Should I worry?

nadine_P

AIP with natwest via broker 2nd August
Offer on a property accepted 8th August
Full application submitted to natwest 12th August
Valuation done and all ok 21st August
Natwest tracker is showing everything ticked except one from 19th August asking broker to call to discuss clients application, broker has spoken to them since then but it is still on tracker.
23rd after pushing broker via chat for update they sent me email saying natwest have come back with a query and broker is dealing with it. Should I be worried?

I am using habito online free mortgage broker service, they are not the easiest to get hold of to be honest which makes me anxious and frustrated. Now I have got an email at around 17:48 on Friday 23rd August before a bank holiday saying they have a query, I am now left in limbo until next week without being able to liaise with anyone (one wonders if this was the intent) just leaves me even more anxious and frustrated.

We have paid the solicitors for the searches on the property so I am also concerned that if it all goes wrong from this point I will lose this money. Then there are the hard searches they do that will be on the credit files, each one reducing your credit worthiness for when you apply elsewhere. Right now I am pulling my hair out, I hate the process. I went through my bank the last time (Halifax) and can honestly say although not as much choice I was put at ease if I was worried, they kept me updated constantly and I never felt like I was unable to contact them or as anxious and frustrated as I do using a broker.

[Deleted User]

You aren't frustrated using a broker. You are frustrated using a broker who's business model makes it hard to get hold of someone.

I am a broker and I have responded to 4 clients this weekend telling them what's going on and presumably stopping them from making posts like this.

Ignore natwest tracker, it's generally useless. Call natwest directly if you want to have someone read you the notes on the file. Might put your mind at rest.

nadine_P

Deleted_User wrote: »

You aren't frustrated using a broker. You are frustrated using a broker who's business model makes it hard to get hold of someone.

I am a broker and I have responded to 4 clients this weekend telling them what's going on and presumably stopping them from making posts like this.

Ignore natwest tracker, it's generally useless. Call natwest directly if you want to have someone read you the notes on the file. Might put your mind at rest.

Thanks for responding. I do get where you are coming from, that being said when I asked for my reference to track my application my broker told me not to contact them myself. I have thought about it but did not due to what my broker instructed.

If no progress has been made or I cannot get hold of my broker Tuesday 27th I will call natwest direct before the end of the working day. Once again thank you.

Thrugelmir

Deleted_User wrote: »

I am a broker and I have responded to 4 clients this weekend telling them what's going on and presumably stopping them from making posts like this.

That's your choice. Doesn't mean that everybody else has to operate at the same level.

Last time I returned from 2 weeks leave I had 122 emails to respond to. There are only so many hours in the day. Expectations have to be reasonable on both sides.

[Deleted User]

Natwest broker helpline takes calls from clients directly as well. No reason not to call them directly

haras_nosirrah

I am with Deleted_User. I would be devastated if my client made a post like this but then I do respond to emails even if not in the office even if that response is to say that I will come back to the Tuesday am

I do though disagree with phoning the lender as sometimes this can cause miscommunication and problems in itself.

I would contact the broker by phone/ email this morning and say that if you haven't had an update by 4pm you will be calling the lender directly.

As we say on here habito and London and country are large free brokers who operate on a conveyor belt system as they have to have a very large number of clients to turn a profit. You have not yet used a proper independent broker so don't base your experience off of what you have had this time. Most brokers charge a fee (typically
£300-500) but by doing that we can take less clients and be available to avoid what you are going through)

amnblog

Sending an email referring to a query last thing on a Friday is something a smart Broker would not do as it helps no one and causes you unnecessary concern.

I imagine the Broker you have chosen is generating such emails automatically without thought from the Broker.

A couple of observations:

NatWest are in the habit of raising queries about simple things that are easily resolve and no barrier to lending.

A good Broker needs to keep on top of communication with both the Borrower and the Lender.

I must say however, I disagree with JMA and Haras. You should not be phoning the Lender direct when you are using a Broker. If you misunderstand the query (easily done), and say the wrong thing in answer to any query, you can put the application back rather than forward. Give the Broker every opportunity to handle this.

To be fair, if the email was sent in an hour's time (about 10 business minutes from the one you received) you will probably have it all resolved by lunchtime.

Broker first.

Lender only if absolutely necessary.

haras_nosirrah

I agree. Don't phone the lender. Just threaten to to get a response. Have amended my post.

muhandis

If you want Habito to bend over backwards in their service to you, all you need to do is write them a 1 star review on Trustpilot and/or Google.

They (and all online brokers) are obsessed with their TP ratings and will do anything to get you to revise a bad review. Use it to your advantage.

Once your application is ready to be submitted, the broker moves on and passes the case to lesser non-broker grunts who do the legwork past that point.

Good luck.

nadine_P wrote: »

I am using habito online free mortgage broker service, they are not the easiest to get hold of to be honest which makes me anxious and frustrated.

I was unable to contact them or as anxious and frustrated as I do using a broker.