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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.
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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
FAQs for the Santander Solicitor Panel
I instructed a law firm to conduct the legal paperwork on my purchase 4 weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Santander. The solicitors assured me that they are on Santander conveyancing panel and advised me their panel number. Santander then ,via my broker advised that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What do I do from here? Do I instruct a different law firm currently on the conveyancing panel for Santander?
You may be very frustrated with the lawyer but if it only go take a few more days they it may be worth waiting as, depending on how far progressed you are you may end up delaying the transaction by a number of weeks if you need to replace your solicitor You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the Santander as to the time frame to get your lawyer reinstated on the panel once again.
Our solicitor has discovered a legal deficiency with the lease for the property we are buying. The seller’s lawyers have put forward defective title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our solicitor says that as he is on the Santander conveyancing panel he must check that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is Santander?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and Santander are the client. 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 Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that Santander can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
Having used 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.
We're in Liverpool, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Santander , but our lawyer is on the Santander conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Santander conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
Do most lenders operate their own panel of solicitors?
Many lenders do operate a restricted conveyancing panel but a lot of lenders allow any solicitors to join their panel so long as they meet their criteria. Each lender sets their own criteria. For example the Santander conveyancing panel requirements are different to Santander’s conveyancing panel requirements.
We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. Solicitors have been appointed? What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Santander?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Santander conducted the valuation? Have you advised Santander as your lawyers details and checked that your lawyer is on the Santander conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through
I can not work out if my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date . I have telephoned Santander on various occasions and told it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the Santander conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told not they would not lend in accordance with their CML Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?
As long as the conveyancer is on the Santander panel she or he must comply with the CML Handbook requirements for Santander. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that Santander will go ahead your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask Santander to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.
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Transfer of Equity for SantanderPlease note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors