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approved by AtomBank
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the AtomBank list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
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How does my firm apply to be on the Atom Bank plc Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Atom Bank plc Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Atom Bank plc Conveyancing Panel
Frequently asked questions relating to the Atom Bank Conveyancing Panel
My fiance and I are FTBs. Within the last couple of days our property lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to sign with a detailed report with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Atom Bank have this morning contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. 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 solicitors should contact Atom Bank and see if they can apply for membership of the Atom Bank conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable Atom Bank will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the Atom Bank conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.
My conveyancer has discovered a discrepancy when comparing the assumptions in Atom Bank’s valuation survey and what is revealed within the title deeds. My lawyer has advised that as he is on the Atom Bank conveyancing panel he is duty bound to ensure that the lender is with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my lawyer’s stance legitimate?
A precondition to being on the Atom Bank approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Atom Bank) which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
I am looking to buy a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Manchester who is on the Atom Bank conveyancing. Can you recommend a local conveyancing firm?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Atom Bank . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
The firm that I recently instructed on my house acquisition in Manchester has without warning closed. They were on acting for me because I needed a solicitor on the Atom Bank conveyancing panel and my preferred lawyer was not. I gave them a cheque for £150 in advance. What are my options?
If you have an estate agent involved then inform them straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Atom Bank conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to assist
We have agreed to purchase a house.One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Atom Bank be concerned
Given that your lender is Atom Bank your lawyer must to check the Atom Bank conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Atom Bank . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Atom Bank where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. Requirements for Scotland are due in the near future.
Completion of my purchase has taken place with a mortgage from Atom Bank. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about Atom Bank. How does one go about formally complaining?
Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the Atom Bank branches or the Customer Care Department at Atom Bank head office. In most cases complaints to Atom Bank are sorted out very quickly. If you feel that the matter is not resolved you can write to the
Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.
Planning on purchasing a house with a mortgage with Atom Bank. 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 Atom Bank 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 Atom Bank conveyancing panel
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