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Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the Astra Mtgs list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.

Find an Approved Solicitor on the ASTRA mortgages Conveyancing Panel

ASTRA mortgages Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions

I am selling my flat and the EA has just called to advise that the purchasers are changing their law firm. The excuse is that ASTRA mortgages will only work with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a big named mortgage company only deal with specific solicitors?
UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Lenders blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been tightened and a smaller panel should be easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels, or have other concerns about them. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyer’s case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

My fiance and I are refinancing our apartment with ASTRA mortgages. We have a son 19 who lives with us. The solicitor on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel requested us to identify anyone over the age of 17 other than ourselves who reside at the property. The solicitor has now sent a form for our son to sign, waiving any legal rights in the event that the flat is repossessed. I have two concerns (1) Is this document specific to the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we remortgaged 4 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?
First, rest assured that your ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel solicitor is doing the right thing as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to ASTRA mortgages .This is solely used to protect the ASTRA mortgages if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave.

It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of ASTRA mortgages had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

How do I search for a local solicitor on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel up to 10 miles to meet the solicitor.
Feel free to make use of the find a conveyancing panel tool on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of lawyer located nearest you. Alternatively you can type in the name of your proposed law firm and see if they are listed as being on the ASTRA mortgages solicitor panel.
I was scheduled to move into my flat last Thursday. My solicitor is on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel but has moved offices in the past couple of months and had not advised ASTRA mortgages of their new address. ASTRA mortgages is now refusing to release my funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is a rare situation indeed. The majority of lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local ASTRA mortgages branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can help.
What are the common reasons for a lender such as ASTRA mortgages to withdraw a mortgage offer?
Banks and Building Societies such as ASTRA mortgages can withdraw their mortgage offer although this is unusual. If ASTRA mortgages withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are various possible reasons but here are 5 examples:
  • If the financial circumstances of the borrower have changed to the detriment and the ASTRA mortgages has been notified
  • Where the purchase price and borrowers direct contribution differ to details on the mortgage application form completed by the borrower
  • Following advice from the valuer on their lender panel or If the lender has doubts about the effectiveness of the valuation as a result of subsequent events or information received post valuation but pre completion
  • Where the Lender’s right to possession is fettered in some way
  • If the lender reasonably suspects that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;
I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by ASTRA mortgages. Is it usual for ASTRA mortgages to only issue the offer once my solicitor is approved on their conveyancing panel?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for ASTRA mortgages to deal with your lawyers application to be on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.
Me and my partner are purchasing a garden flat in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon are about to begiven the go-ahead. My motheradvised that we enquire that the property lawyer in Hendon is on the ASTRA mortgages solicitors panel. Aren't all lawyers on the ASTRA mortgages panel?
Far from all Hendon conveyancing practices are on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel. 5 people a month use our search tool to find a Hendon conveyancing practitioner on the on the ASTRA mortgages panel.