My role, fees and transparency
Intermediary fees: how much, who pays, and when
Free pricing, bank commission, nothing to pay before the funds are disbursed, impact on the APRC: what a mortgage intermediary really costs, and when.
Intermediary fees are free: no scale or legal cap regulates them, and the only binding amount is the one written in the signed mandate. The borrower pays these fees, and the selected bank most often pays a commission to the intermediary on its side. Nothing can be requested before the actual disbursement of the loan funds, and nothing is due for the intermediation if no loan is granted.
By Sandy MASCART, mandataire d'intermédiaire en opérations de banque et en services de paiement ORIAS 26000541 sous le mandat de CDV PATRIMOINE & ASSURANCE (ORIAS 14005573)
Key points
- No regulatory scale or legal cap regulates the amount of intermediation fees: the price is free and set by the signed mandate.
- Nothing can be requested from the borrower before the actual disbursement of the funds: no deposit, no advance payment, no file or search fees.
- A so-called free intermediary is remunerated by a commission paid by the selected bank, financed from the credit margin.
- Intermediation fees are included in the APRC: they appear in the total displayed cost of the credit, which makes two offers comparable.
- If no bank grants the loan, no sum is due for the intermediation, whatever the work already accomplished.
Intermediation fees are free, set by the mandate you sign, and nothing can be requested from you before the disbursement of the loan funds. Here is how much, who pays, and at what time. The complete subject: profession, fees and transparency; my fees are on the fees page. See also the intermediary or the bank directly and the mandate.
How much does mortgage intermediation cost?
There is no legal scale or cap. Article L. 519-6 of the Monetary and Financial Code regulates the timing of payment and transparency, not the price. Only the amount written in the mandate binds you, before any procedure.
No public source publishes a market rate: the percentages read elsewhere come from the professionals themselves. The only useful question: how much you will pay, to whom, and under what condition.
In the mandate, require an amount in euros, or a percentage with its basis and its equivalent in euros. Beware of:
- “according to the scale in force”, without a scale attached;
- a percentage without a basis;
- “dossier fees” without defined content.
Who pays, you or the bank?
Often both. You pay the fees of the mandate; the bank pays the intermediary a referral commission. No fees does not mean no remuneration.
- Your fees: written in the mandate, they enter into the cost of your credit.
- The bank’s commission: it varies from one institution to another and is published nowhere. See the links with the lenders.
Ask the right question: “Do your commissions differ from one bank to another, and by how much?”
When exactly do you pay?
Never before the actual disbursement of funds: no deposit, no down payment, no study fees. The prohibition is criminal and binds every intermediary.
- It is not free of charge: the payment is deferred, not eliminated.
- It is the law for everyone, not a commercial gesture.
- The trigger is the disbursement of funds, not the agreement or the offer. In between: the legal deadlines.
Sandy MASCART is not authorised to receive funds: this is verifiable on the ORIAS register, number 26000541.
Can an intermediary really be free?
No. Without fees, it is paid by the bank's commission, financed from the margin of your loan. "No fees" describes your invoice, "free" falsely describes the transaction.
This model is not suspicious in itself. Simply ask: "Does choosing bank B rather than bank A change your remuneration?"
Fees, APR and financing
The fees due to an intermediary are included in the APR: they form part of the total cost of the credit.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F2456, verified on 16 April 2025.
- Compare using the APR, never the nominal rate: see the APR.
- High fees bring a tight file closer to the usury rate.
- Their financing by the loan is decided before submission, file by file.
Are the fees negotiable?
Yes, the price is free. Negotiate the written scope of services above all.
- the exact scope of services (insurance, guarantee, follow-up until the release of funds);
- the number of institutions approached;
- what remains payable in the event of withdrawal;
- the end date of the mandate.
Online, network or local: what each model offers
| Model | Main source of remuneration | What you get in person | The point to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparator or online platform | Bank commission, sometimes resale of contact | Speed, volume of institutions queried, few single points of contact | Who actually handles your file, and whether your request is resold to third parties |
| National network with branded stores | Fees billed to the client, supplemented by the bank commission | Structured process, tools, availability in the branch | The list of institutions at the point of sale, which is not that of the network |
| Local firm or intermediary | Depending on the case, fees, bank commission, or both | A single point of contact, a fine knowledge of local lending policies | The exact category on the register and the actual extent of the powers |
No model is superior in itself: it all depends on your file.
Is the intermediation worth paying for?
Compare the APR obtained through the intermediary, fees included, to that obtained alone, with identical duration, guarantee and insurance amount. The lowest wins.
The grid: consult two intermediaries. The support: the FISE.
Loan not obtained: what do you owe?
No sum due under the mandate: without funds paid, nothing is collectible. A “termination fee” is judged on what it actually remunerates, not on its name: have it examined before paying.
- Bank refusals: nothing is due; leave with the written reasons. See the loan refusal.
- Abandonment of the project: nothing due under the mandate. Before paying a fee, consult a consumer association, the departmental housing information agency or a lawyer.
Three lines to have written before signing
The amount in euros, the triggering event, and what remains due if the project stops. Do you have a mandate in hand? Have these three lines checked by telephone.
Create your file: written fees before any step.
Sources
Read next
- Mortgage fees in Lyon
- Mortgage intermediary or direct bank: an honest comparison, and the five cases where I advise against using an intermediary Intermediary or direct bank: what each brings, what neither can promise, and the five cases where going to your bank alone is sufficient.
- Can you put two mortgage intermediaries in competition and approach your bank at the same time? Yes, it is permitted: consulting several intermediaries and keeping your bank, provided you avoid the duplication that causes your application to slip.
- Relationships with lenders: what the law requires you to be told, and what this site publishes Which banks does a mortgage intermediary work with? The four pieces of information the law requires them to provide, and the additional questions to ask.
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