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The shopper is having to relocate from London to the north for work reasons and would like to know about the viability of buying in Sheffield. The shopper earns £25,000, has £5000 in savings and student debts of £12,000. The shopper does not know much about the local area.

Whittington Goddard Associates Ltd

Sheffield, S10 2LN

www.wg-associates.co.uk

Speed of response: Time of call: 10.20am. The call was answered by a hesitant receptionist after two rings. The shopper was placed on hold for a while before being transferred to an adviser.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Telephone manner: The adviser was friendly and professional but was not particularly animated.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Qualifications: The shopper had to ask the adviser about his qualifications. The adviser seemed a bit taken aback by this request but answered willingly saying he was fully FPC qualified and had the mortgage MAQ.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Payment method: No payment options were discussed at any point.

Rating: 0/5 stars

Guidance: The adviser seemed reluctant to give any advice by telephone but was eager to arrange a meeting. He was keen to stress he worked within a regulated environment so it was important they met to discuss the shopper's situation in more detail. He explained the first task would be to ask the shopper questions surrounding his incomings and outgoings.

Ratings: 1/5 stars

Knowledge: It was quite hard for the shopper to ascertain the level of the adviser's knowledge as he was so unwilling to share any information on the telephone, however he was qualified and gave the impression he would have useful advice if the shopper went to visit him.

Rating 1/5 stars

Verdict: No real guidance was given as the adviser said it was difficult to talk to. He pushed for a meeting and was hard to engage with. The adviser clearly had the knowledge and the answers for the shopper but he simply refused to discuss anything. The adviser was friendly but serious and not overly animated.

Rating: 10/30 stars

McKenzie Financial Services Ltd, S35 2PH

www.mckenziefinance.co.uk

Speed of response: Time of call: 10.31am. The call was answered quickly after one ring by a confident and professional receptionist. After a very brief time on hold the shopper was put through to an adviser.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Telephone manner: The adviser was very easy to talk to. He was friendly, polite and professional and adopted a calm manner and soft tone when speaking to the shopper.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Qualifications: Although he did not mention anything about his qualifications, the adviser did explain to the shopper he was fully independent and FSA regulated.

Rating: 1/5 stars

Payment method: Without being prompted the adviser told the shopper the firm operated a policy whereby they did not charge the client fees but received commission from the lender.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Guidance: The adviser asked the shopper sensible questions about the shopper's situation. He concluded the shopper would probably be looking for a 95 per cent loan-to-value mortgage. He explained there are no longer any 100 per cent mortgages available. However he did say there were still some 95 per cent deals around. From the initial information the chances of the shopper getting a mortgage was perfectly feasible, he said. The adviser also explained to the shopper about the options of getting a repayment mortgage or an interest-only deal.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Knowledge: The adviser demonstrated a clear knowledge of the mortgage market and was able to explain it succinctly to the shopper.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Verdict: The adviser was extremely friendly, helpful and professional. He made the shopper feel at ease, asked sensible questions and explained the basics to the shopper clearly and concisely. The adviser did not put the shopper under any pressure for a meeting and offered him his email address. He also mentioned when it came to meetings the firm was very flexible, they could arrange evening appointments and work around the client's schedule for a time that suited him. All in all a good service.

Rating 21/30

Simplicity Financial Services Limited, S8 0UJ

www.simplicityfinancial.com

Speed of response: Time of call: 10.41am. The shopper initially got through to an automated system then the call was answered by a receptionist who transferred the call to the appropriate adviser.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Telephone manner: The adviser was extremely friendly and he listened carefully to what the shopper needed to know.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Qualifications: No qualifications were mentioned, although the adviser did explain how it was an independent firm.

Rating: 1/5 stars

Payment method: When asked the adviser said the initial consultation would be free, however once the mortgage application moved forward the shopper would be required to pay a fee.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Guidance: The adviser asked the shopper about his salary, any deposit and what sort of house prices he was looking at. He explained as it stands there should not be a problem with the shopper finding a suitable mortgage. The adviser was eager to send the shopper an introductory pack. He told the shopper there was no real need to arrange a face-to-face meeting at the moment and that contact by telephone and email would suffice for the time being. The adviser told the shopper he should not worry too much about the student debt as the lender would look at the shopper's overall affordability.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Knowledge: The adviser seemed to know plenty about the mortgage industry and the options available for the shopper.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Verdict: The adviser was very friendly and chatty and the shopper felt at ease talking to him. He gave the shopper an informative overview of the mortgage market and the way things work. He could have been more forthcoming with his specific qualifications and could have asked the shopper for some further information rather than requiring him to fill out a form.

Rating 19/30 stars