u/Swimming_Shelterz

Hi I'm looking for some advice please.

A mortgage broker approached me directly after seeing my anonymous post in a Facebook group where he is an admin (he's a legitimate broker with a registered company) From the very beginning I clearly stated which banks I wanted to use for a renovation top-up or refinance with top-up.

Most conversations are in e-mail and messenger. very few phone call ones

he only approached one bank and got approval, however it wasnt the bank i asked him to approached.   I agreed to look at it but never signed any documents agreeing to proceed with that bank. I am locked into a Scope of Service with him tho which does unfortunately say to transfer from xx bank to x bank, his emails were a bit misleading but I did not sign any documents with the bank, only a scope of service with him where I can't approach another broker or the bank directly.

When I asked him to approach my preferred banks instead he only showed me standard advertised rates without actually approaching those banks.  He kept pushing for the x bank tho.  I wanted a proper comparison.

In a phone call i then asked him to approach my existing bank he said that would be a fee for extra work for the services, note he didnt give a price on that fee. Which obviously i wasn't happy about and said thats not righ4 and I want to compare or just stay with my bank then. He misrepresented this in writing saying I was going directly to my bank myself which is not true.

He has now issued a deferred fee invoice claiming I am arranging finance directly myself. I have not done this. I asked him to do it and he said thats a fee for extra work.

I feel misled throughout this whole process as I am not experienced in these matters.

I have sent an email back to dispute the deferred fee and to try keep civiled

Has anyone experienced anything similar or can any advisers shed some light on my rights here?

I feel incredibly misled and disheartened about the whole thing.

Hi I'm after some advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation or any mortgage advisers who can shed some light.

A mortgage broker reached out to me directly via Facebook Messenger after seeing my anonymous post in a group where he is an admin. I did not approach him. From our very first conversation I clearly stated which banks I wanted to use for a renovation top-up or refinance with top-up. He acknowledged this.

He came back with a completely different bank that I never asked for. When I queried the special rate he was promoting it appeared in his email like it applied to the whole mortgage — it was only after signing the scope of service that I realised it only applied to a small top-up portion. I verbally agreed to look at it but never signed any documents agreeing to proceed with that bank.

When I looked more carefully at the Scope of Service I noticed it had already been written to transfer from my existing bank to this new bank — something I hadn't fully understood when I signed it.

I asked him multiple times if he could approach my preferred banks to see if they could match or better the deal. He told me that's not how it works and refused. When I pushed further he only showed me standard advertised rates — he never actually approached those banks directly. When I continued to push he said approaching my preferred banks would require an additional fee.

I then specifically asked him via phone call to arrange a refinance through my existing bank on my behalf. He later misrepresented this conversation in writing claiming I had said I was going directly to my bank myself — which is completely false.

He has now issued a deferred fee invoice claiming I am arranging finance directly myself. I have not done this at any point. I asked him to do it and he refused or said it would cost extra.

Throughout this whole process I felt pressured and misled. I am not experienced in mortgage processes and relied on him to act in my best interest based on my clearly stated preferences. I don't feel this happened.

I have sent a reply email to dispute the fee and to not let things escalate

Has anyone experienced something similar? Do I have any rights here given I never went to a bank directly and he refused to approach my preferred banks?

what can I do here? I cant afford a lawyer.

looking for some advice please. I engaged a mortgage broker who approached me directly after seeing my anonymous post in a FB group where he is an admin. I am locked in with him as my broker as I signed a scope of service which has a deterrent fee of pver $2k. I clearly stated from the beginning I wanted to stay with my existing bank or go with another specific bank for a refinance and renovation top-up.

Without asking me he approached a completely different bank and got approval. I verbally agreed to look at it but never signed any documents agreeing to go with that bank. When I asked him to approach my preferred banks instead he said it would be extra work whixh requires an extra fee if i choose to go with a different bank he approached. He has also threatened a large deferred fee if I go to any bank directly myself, even though he hasn't approached my preferred banks despite me asking repeatedly.

Is this normal broker behaviour? Am I within my rights to ask him to approach my preferred banks without being charged extra? Has anyone else experienced this or can anyone shed some light?