BTL mortgage: Freelancer Financials or Contactor Financials

[ChimpMaster]

I've had a real challenge with one of these brokers and am considering swapping to the other, but frying pan and fire spring to mind. However, no matter how busy they are, they should strive to provide a professional service or at the very least respond to emails and phone calls.

I won't (yet) say which one I'm disappointed with.

From experience, can anyone recommend one of these brokers over the other?

[Gordon Ice]

We're having a torrid time with Contractor Money/Financials trying to organise a mortgage with Scottish Widows. To be fair the majority of the blame "probably" lies with the mortgage provider but we're not exactly inundated with proactive updates, we struggle to get clarity about the issues or the process we should expect to follow, and there's no sight of solid date commitments when things will be resolved. Not overly impressed to be honest.

Considering moving our business to Freelancer Financials or another alternative. Who are you struggling with?

Thanks for sharing.

[jamesbrown]

I can only speak highly of FF.

[ChimpMaster]

We're having a torrid time with Contractor Money/Financials trying to organise a mortgage with Scottish Widows. To be fair the majority of the blame "probably" lies with the mortgage provider but we're not exactly inundated with proactive updates, we struggle to get clarity about the issues or the process we should expect to follow, and there's no sight of solid date commitments when things will be resolved. Not overly impressed to be honest.

Considering moving our business to Freelancer Financials or another alternative. Who are you struggling with?

Thanks for sharing.

Pretty much this. Something isn't right at CF - my delay isn't due to the lender, more that the broker is not getting back to me, even though I have specifically indicated an urgent requirement. And yes the broker has all the information they need from me.

Thanks - I'm glad it's not just me feeling this way.

I'll be speaking with FF tomorrow.

[ChimpMaster]

I can only speak highly of FF.

Thank you. It seems that this is the way to go.

[ICantStop]

I am currently going through the process with Contractor Financials and it's a real effort getting anywhere with them. They're incredibly disorganised and I constantly have to chase them up in order to get updates. I believe they don't have enough staff for the number of applications they process.

[kevpuk]

Gonna throw my hat into this ring too......Although I do now, finally, have the written offer from the lender.
All started off well, but the lack of communication really has irked me - I realise that sometimes there might be nothing to report, but to not answer emails or even respond to phone calls for a couple of days at a time is really not the sort of service I accept.
All in all, I now have the mortgage offer, as does my solicitor, but would struggle to recommend CF on service aspect.

[TheFaQQer]

I can only speak highly of FF.

+1

In the end my mortgage fell through, but I found FF great to deal with and always got a quick response to everything. I've not dealt with anyone else, so cannot compare them, though.

[Daventry]

I’m very disappointed with Contractor Financials.

I emailed and posted all my documents through Special Delivery. They received them next day at 8:45 am. A week later the person handling my case asked me again for my passport!!
Next week they asked me again to send over my contract and my bank statements.

So looks like they submitted all the papers to the lender 10 days after I sent everything over.

Last week lender asked for my contract extension which I had already sent to CF along with the original one. Anyway they asked me to send it again. This time I didn't bother complain.

At least my solicitor sends me an email every Monday even if there's no updates.

[Barley]

I'm concerned reading this thread, started BTL application process 3 days ago with CF, due to be submitted to lender tomorrow.

Unlike the above, everything has run smoothly so far, they've sent numerous emails in a timely manner to request outstanding items, they've also been easy to contact by phone.

My application is relatively clean and simple, should I be worried, consider routing it through another intermediary at the 11th hour?