal to have to pay for a desktop valuation? Obviously happy to pay for someone to physically go and value it but just seems a lot for someone to sit and check it at a computer?!

Completely normal.
But irritating I agree.

The thing is, the person doing the desktop valuation reds to be qualified and experienced. You're not just paying £250 for them to sit at a computer and value the property, the fee reflects the years of studying, qualifying and experience that's precedes it.

*needs

@anxiousatnight That makes sense! Jeut seems a lot that’s all! But a drop in the ocean compared to the other costs I guess!

Normal but annoying.

I feel like I could do it myself after years of stalking houses on Rightmove (if that's any sort of qualification)

Yeah ok! I sat in for my friend's mortgage valuation once. The guy turned up, barely looked inside, then smugly told me he was off to look at rightmove to see what comparable properties cost! He may well have studied for years.... but not totally sure it was necessary 🙄