The Silent Squeeze: Conditional selling and the financial hijack
Peter McGahan
Monday 21st July, 2025.
THE stresses of buying a home! It starts innocently enough. You find the house. The dream one. The “let’s start a family” one. Then comes the silent nudge. “Our in-house broker at the estate agent can help speed things up.”
Conditional selling – where some estate agents push, hint, or outright state that your offer is more likely to succeed if you use their broker or solicitor – is quietly becoming one of the most damaging practices in UK property buying. It existed in years gone by, but its back. Many buyers don’t realise it’s happening until they’ve signed their name on the line. That’s the trick. You’re so emotionally invested; your thinking brain is already hijacked.
A recent FT Adviser campaign is shedding much-needed light on this shadowy corner of the industry, calling for the severing of links between estate agents and their preferred financial services.
Let’s have a look. What does conditional selling look like?
It’s rarely blatant. It might be the estate agent saying your offer will be “more attractive” if you go with their mortgage adviser. Or that things “move quicker” with their solicitor. In some cases, buyers are told outright that their offer won’t be put forward unless they book a session with the in-house broker.
Legal? Murky. It’s against industry rules set by the Property Ombudsman and FCA, but because many of these firms aren’t directly authorised – they simply “refer” – it often slides under the radar. Most estate agents operate professionally, but it’s always the outliers.
Why it works – the emotional hijack.
Imagine your brain as a team. There’s the thinker – calm, analytical. Then there’s the amygdala – the emotional bouncer which jumps in when you feel threatened. When you’re buying a home, your emotional investment is sky-high. Fear of missing out (FOMO), anxiety, urgency – they all trigger an amygdala hijack. Logic leaves the building, and we become prey to whatever seems to solve the threat. Our primitive part of the brain takes over. Its already emotional enough.
So, when someone says, “If you don’t use our broker, you might not get the house,” you don’t respond by evaluating mortgage rates and insurance rates. You nod and sign. Your amygdala made the decision.
The real cost?
Financially, this could cost thousands. In-house brokers often have a limited panel of lenders, higher fees, or worse – push deals which aren’t independent and as such, not competitive. I've seen cases where clients end up with higher interest rates, inappropriate insurance policies, or opaque fees which never get explained.
Emotionally? You’re left questioning whether you were manipulated. That gnaws at your confidence. It’s called financial buyer’s remorse, mixed with a touch of betrayal.
The alternatives – and why you probably didn’t take them?
An independent financial adviser (IFA) or mortgage broker offers a whole-of-market view. They work for you, not the seller. But when the pressure is on, the house is in your grasp, and the agent is kindly saying, “Just book the appointment, it’s free…” – the independent route gets sidelined.
Convenience and control are seductive. The cost is freedom of choice.
So where does the FT Adviser campaign steps in?
The FT Adviser campaign isn’t just about dodgy sales tactics. It’s about ethics. It’s about drawing a clear line between property sales and financial advice. When the two are entwined, the buyer loses.
Their reporting has uncovered pressure tactics used by major names – companies who should know better. Some brokers have been so incensed they’ve written to MPs demanding reform.
What can you do?
If you’re house-hunting, remember:
You’re never obliged to use an estate agent’s broker or solicitor.
If they imply your offer depends on it, that’s a red flag. Get it in writing – it won’t happen of course.
Seek advice from an independent broker or IFA early in the process ie: before you go for a house. You can get a decision in principle prepared and know what you can borrow before looking at a house. Go in armed.
And if you’ve been pressured, report it. The Property Ombudsman and Trading Standards need your voice.
In a world where we expect more from our financial advice than a free pen and coaster, we should also expect a fair property market. The only thing that should be conditional when buying a house is your budget and stress-free purchase.
If you have a mortgage query, email our Mortgage Director Pat Greene on pgreene@wwfp.net
Peter McGahan is the Chief Executive Officer of independent financial advisers Worldwide Financial Planning. Worldwide Financial Planning is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
