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approved by Landmark
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the Landmark list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Find an Approved Solicitor on the Landmark Mortgages Limited Conveyancing Panel
Common questions asked concerning the Landmark Mortgages Solicitor Panel
What is the rationale as to why all solicitors are not on the Landmark Mortgages Conveyancing panel?
Even though it may seem unfair for Landmark Mortgages to restrict who can act for them from the public’s or solicitor’s point of view, the other side of the coin is that the lenders are becoming ever more anxious and feel the necessary need to protect them from mortgage fraud and other illegal activities. As a result of this concern Landmark Mortgages are limiting their conveyancing panel to a size that they are happy to control. The Landmark Mortgages lawyer panel is not the most restricted
Our lawyer has requested from me personal identification documents saying that this forms part of his requirements as a conveyancer on the Landmark Mortgages Conveyancing panel. Can this be correct?
Due to Money Laundering Regulations your conveyancing lawyer is duty bound to confirm positively your identification when entering into a business relationship with you. It is a criminal offense if your lawyer not do this. If you do not provide ID early in the transaction the solicitor must refuse to act for you. It’s unlikely a lawyer will turn you away if you come to the first meeting without relevant ID but you will have to produce it at some point so you might as well bring it with you to the initial meeting so the lawyer can tick the ID verification box and start sorting out the conveyancing straight away. If you are getting a mortgage with Landmark Mortgages your lawyer also has to check ID documents to satisfy Landmark Mortgages
Do I have to have a meeting at the offices of the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Bristol
so that I can pop in to their offices if necessary.
As opposed to twenty years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Bristol
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We're in Liverpool, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Landmark Mortgages , but our lawyer is on the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
Do most banks operate their own panel of solicitors?
Many lenders do operate a restricted conveyancing panel but a lot of lenders allow any solicitors to join their panel so long as they meet their criteria. Each lender sets their own criteria. For example the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel requirements are different to Landmark Mortgages’s conveyancing panel criteria.
Planning on purchasing a flat with a mortgage with Landmark Mortgages. I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel
I have instructed a lawyer having made sure that they are on the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Or
I've digested plenty of house buying,I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Landmark Mortgages conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Landmark Mortgages will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Landmark Mortgages will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey.
You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
or
Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Landmark Mortgages you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.