Find an Approved Solicitor on the New Life Mortgages Ltd
Conveyancing Panel
New Life Mortgages Conveyancing Panel Recently Asked Questions
My husband and I are novices when it comes to buying a property. Within the 48 hours our lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to sign with a detailed report with the expectation that exchange is imminent. New Life Mortgages have this morning contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is usual for the purchaser's solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender.
In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
Your property lawyers should contact New Life Mortgages and see if they can apply for membership of the New Life Mortgages conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable New Life Mortgages will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on the New Life Mortgages conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.
I am buying a new build apartment and my conveyancer is informing me that she is duty bound to disclose incentives from the seller as her firm is on the New Life Mortgages conveyancing panel. The Estate Agents are hassling me to exchange contracts and my preference is not to prolong deal. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on the New Life Mortgages approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on New Life Mortgages). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I see that you have a search directory listing law firms on the New Life Mortgages conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I retain them for my own house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the New Life Mortgages conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I am attempting to get my ex-husband removed the mortgage deeds. Can New Life Mortgages really insist on which solicitor I can or can not retain?
You can use any solicitor you like but New Life Mortgages then has the right to appoint a different solicitor to act for them at your expense. It might be more cost effective and quicker to instruct a lawyer who is on the New Life Mortgages solicitors panel
Are all Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the New Life Mortgages conveyancing panel?
It is true that some banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.
Can you point me to a directory of New Life Mortgages panel conveyancers on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online.
I have not been happy with the level or service received from my lawyer. Is there a New Life Mortgages conveyancing panel complaints department or do I complain directly to the law firm?
There is little point in complaining directly to New Life Mortgages. All solicitors and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. Usually one can find this information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.
The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.
If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.