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How does my firm apply to be on the Family Building Society Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Family Building Society Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Family Building Society Conveyancing Panel
Q and A’s regarding the Family Building Society Solicitor Panel
Much to my surprise I have been told by my mortgage broker that my property lawyer is not on the Family Building Society Solicitor panel. How can I check?
The best course of action for you to take is to contact your lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for Family Building Society.
My solicitor is asking me for identification documents asserting that this forms part of his legal duty as a conveyancer on the Family Building Society Conveyancing panel. Is this right?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that Family Building Society also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with Family Building Society CML Handbook requirements last updated on Family Building Society
I have been looking for online conveyancing estimates. Can I be sure that all the law firms that are listed on your directory are on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel?
The solicitor and licensed conveyancing practices on our directory have assured us via an online form that they are on the Family Building Society panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Family Building Society panel. To date we have not been informed by either a lender or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel is not accurate.
I am purchasing a garden flat and getting a mortgage with Family Building Society. Can I do my own conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing you will have to appoint a solicitor on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to made in you doing to conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel in your location.
How can we tell if a solicitor on the Family Building Society panel is any good?
Getting recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advocate that you speak with the solicitor conducting your conveyancing
Why might a lender such as Family Building Society withdraw a mortgage offer?
Lenders such as Family Building Society can revoke their mortgage offer although this rarely happens. If Family Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to their reasoning. There are various possible reasons but here are a few examples:
- Many mortgage offers have an expiry date. Your lawyer should check this. Family Building Society may amend or withdraw an offer before the end of its validation period if an offer extension is requested and following a re-evaluation of the property the value of the security is below a level which is acceptable to them.
- If the borrower informs Family Building Society of a change in the loan amount agreed
- 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;
Can I register a complaint to Family Building Society about the lawyers being on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel?
Complaining to Family Building Society about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. All solicitors and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get 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 addressed 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.