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approved by Santander
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the Santander list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Find an Approved Solicitor on the Santander Conveyancing Panel
Santander Conveyancing Panel Example Support Desk Enquires
I would like to know the reason why all solicitors aren't included on the Santander Solicitor panel?
Santander and other banks ordinarily imposes restrictions either the type or the number of conveyancing firms on their panel. 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 Santander have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of Santander 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.
I am purchasing a new build apartment and my conveyancer is informing me that she has to reveal incentives from the developer as her practice is on the Santander conveyancing panel. I am under pressure to exchange and I dont want to delay matters. Can I insist on an exchange regardless of what my lawyer says about being on the Santander panel?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on the Santander approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Santander). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I see that you have a post code search directory listing solicitors on the Santander conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I appoint them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Santander conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I am in the process of refinancing my apartment does my lawyer need to be on the Santander Solicitor panel?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor but Santander will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
Can I be sure that the solicitor on the Santander panel is any good?
Getting recommendations is a sensible start. 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 recommend that you speak with the lawyer conducting your conveyancing
I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed
to by Santander. Is it usual for Santander to only issue the offer once my
solicitor is approved on their conveyancing panel?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Santander to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Santander conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.
My offer on house has been accepted, the seller does however have a dependent purchase. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What should be my next step? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Santander?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Santander conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Santander and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.