Find an Approved Solicitor on the Yorkshire Bank Home Loans Ltd
Conveyancing Panel
Yorkshire Bank Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions
My fiance and I are first time buyers. Within the 48 hours our solicitor has forwarded the sale agreement to sign with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. Yorkshire Bank have this morning contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Is this a problem?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is usual for the purchaser's solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender.
In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
Your property lawyers should contact Yorkshire Bank and see if they can apply for membership of the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable Yorkshire Bank will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.
Our lawyer has uncovered a problem with the lease for the flat we are buying. The other side have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer has advised that as he is on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or Yorkshire Bank?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and Yorkshire Bank are the client. A precondition to being on the Yorkshire Bank approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Yorkshire Bank). The CML Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that Yorkshire Bank 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 been Googling for online conveyancing estimates. Can I be sure that all the firms that are identified on your website are on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel?
The solicitor and licensed conveyancing practices listed on our site have assured us via an online form that they are on the Yorkshire Bank panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Yorkshire Bank panel. To date we have not been informed by either a mortgage company or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel is not accurate.
I am thinking of remortgaging my house does my lawyer need to be on the Yorkshire Bank Conveyancing panel?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor but Yorkshire Bank 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.
My wife and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from Yorkshire Bank as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Yorkshire Bank would not normally instruct a member of their conveyancing panel to deal with such a matter. If they did require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Yorkshire Bank list
We were going to get a DIP from Yorkshire Bank this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc).Do the Yorkshire Bank recommend a solicitor on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer
You will need to appoint solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and the Yorkshire Bank through the process.
I have not been happy with the level or service received from my lawyer. Is there a Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel complaints department or do I complain directly to the law firm?
Complaining to Yorkshire Bank about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get 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 properly dealt with 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.