Find a Law Firm
approved by GenH
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the GenH list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Looking for information about your firm's panel status?
How does my firm apply to be on the Gen H Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Gen H Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Gen H Conveyancing Panel
Common questions asked concerning the Gen H Conveyancing Panel
What is the rationale as to why all solicitors aren't included on the Gen H Conveyancing panel?
Gen H and other banks normally imposes restrictions either the type or the number of conveyancing practices on their approved list of lawyers. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that Gen H have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of Gen H Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of conveyancing panels a few years ago and whilst there are differing views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms only carry out one or two conveyances a year. Those supporting conveyancing panel cuts ask why law firms should have the right to be on a Lender panel when clearly, Conveyancing is not their speciality? To put it another way; would you want a conveyancing solicitor to represent you if you were charged with a crime; probably not.
Expecting to complete my purchase next Tuesday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in has capacity as lawyer for Gen H. What does the insurance need to cover?
Any lawyer on the Gen H conveyancing panel would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in Gen H’s Part 2 requirements of the CML Handbook (last updated on Gen H). Being on the Gen H conveyancing panel your lawyer is expect to follow these instructions.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Gen H conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Gen H approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the Gen H conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the Gen H solicitor panel.
I am purchasing a semi-detached house and getting a mortgage with Gen H. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing you will have to appoint a solicitor on the Gen H 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 Gen H conveyancing panel in your location.
My wife and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from Gen H as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the Gen H conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Gen H do not ordinarily instruct a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they did require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Gen H list
We expect to receive a DIP from Gen H this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc).Do the Gen H recommend a solicitor on the Gen H conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer
You will need to appoint solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Gen H conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and the Gen H through the process.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment. My mortgage broker suggested a solicitor I paid an upfront payment of 200. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the Gen H conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Gen H panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Other Topics
Transfer of Equity for Gen HPlease note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors