Find a Law Firm approved by Banks & Clients

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

Find a Law Firm approved by Banks & Clients
Find a Law Firm approved by Banks & Clients

Find an Approved Solicitor on the Banks and Clients plc Conveyancing Panel

FAQs for the Banks and Clients Solicitor Panel

I need to swap lawyers as my lawyer is not on the Banks and Clients panel of conveyancing solicitors. How easy is it to change conveyancer?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
My partner and I are refinancing our apartment with Banks and Clients. We have a son approaching twenty who lives with us. The solicitor on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel has asked us to disclose any adults other than ourselves who reside at the property. Our lawyer has now e-mailed a document for our son to sign, giving up any rights in the event that the apartment is forfeited by the lender. I have two concerns (1) Is this document specific to the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we bought 4 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?
On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong 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 Banks and Clients .This is solely used to protect the Banks and Clients 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 Banks and Clients 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 up to date is your database of lawyers on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel? Do Banks and Clients send you an updated list?
The firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Banks and Clients directly.
My conveyancers in Leeds have advised me that no longer have my conveyancing file. To assist with my purchase I took out a mortgage with Banks and Clients. Is it case that being on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a prescribed period?
It very much depends from lender to lender but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the Banks and Clients Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting Banks and Clients directly.
Is it the case that all conveyancing lawyers on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel work on a no move no charge basis?
On the whole there are no requirements by lenders for their firms to operate on a no-sale-no-fee basis. There a small number of lenders who operate a very restricted conveyancing panel managed by a third party company (often termed in the industry as a ‘gatekeeper’). That third party may impose certain conditions such as non-sale-no fee on the panel firms. If you require this as a condition of your conveyancing then you should check with the conveyancing firm that this is part of their service
I am buying a property where the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Banks and Clients be concerned
Given that your lender is Banks and Clients your lawyer must to check the Banks and Clients conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Banks and Clients . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Banks and Clients 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 remortgage has taken place with a mortgage from Banks and Clients. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about Banks and Clients. How does one go about formally complaining?
Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the Banks and Clients branches or the Customer Services Department at Banks and Clients head office. In most cases complaints to Banks and Clients are sorted out very quickly. If you feel that the matter is not resolved you can write to the Financial Ombudsman Service at South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.

Other Topics

Transfer of Equity for Banks and Clients

Please note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors