I was a bit of a tricky case as a first time buyer; single, not a great salary, bit of a past credit-wise, old as the hills and with a teen dependent. I had a decent deposit on my side and a boringly safe job, but definitely not a slam dunk. I spoke to a couple of brokers who were less than interested, and went with one who failed to properly listen to my circumstances and proceeded to get me declined for a mortgage. Then I found Heather McLennan at John Charcol, who took the time to listen to what I said, and managed to find me mortgage with a high st lender at a competitive rate. Not only that but she did it in record time, communicating all the way through and making sure I had all the info. Despite the time pressure (my vendor was about to pull out I was taking so long) I never felt rushed or pressured. Heather is an absolute whiz at what she does and I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone.