A leading mortgage broker has heavily criticised the property industry for the practice of conditional selling following last night’s BBC Panorama programme.

Conditional selling is when estate agents prioritise property buyers based on their willingness to take out mortgages provided in-house by estate agencies, often even if their offer on the property is the highest.

The comments have come from Samantha Lindsay (main image), mortgage and protection adviser at My Mortgage Angel.

“The Panorama documentary sheds much needed light around this highly unethical and illegal practice of ‘conditional selling’,” she says.

“It’s not okay that estate agents are withholding offers from sellers in favour of those using in-house services.

“Pressurising aspiring homeowners to use an in-house mortgage adviser is not ok.

“Pressurising aspiring homeowners to use an in-house mortgage adviser is not ok. For anyone taking out a mortgage, it’s imperative that they look at all the options.

“Do speak to the in-house estate agent broker if you want to, but also seek advice from an independent broker who can take you through your options before you make a decision.

“A client I have been working for many years was recently told by an agent that they had to use their in-house broker when purchasing a new property.

“It’s upsetting for our long-standing clients as they feel they have to pick between working with us, a broker who they have built a relationship of trust with over the years or losing their dream home.

“More information and education around this for aspiring homeowners is key so they understand their options right from the start.”