mortgage application and solicitor

afzaal1988

hi, i went through a broker and applied for mortgage recently. and i was given a quote for the solicitor also. which i was happy with.
but now solicitor has sent me welcome pack and asking me for 300 pounds for the searches he will carry out.
i m first time buyer so i dont know. but do i need a solicitor at this stage? becasue bank might decline my application for mortgage and fee to solicitor would be waste of money.
or should i delay sending the payment untill i recive mortgage offer from bank? i m not even sure if they will need to see those searches before they approve the mortgage offer

and one last question are mortgage broker allowed to certify document ie. passport etc.

NASA_2

The broker took my documents and photocopied them so I assume they are allowed.

I also saw a solicitor this morning so hoping that I havent rushed ahead with that when I didnt need to.

afzaal1988

NASA wrote: »

The broker took my documents and photocopied them so I assume they are allowed.

thanks

anybody else wants to help me out by answering my other question?:D

geoffky

Have you offered on a house?

afzaal1988

geoffky wrote: »

Have you offered on a house?

yes and it was accepted

somethingcorporate

Before you had a mortgage?

jockosjungle

You cannot apply for a mortgage before you have an offer accepted on a house.

Yes you should instruct a lawyer straight away, yes if you get refused a mortgage (do you think its likely) you may lose some money but at the same time you gain some speed in the contract exchange, less chance of gazumping and less likely to annoy the seller who is waiting for you to get a mortgage before doing the conveyancing and may rightly think that your heart isn't really in it and you don't think you'll get a mortgage

R

afzaal1988

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Before you had a mortgage?

no. first time buyer

afzaal1988

jockosjungle wrote: »

You cannot apply for a mortgage before you have an offer accepted on a house.

Yes you should instruct a lawyer straight away, yes if you get refused a mortgage (do you think its likely) you may lose some money but at the same time you gain some speed in the contract exchange, less chance of gazumping and less likely to annoy the seller who is waiting for you to get a mortgage before doing the conveyancing and may rightly think that your heart isn't really in it and you don't think you'll get a mortgage

R

thnaks for letting me know. but i think broker isnt stupid.if offer wasnt acepted he wouldnt have had applied for a mortgage.


and i will instrut a solicitor straight away now. thanks for your reply