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

Find an Approved Solicitor on the Pepper Money Conveyancing Panel

Pepper Money Conveyancing Panel : Questions and Answers

Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor is not isted on the Pepper Money Solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of her work?
That would more than likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 3 reasons are as follows: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for Pepper Money.
We are approaching an exchange and my parents having sent the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to disclose this to my lender Pepper Money. Apparently, being on the Pepper Money conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Pepper Money if the balance of the mortgage advance is coming from anyone other than me. I advised the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the mortgage so is it really necessary for this now to be an issue?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Pepper Money to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to Pepper Money if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
I need to find a Pepper Money panel solicitor in Belfast. Could you help me?
Unfortunately it’s not apparent why you need a Pepper Money panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to Pepper Money to find out which solicitors in Pepper Money are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. After all the cost is only one £1 a month
What happens if my solicitor is suspended from the Pepper Money Conveyancing panel prior to the completion date?
The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have ti instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by the regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.
Is the case that all CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors on the Pepper Money conveyancing panel?
It is true that some banks and building societies now use CQS as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their panels.
Can you point me to a directory of Pepper Money panel solicitors on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a solicitor having made sure that they are on the Pepper Money conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or I've read lots of mortgage guides,I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Pepper Money conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Pepper Money will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Pepper Money will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Pepper Money you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.