Five professionals. Different roles. Different loyalties. Know who works for you, who works for the seller, and exactly what to ask each one.
The estate agent works for the seller. Not you. They are legally obligated to act in the seller's best interests. They're not your advisor - they're the other side of the negotiation. Be polite, be professional, but never forget whose side they're on.
Your mortgage broker and solicitor work for you. Choose them carefully and don't just go with whoever the estate agent recommends - they often receive referral fees for these introductions.
Who appoints them: The seller. They are not your representative.
What they do: Market the property, conduct viewings, present your offer to the seller, liaise between both sides.
What to watch for: Pressure tactics ("we have another offer coming in"), misleading information about the property or the chain.
Who appoints them: You. Use a whole-of-market broker, not one tied to a single lender.
What they do: Assess your financial situation, recommend appropriate mortgage products, handle the application.
What to watch for: Brokers who push products with high arrangement fees or who are tied to specific lenders. Ask upfront how they're paid.
Who appoints them: You (and the seller appoints their own). Both sides have separate solicitors.
What they do: Conduct property searches, review contracts, raise enquiries, handle the transfer of funds, register you as the new owner with HM Land Registry.
What to watch for: Slow response times and poor communication are the main culprits for delayed completions. Ask specifically how they communicate and how quickly they respond to queries.
Who appoints them: You. Never rely on the lender's mortgage valuation - it is not a survey.
Types of survey:
Who appoints them: Your broker finds them; you accept or reject the offer.
What they do: Conduct an affordability assessment, instruct their own valuation of the property, issue a formal mortgage offer.
What to watch for: The lender's valuation sometimes comes in lower than the agreed purchase price - a "down-valuation." If this happens, you'll need to renegotiate the price, make up the difference in cash, or appeal the valuation.
Buildings insurance: Required by your lender from exchange of contracts. Covers the structure of the building.
Contents insurance: Covers your belongings inside. Can be arranged alongside buildings.
Life insurance / critical illness cover: Many lenders don't require this but it's worth considering if one partner's income would make the mortgage unmanageable alone.
| Role | Name / company | Contact | Fee / notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage broker | ||||
| Solicitor / conveyancer | ||||
| Surveyor | ||||
| Estate agent | ||||
| Buildings insurer |