Vendor's estate agent demanding LTV

[Charlie69]

We have just had our offer on a house accepted but it is subject to our LTV. Our IFA has told the vendor's estate agent it isn't high but they want to know the actual %. I think this information is personal between me and our lender. We are downsizing. Can someone tell me if they are allowed to demand this information or is covered under data protection.

[Richard Webster]

It is reasonable for an estate agent to be able to satisfy the seller that a buyer can obtain a mortgage but I wouldn't have thought the precise level was critical if the IFA has satisfied the agent that you can the mortgage that you need.

[IFA]

As Richard has said, the estate agent has a responsibility to their vendor to check that a potential buyer has the means to proceed with an offer that they have made on a property and asking for details of your mortgage requirements is generally considered to be a reasonable line of enquiry to that effect.

Often the agent will ask to see written confirmation of an Offer in Principle from a mortgage provider, and in a round-about way this will tell them what your LTV percentage is and how much your deposit funds are.

It's a shame that they are unwilling to take verbal confirmation of your ability to purchase from your mortgage adviser, but in these difficult times when sales are often difficult and nothing is straightforward it is understandable that the EA is over cautious.

[isproperty]

proof of funding is what they want. LTV is irrelavant.