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The shopper was in the market to buy their first home in early 2008 but decided to rent for a while because of rising interest rates and uncertain market conditions. The shopper is still interested in buying but is not sure how long to wait before entering the market again.

Donald Robertson & Partners, Glasgow, G12

www.donald-robertson.co.uk

Speed of response: Time of call: 9.47am. The telephone was answered by an adviser after five rings.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Telephone manner: The adviser was polite but spoke quietly and at times could be difficult to understand.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Qualifications: The adviser said he was qualified to advise on the whole of the market.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Payment method: The adviser said he accepted payment by fee or commission.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Guidance: The adviser told the shopper he did not expect the market to get cheaper any time soon. He told the shopper they should expect to pay more than the rate they were offered earlier in the year but if they saw a home they liked then they should buy it regardless.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Knowledge: The adviser seemed reluctant to give advice over the phone before knowing the full facts of the shopper's financial situation. This made it difficult for the shopper to gauge the adviser's knowledge of the market.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Verdict: Although the adviser seemed police and professional the shopper found it difficult to connect with the adviser as they did not seem to be very talkative or forthcoming with advice. The shopper would have also liked to have heard more about the adviser's qualifications.

Rating: 17/30 stars

Taylors, Glasgow, G3

www.taylorsifa.com

Speed of response: Time of call: 10.07am. The call was answered after two rings by an adviser.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Telephone manner: The adviser was polite, friendly and eager to help.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Qualifications: The adviser said they were fully independent and qualified to advise on mortgages as well as pensions, protection and investment.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Payment method: The adviser said the firm worked on a commission basis.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Guidance: The adviser explained how difficult it was to predict what would happen in the market in the next few weeks. However, he did say house prices in Scotland tended to be more resilient than in the south. He said with a good deposit it was likely the adviser would be able to get a mortgage but at a much higher rate than the shopper had previously been given. He suggested the shopper wait until the autumn before resuming their search for a house.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Knowledge: The adviser not only had a solid knowledge of the mortgage market but also of the local property market.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Verdict: The shopper was impressed by the adviser's easy and talkative manner. The shopper was able to differentiate from what the UK property market was doing and what prices were likely to be like in the local area where the shopper was looking to buy. The shopper also appreciated the adviser was willing to be honest in how long he believed the shopper should wait before re-entering the market, rather than push for a sale.

Rating: 25/30 stars

Stewart Asset Management Group Plc, Glasgow, G3

www.samplc.com

Speed of response: Time of call: 10.17am. The telephone was answered after two rings by a friendly receptionist and the call was put through to an adviser.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Telephone manner: The adviser was polite, professional and had a manner that put the shopper at ease.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Qualifications: The adviser did not mention specific qualifications but said he was authorised and qualified to advise on mortgages.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Payment method: Payment by fees or commission was acceptable.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Guidance: The adviser said it would be difficult to give specific advice without knowing the shopper's full financial details. He said although it was possible interest rates could come down by the end of the year, it was by no means certain and it was up to the shopper whether they wanted to take the gamble and continue to pay rent in the mean time. He also said if the shopper did buy now they were likely to have more bargaining power because it was a quiet buyer's market and sellers would be more willing to negotiate on price.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Knowledge: The adviser obviously knew a lot about this subject and was able to give the shopper some helpful ideas and advice to help them weigh up the decision of whether to re-enter the market or not.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Verdict: The adviser was keen to give the shopper as much help as he could. The adviser was happy to talk the adviser through the various pros and cons of buying a house in the current market and explain the difficult mortgage options, such as taking on a tracker or a fixed rate mortgage or choosing repayments or interest-only.

Rating: 23/30 stars