Find a Law Firm
approved by Platform HL

Have you tried speaking to your lawyer about this?. They should have a central record lender panel numbers including the Platform Home Loans panel reference.

Your lawyer is obliged to check with Platform Home Loans 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 Platform Home Loans if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

The law firms on our directory have advised us that they are on the Platform Home Loans panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Platform Home Loans panel. To date we have not been informed by either a bank or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel is incorrect.

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.

It is not advisable proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event if you are getting a mortgage with Platform Home Loans you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel.

It is probably the case that Platform Home Loans have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Platform Home Loans may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing correctly and safely installed. It merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Platform Home Loans will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Platform Home Loans 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 Platform Home Loans you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.