Mortgages FAQs

The mortgage application process can be complex and time-consuming, with lots of paperwork to complete. A mortgage broker like Clark and Poole can help you gather the necessary documents and make the application on your behalf, making the whole process smoother and less stressful.

The other important reason to use a mortgage broker is that they work on behalf of you not the lender. We are here to answer all your questions, provide guidance on different types of mortgages, interest rates, and terms, helping you find the best option for your specific financial situation. And if we hit any bumps in the road, we will fight hard on your behalf to resolve the issues.

Independent advisers like Clark and Poole work with a variety of lenders, which gives you access to a wider range of mortgage products and rates than you might find on your own, and they can save you time and effort by comparing offers from multiple lenders and helping you.

We work with a variety of lenders, which gives you access to a wider range of mortgage products and rates than you might find on your own. Matching you with exactly the right mortgage requires expertise and in-depth knowledge of the financial markets and of each lender’s specific underwriting criteria.

We work directly with you to understand your financial goals and needs. We can tailor our recommendations to your specific situation, helping you find a mortgage that aligns with your long-term financial plans.

It is important to remember that, unlike us, banks have the bank’s interests at heart and are governed by sales targets and profits. We on the other hand are motivated by finding you the best deal, giving you the best service, and relying on the fact that you will recommend us to your family and friends.

There is a lot of complex paperwork involved in the mortgage process that mortgage brokers like Clark and Poole will expertly complete for you, saving you time and effort – if you go direct you will have to do this yourself.

You might have found the house of your dreams and got on well with your estate agent, but you should be very cautious about using their mortgage services; there have been accusations of estate agents and affiliated mortgage brokers working closely together, openly discussing potential buyers’ budgets in order to get as much money out of the buyer as possible. As independent advisors we aren’t on the estate agent’s side, we’re on yours.

Banks occasionally offer exclusive rates to brokers. And, many lenders, particularly those that offer specialised mortgage products, operate exclusively through brokers and as a result enable them to offer deals that would not be available to you on the open market.

Obviously we’re going to say you should speak to us, but we do have good reasons – we have been helping people arrange their mortgages for years and have lots of customers that come back to us time and time again, and send all their family and friends to us too – take a look at our reviews!

We act solely in your interest and give totally impartial advice, we can work with you to get the right product to suit your unique personal circumstances, and unlike many other brokers we prefer not to charge an additional fee to our customers – on the very rare occasion that we do (less than 1% of cases) this is out of necessity to cover our costs.

Our advisers will explain things in plain and simple language to help you understand your options and to make an informed decision. We deal with lenders on a day-to-day basis so we know what the application process is like for each one and can tell you which lender can process your application with minimal delays. We also know the background criteria that a lender has and can bring this experience to bear when advising you and processing your application for you.

We have an experienced and friendly team who are always available by phone or email to answer any questions. If you would like to find out more about our team, please take a look here

Other costs include the survey and the valuation on the property, solicitor’s fees, and stamp duty. You may also have to pay an arrangement fee for the mortgage.

Absolutely! We will review the products offered to you by your existing lender (to encourage you to renew with them) and compare this with what the rest of the market has to offer.  If your circumstances haven’t changed, we will look for the best rate available as a like-for-like replacement of the existing mortgage and discuss with you the optimum time to start your new rate.

However, if you are planning to make some home improvements, would like to increase your borrowing or reduce your monthly repayments, or have had a change in your personal or financial circumstances then we will source and recommend a new product and we will complete and manage your remortgage application from start to finish.

All our advisers deal with lenders on a day-to-day basis so they know what the application process is like for each one and can tell you which lender can process your application with minimal delays.

We also use a ‘Fact Find’ to gather information about your financial situation, like income, expenses, assets, and debts, to ensure that we understand your needs and can tailor our advice.

We enjoy meeting our customers but if this is not convenient for you our advisors will be more than happy to deal with you on the phone and via email, whichever suits you.

Yes, Clark and Poole is an independent company, not tied to any bank or mortgage provider and is therefore able to provide unbiased advice on mortgage products from the whole market, offering a much wider choice.

We are paid a commission by the companies that provide the products you purchase – for undertaking the administration on their behalf. Unlike many other Intermediaries we prefer not to charge an additional fee to our customers. On the very rare occasion that we do (less than 1% of cases) this is out of necessity to cover our costs.

Yes. We are regulated and authorised by the FCA for your complete protection. We are entered on the FCA register under reference 498775.