Countrywide

sonastin

ixxi wrote: »

a bit iffy

Best (understated) description I've seen on these boards when it comes to countrywide

Jessikita1983

Couldn't resist putting my twopennyth worth in, even though you have already decided you are not using them but I wouldn't use their services IF THEY PAID ME!!!!!

My dealings with them were 5 years ago, so unless they have drastically improved, which I doubt seems little point.

I can't help with your second question, I'm a lot further north than you!

princeofpounds

It seems a bit iffy that their agent is claiming that they do search the whole of the market when they don't!

In theory, they should be reported to the FSA for that. It's a really serious offence in the financial world.

geoffky

stay away..they lie often..

MrRee_2

Nothing beats good old fashioned boot leather - walk the Banks and Lenders ..... no commission to pay and if you do your research you know what are the best deals.

Brokers just do what any intelligent layman does .... your time is free, their time isn't!

timmyt

ixxi wrote: »

Hi all,

I am a first-time buyer and my OH booked us in with Countrywide to have a chat about mortgages. The person we talked to claimed they did check the whole of the market (even though they have their panel of preferred lenders). Is this true, or was she just lying to me?

the advice is never to get mortagges through an Agent. NEVER - always a mortgage IFA who considers every lender including deals direct to the borrower and not via a mortgage adviser.

Also I have searched Countrywide on these forums and found a few threads about the uselessness of their conveyancing team and surveyors. I assume by securing a mortgage through Countrywide Mortgage Brokers (if that's what we eventually do) we're not tying ourselves into using the whole Countrywide family, or are we? If so is it better to ditch and run run, run fast now before they put a mark on our credit records (they're just checking with HBOS atm which I am informed only leaves a "soft" record) or is it OK to go with them and then attempt to find local firms to do the rest? If the latter is the case, can anyone recommend any solicitors/surveyors etc. in Southampton?

Thanks very much,

IxxI

use a largish law firm, but most are corporate estate agents down there and many will refer you out of county for rubbish conveyancing

timmyt

MissMotivation wrote: »

She was lying, Countrywide do work with a panel of abour 7 lenders....they are not whole of market :eek:

DVS is correct, find an Independant, whole of market broker to get the best advice.

what! that is truely terrible if true, shame shame shame!

Regina.filangie

They are nothing but a bunch of cranks! We wanted to view a repo, and so the EA wanted to check we could afford it before they'd let us see it. Even though we already had an AIP from our bank - which I now know should've been enough - the EA insisted we speak to their Countrywide in house broker. We went in for an appointment, and found ourselves applying for a mortgage through them before we knew it! They were VERY pushy and their attitude was terrible. I specifically asked on our first visit 'are you a whole of market broker?' to which they replied 'yes' and I later realised upon reading the Keyfacts document they gave us that this was rubbish :mad:. They were condescending, ignorant, and at times just plain rude. They gave us contradictory information which, when we questioned, they tried to brush over by confusing us! They were so desperate to get us to sign on the dotted line that they rang and offered to come to my place of work to drop off the forms and insisted that we HAD to go in the next day to sign. I mean, what if we were unable to go in the next day?! They made it sound like it was life and death :eek:. We decided to go direct to the lender and proceed with the application ourselves and it was the best decision we ever made - just one week later we have a formal mortgage offfer, a better rate, cashback, no fees to pay (saving us £1198 compared to their deal!) :T. We have received excellent service and have escaped the bullying, lying and harrassment of Countrywide. I too wouldn't use them again if they paid me. Avoid!

Metals

Avoid using Countrywide Surveying Services

Despite numerous complaints about this company, Nationwide BS is still uses them. I only found this out to my cost..........