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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.
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How does my firm apply to be on the Santander Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Santander Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Santander Conveyancing Panel
Q and A’s regarding the Santander Solicitor Panel
I am progressing with the sale of my house and the estate agent has just e-mailed to advise that the buyers are appointing a new conveyancer. The excuse is that Santander will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a big named lender only deal with specific solicitors?
Banks have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Nationwide , have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 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 husband and I changing mortgage lender for our maisonette with Santander. We have a son 18 who lives with us. The solicitor on the Santander conveyancing panel requested us to identify anyone over the age of 17 other than ourselves who lives in the flat. Our lawyer has now e-mailed a document for our son to sign, waiving any legal rights in the event that the flat is forfeited by the lender. I have a couple of questions (1) Is this document specific to the Santander conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we purchased 5 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?
On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Santander .This is solely used to protect the Santander if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave.
It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Santander had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Santander conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Santander 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 Santander 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 Santander solicitor panel.
I am buying a new build flat and getting a mortgage with Santander. 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 Santander 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 Santander conveyancing panel in your location.
Is the case that all CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors on the Santander conveyancing panel?
A selection of lenders now use CQS as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of firms.
I am selling my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in month 8 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Santander are being pedantic. The solicitor who is on the Santander conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Santander are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Santander have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Santander have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Santander 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.
Me and my partner are acquiring a terraced house in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon need to beinstructed. My mothersuggested that we enquire that the solicitor in Hendon is on the Santander solicitors panel. Aren't all lawyers on the Santander panel?
A limited percentage of Hendon conveyancing firms are on the Santander conveyancing panel. 5 people a month use our search tool to find a Hendon conveyancing firm on the on the Santander solicitors pane.
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Transfer of Equity for SantanderPlease note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors