Countrywide Survey

mangog

Hi all,

I'm hoping to get some advice as a first time buyer. We've had our offer accepted and have applied for a mortgage with Nationwide through an independent advisor. As part of the process we were offered the option of having a home buyers' report done by Nationwide's contracted surveyors at a reduced cost. This rang alarm bells with me immediately because I'm suspicious of any kind of 'special offer' (my first thought was 'what's the catch?') so I asked our advisor who exactly would do the survey. He said he didn't know but it would be from the lender's list of preferred surveyors. He seemed to think it was a good deal so I brushed my concerns aside and we said we'd go ahead with the survey, assuming it would speed up the process. This was on Wednesday. Today we received a text saying Countrywide had been instructed to undertake the survey and we need to give them an email address to send the terms and conditions too. I could have slapped myself at this point for not listening to my gut - I was warned specifically to avoid Countrywide at all costs by a friend who works in property and whose advice I very much value. So I am now wondering what our options are, as we haven't paid for anything or signed any paperwork.

My question is: can we cancel Countrywide's survey and book our own with a trusted local company, and could this affect our mortgage offer with Nationwide or hold up the process in any way?

Thanks for any advice you can offer, and apologies if any of this seems obvious. As first time buyers we just don't know what our options are!

kingstreet

Countrywide is Nationwide's panel manager so there was a 75% chance they would get the business, unless they were short of cover in this area.

If you go back to Nationwide and ask them to carry out only the basic mortgage report & valuation, Countrywide will do that so you aren't going to get them completely out of the picture.

In my experience Countrywide Surveyors are little different to any of the other corporates, ESurv, Connells, L&G Surveyors and so on.

lena_halo

FWIW we are using a Countrywide MA and using them for Conveyancing and they have been absolutely fantastic so far.

Homebuyers Reports are all pretty much the same, I don!!!8217;t think it matters who undertakes them.

mangog

Thanks both, that is reassuring. Nationwide have taken the payment from our account already so I guess we're stuck with them now anyway! Seems a little odd to take payment before I've even seen any T&Cs but I guess I just don't understand how it all works. Thanks again!