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Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the West Bromwich BS 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 West Bromwich Building Society Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the West Bromwich Building Society Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the West Bromwich Building Society Conveyancing Panel
Q and A’s regarding the West Bromwich Building Society Solicitor Panel
My fiance and I are purchasing a 1 bedroom flat in Leeds with a mortgage from West Bromwich Building Society. We have a solicitor but West Bromwich Building Society says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the West Bromwich Building Society panel solicitors or keep our solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for West Bromwich Building Society
Our conveyancer has identified a problem with the lease for the flat we are buying. The other side have put forward title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor has advised that as he is on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or West Bromwich Building Society?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and West Bromwich Building Society are the client. A precondition to being on the West Bromwich Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on West Bromwich Building Society). The CML Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that West Bromwich Building Society 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.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the West Bromwich Building Society 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 West Bromwich Building Society 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 West Bromwich Building Society solicitor panel.
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. it might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently at the moment.
Are all solicitors on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As solicitors, in order to be on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
Can I register a complaint to West Bromwich Building Society about the lawyers being on the West Bromwich Building Society conveyancing panel?
There is little point in complaining directly to West Bromwich Building Society. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. Usually one can find this information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.
The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is addressed by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.
If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.
My offer on house has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What do I do now? When should I get the mortgage app going with West Bromwich Building Society?
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 West Bromwich Building Society 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 West Bromwich Building Society and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.