Surely this is an unacceptable conflict of interest?

The prime rule in Uk estate agency is that the agent's first and foremost responsibility is to protect his vendor clients' interests.  Then how can an agent in all honesty argue that earning commissions for mortgage introductions does not run the risk of breaking this cardinal rule. 
He may have 2 buyers bidding for the same property but one applicant may require a mortgage, earning the agent a hefty commission, whereas the other bidder is a cash buyer. The only temptation some agents can't resist is temptation itself...

Comments

[John Nixon]

Perhaps, Sarah, you have recently enjoyed a 6 month trek across the deserts of Outer Mongolia and have therefore been incommunicado and are unaware of the disgraceful behaviour of the instigators of the sub-prime disaster.
Either that or are you perhaps employed by our beloved Financial Services regulator and therefore have an undeclared vested interest... or, alternatively are you just plain stupid and ignorant of the millions of people whose financial stability has been ruined by the greed our our financial institutions?

[John Nixon]

Is this the tightly regulated Financial Services Industry you refer to that has acted with such integrity and foresight regarding the sub-prime loans fiasco the like of which we have not experienced for many decades. Should our Financial Regulators be controlling the greed, avarice and imprudence of our 'great financial institutions' or have they been asleep for the past 6 months?

[Sarah Williams]

I am amazed that you have such a low opinion of the financial services industry which is so tightly regulated in the UK.