Find an Approved Solicitor on the Pepper Homeloans
Conveyancing Panel
FAQs for the Pepper Homeloans Conveyancing Panel
I am in the process of selling my flat and the EA has just e-mailed to say that the purchasers are swapping property lawyer. The reason given is that Pepper Homeloans will only deal with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a big named mortgage company only deal with certain solicitors?
Banks have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Santander, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 25 years.
Banks point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been tightened and a smaller panel should be easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels, or have other concerns about them. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyer’s case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.
My son-in-law is in the process of securing a house that has just been built with a mortgage from Pepper Homeloans. His solicitor has said that there is a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. What is this document - I have never come across this before?
The document is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Pepper Homeloans conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked.
The Developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it.
The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Pepper Homeloans conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.
Are there any apps to help search for a local solicitor on the Pepper Homeloans conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel up to 10 miles to meet the solicitor.
Feel free to make use of the find a conveyancing panel search on this page. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of lawyer located nearest you. Alternatively you can type in the name of your proposed law firm and see if they are listed as being on the Pepper Homeloans solicitor panel.
Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the Pepper Homeloans Solicitor panel prior to the moving date as agreed at exchange of contracts?
First, 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.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Pepper Homeloans do lawyers have to be pay a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?
We are not aware of any lender fees to be on their panel although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.
Hi, thinking about buying a house off my mate. Assuming we can agree a figure, what’s the best way to move forward? I plan to obtain a mortgage with Pepper Homeloans. Is there anyway to cut out the solicitors to save us both money? My dad reckons back in the day he did a lot of it himself, just went into the land registry office and providing them with the info they needed himself
If you are getting a mortgage with Pepper Homeloans involved you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Pepper Homeloans conveyancing panel. We would not encourage you to both use the same solicitors' firm. There are clear conflict of interest issues and it's not going to make a huge difference to the speed of the overall process. So as not to hold things us you should pass on your solicitors details to Pepper Homeloans. Feel free to use our search tool to look for a licensed conveyancer or solicitor on the Pepper Homeloans conveyancing panel.
My husband and I are at the point of viewing apartments and now considering a potential offer. Is it best to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a home loan with Pepper Homeloans
It would be sensible to have your start your search soon rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on the the estate agent. As you are getting a mortgage with Pepper Homeloans , ask your prospective lawyers check they are on the Pepper Homeloans conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.