totally agree that it’s not worth putting yourself in a bad position at all. And the rules definitely evolve/change. It pays to stay on top of things as they change
Sure they can. But the question you want to ask is if that will affect your entry. And that answer is no. There is no requirement to hold the 500k after successful application.
believe me, have I understand what you are saying here. Many I know well have used TVC and other services with great success. Have never seen this before. But that cost could mean they have linked up with an agency. I have no idea more than you do. Will be interesting to see how it goes for him. But we will only know for sure if it’s unsuccessful.