Paul Smulovitch is quite right in his comments but the issues go even further. Estate agents suggest "financial qualification" of buyers to sellers as if it is a service to protect them, when in fact it is just a way of forcing the buyer to see their advisor even if they have an AIP elsewhere. These advisors often work from a small panel so have limited range and I have found often have limited knowledge. One Peterborough based estate agent uses this trick. They accept an offer for a property on agreement from the seller but insist the buyer has to see their advisor for financial qualification if they want to move forward, refusal means they recommend the seller reverses their acceptance of the offer. However their advisors are sooooo busy, that it will be 10 days or more before they can be seen. An appointment is booked but the buyer is not asked to take in any proof of income or bank statements, so how can they be qualified? Instead the meeting is a simple "type into the computer" exercise, showing the buyer the fantastic mortgages they can get them. When they are refused, they book another appointment again over a week away to check documents. In the case of my client ensuring it was 2 days after the expiry of his AIP. At that time, they said to my client who had the AIP I supplied, that no one could get him a mortgage and so refused to progress his purchase. The client has now found a property through a more reputable agent and the refreshed AIP with the same company has offered and is about to complete. I have also lost mortgages to a national agent who advises the buyers that if they use their mortgage advisor the seller has agreed to reduce the price by £500. Would you reduce the price of your house so your agent can have that business. There is obviously some interesting influence be imposed on the seller to get them to sign that contract. I have said it before in relation to lenders as well as estate agents, when will they all be expected to apply to the exacting standards that reputable mortgage have to meet?