Paragon Mortgages Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public
We are hoping to buy a 1 bedroom apartment in Hackney with a mortgage from Paragon Mortgages. We have a solicitor but Paragon Mortgages says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the Paragon Mortgages panel firms or keep our solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; 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 Paragon Mortgages 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 lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Paragon Mortgages
I am due to move into my new home next Tuesday. My conveyancing lawyer has asked me to provide him with a copy of the building insurance for the house as as he informs me that he is duty bound to validate that it is in order for Paragon Mortgages. What does the insurance need to cover?
Any lawyer on the Paragon Mortgages conveyancing panel would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in Paragon Mortgages’s Part 2 requirements of the CML Handbook (last updated on Paragon Mortgages). Being on the Paragon Mortgages conveyancing panel your lawyer is expect to follow these instructions.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Paragon Mortgages conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Paragon Mortgages 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 Paragon Mortgages 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 Paragon Mortgages solicitor panel.
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the Paragon Mortgages conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Paragon Mortgages 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.
Is it the case that all conveyancing lawyers on the Paragon Mortgages conveyancing panel work on a no move no charge basis?
In the main there are no requirements by lenders for their firms to operate on a no-sale-no-fee basis. There a small number of lenders who operate a very restricted conveyancing panel managed by a third party company (often termed in the industry as a ‘gatekeeper’). That third party may impose certain conditions such as non-sale-no fee on the panel firms. If you require this as a condition of your conveyancing then you should check with the conveyancing firm that this is part of their service
How can we tell if a solicitor on the Paragon Mortgages panel is any good?
seeking recommendations is a sensible starting point. 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 advise that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing
Can I register a complaint to Paragon Mortgages about the lawyers being on the Paragon Mortgages conveyancing panel?
Complaining to Paragon Mortgages about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. 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.
