Mortgage adviser
An adviser costs you nothing, because the bank pays them. Almost everyone knows that. What you won't find written anywhere is what that commission actually depends on, and what that means for you. Here's both, along with how to check someone out before you hand over your documents.
Who pays the adviser?
The bank, only once the deal is closed. You pay nothing: not for the comparison, not for the paperwork. It isn't a gesture, it's how the whole market is built.
What matters is the part nobody spells out. The commission depends on the loan actually being drawn down, not on whether you're satisfied. If you pull out of the deal, or the bank turns you down, the adviser gets nothing.
Two things follow from that, and both work in your favour. The adviser has a strong interest in seeing it through, because otherwise they've worked for nothing. At the same time, they have an interest in the loan going ahead even if waiting would suit you better. So it's worth asking for reasons, not just for a result.
How much does the bank pay the adviser?
The intermediary must tell you the amount of their commission unprompted, with enough notice and before you sign anything. On request, you're also entitled to a comparison showing what each bank pays them. Both are required by the consumer credit act, not a courtesy.
The commission is calculated from the loan amount, so it's higher on a larger mortgage. It also varies from bank to bank, and depends on how much business a given network brings in. There's no public price list, because it's an agreement between the bank and the network, which is exactly why you have the right to ask.
The difference between banks is the question worth asking out loud: does the adviser get more from the bank they're recommending than from the others? A proper answer gives a figure, not "that's negligible."
For us, the answer is written into how we work. We cover it on the About HypoGO page, including how we make money.
What clawbacks are, and why they should matter to you
If you repay the loan early or move elsewhere, the adviser returns the commission. This is called a clawback, and it applies in the first years of the loan. Some banks claw back the full amount, others a sliding share depending on how long the loan lasted. How long that period runs is agreed between the bank and the network, and it isn't public.
It isn't a penalty in disguise. The bank pays the adviser for a client who stays with it, and if that client leaves after a year, not even the cost of acquiring them has been covered. For you, though, there's a practical upside: the adviser has an interest in your mortgage lasting, because otherwise they lose the commission. On this point, your interest and theirs point the same way.
The other side of the same coin is that moving elsewhere in the first years doesn't pay off for the adviser either. So if someone talks you out of refinancing, it's fair to ask whether that's because of your numbers or because of theirs.
Since 2024, banks have been tightening these terms. At some banks, commission for moving away during the fixed-rate period, the time for which the bank holds your agreed rate, isn't paid out at all; at others, the full amount is clawed back for several years after signing. Banks don't publish the exact terms, because they're agreed with networks in contracts that aren't public. That's why we don't name which bank does what here.
As it happens, that arrangement lines up with what we recommend too: from the moment the bank notifies you of a new rate, you have three months to repay without extra cost. So moving makes sense there, not in the middle of the fixed-rate period. We cover this under re-fixing versus refinancing.
How do you check an adviser?
In the Czech National Bank's public register, in two minutes. Anyone who arranges mortgages as a business must be listed in it, whatever they call themselves. There's exactly one exception: a bank employee acting directly for their own bank.
The register tells you whether someone is an independent intermediary or a tied agent, and which network they fall under. You can search by name or company ID. You won't find a bank employee there; they don't arrange mortgages, they act directly for their bank. What those two statuses mean, and why the network matters more than the individual for which banks you'll see, is covered in our overview of the mortgage adviser market, which we calculated directly from the register's open data.
Open the CNB register ↗ You can check our own entry the same way; our company ID and registration numbers are in the footer.
Adviser or intermediary? Not quite the same thing
In everyday speech it's one word; in law, two different things. Intermediation means someone helps you arrange a loan. Advice is a separate, statutory service, defined separately by law, provided on the basis of assessing your situation against the offers available.
Most firms on the market don't provide advice in this legal sense, and say so in their website footer or pre-contractual documents. There's nothing improper about that, it's simply a narrower scope of service than the everyday word "advice" suggests. If the distinction matters to you, ask directly whether you're getting statutory advice, and get the answer in writing.
Our advisers are registered with the Czech National Bank and handle the negotiation with the bank themselves. HypoGO does not provide statutory advice.
What to ask an adviser
Five questions that cost nothing and reveal a lot. A good adviser answers them without hesitating.
- How much will you get for my mortgage, and from which bank? You're entitled to that answer.
- How many banks did you compare, and why did the others drop out? You want the reason, not just the winner's name.
- What happens if the bank turns me down? "That won't happen" is a warning sign.
- Which conditions do I need to meet for that rate to apply? An account, insurance, an energy rating.
- Are you in the CNB register, and under whom? Check it yourself, don't rely on a business card.
What matters in that comparison is covered in comparing mortgages. And what to watch out for with discounts a bank advertises is on the green mortgage page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a mortgage adviser really free?
For you, yes, the bank pays them once the deal is closed. That does not mean the service itself has no cost; the commission is part of the loan's economics, which the bank factors in either way. The difference is that nobody bills it to you separately.
Does the adviser get more for recommending a pricier mortgage?
The commission is calculated from the loan amount, so it is higher on a bigger mortgage, and it varies between banks. The intermediary must tell you the amount themselves before you sign, and on request you are also entitled to a comparison of what each bank pays them. If you do not get an answer, that itself tells you something.
Can I tell from the CNB register whether someone is really an intermediary?
Yes, the register is public and searchable by name or company ID. You will see whether someone is an independent intermediary or a tied agent, and which network they fall under. You will not find a bank employee there; they act directly for their own bank. Anyone who arranges mortgages as a business and is not in the register is doing so unlawfully.
Does the adviser return the commission if I repay the mortgage early?
Yes, it is called a clawback and it applies in the first years of the loan; exactly how long is agreed between the bank and the network, and is not public. Some banks claw back the full amount, others a sliding share depending on how long the loan lasted. It is not a trap for you, it is the reason a good adviser wants your mortgage to last. It also means moving elsewhere in the first years does not pay off for them either, so ask about their reasons.
Can I skip the adviser and go straight to the bank?
Of course. The bank will only show you its own products, though, and has no reason to tell you that you could do better elsewhere. An intermediary is most useful when your situation is not standard: self-employment, flat-rate tax, combined income, or a property with some quirk.
What if the adviser recommends a bank that does not seem like the best one?
Ask for the reasoning and what decided it. A result with no explanation is not a recommendation, it is just a tip. If the arguments do not add up for you, you do not have to sign anything. Keep in mind, though, that once you sign a mortgage contract you are bound by it; for a home loan, the law does not give you a fourteen-day right of withdrawal.