AGM Financial Services Ltd

Mortgage and protection advice from Stirling

AGM Financial Services Ltd is a mortgage and protection brokerage operating from a registered address at 1 Marschal Court in Stirling, Scotland. The firm presents itself as a dedicated team of specialists that searches a panel of lenders across the UK to find competitive deals, and it states that it compares mortgages from more than 80 lenders, with frequent access to exclusive products.

Its stated method is a personalised one: meeting clients face to face, taking time to understand their circumstances and then presenting a bespoke solution rather than a single off-the-shelf product. The company describes an intention to accompany clients over time as their mortgage and insurance requirements change.

Mortgage sourcing and application support

The core service covers first-time buyers, home movers, remortgaging and buy-to-let investment. After an initial enquiry, the client is contacted by an experienced specialist broker who discusses requirements in detail, sources a suitable lender and assists through each stage of the mortgage process. The firm frames this support as a way to maximise the chances of obtaining the required finance.

On cost, the site states that mortgages normally carry a fee of £295, payable on offer of a mortgage, which the firm may waive at its discretion; it also receives a fee from the lender, the precise amount depending on circumstances. It notes that the information on the website does not contain all the details needed to choose a mortgage and points to the separate key facts illustration before a decision is made.

Protection products

Alongside mortgages, the brokerage advises on several protection lines:

• Income protection, described as cover against loss of income due to illness or accident, potentially paying a tax-free income until the client returns to work or retires.
• Buildings and contents cover, which the firm links to the mortgage offer: suitable buildings insurance is a condition when contracts are exchanged.
• Family protection through life cover or critical illness cover, paying a tax-free lump sum on death or on diagnosis of a critical illness covered by the plan.

The company states that it can offer covers from leading providers and that it plans and delivers insurance solutions based on an understanding of client needs.

Regulatory position and complaints

AGM Financial Services Ltd is an appointed representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network, a trading name of Personal Touch Financial Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The company is registered in Scotland under registration number SC573944. It also states that the FCA does not regulate some forms of buy-to-let mortgages.

The site sets out a complaints procedure available on request, with complaints accepted in writing, by telephone or by email, and notes that clients who cannot settle a complaint with the firm may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. It repeats the standard warning that a home may be repossessed if repayments on a mortgage are not kept up.