Ahli United Bank Conveyancing Panel : Questions and Answers from members of the public
On what basis could a firm of solicitors be removed from the Ahli United Bank approved conveyancing panel?
According to a recent survey report by the solicitors regulator three quarters of law firms had been excluded from a lender panel. The most common reasons in order are :
- lack of transactions
- the lawyer is a sole practitioner
- as part of the HSBC panel reduction
- regulatory contact by SRA
- accidental removal. We are not aware of the specific or common criteria for removal by Ahli United Bank
My lawyer has discovered a discrepancy when comparing the surveyor’s assumptions in Ahli United Bank’s valuation report and what is revealed within the legal papers for the property. My lawyer says that as he is on the Ahli United Bank conveyancing panel he is duty bound to ensure that the bank is with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my conveyancer’s approach appropriate?
A precondition to being on the Ahli United Bank approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Ahli United Bank) which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Ahli United Bank conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Ahli United Bank 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 Ahli United Bank 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 Ahli United Bank solicitor panel.
My aunt passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the house. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £4500. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Ahli United Bank , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this possible?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Ahli United Bank will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Ahli United Bank conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Ahli United Bank conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Ahli United Bank mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
We have agreed to purchase a house.One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Ahli United Bank be concerned
Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Ahli United Bank your lawyer must to check the Ahli United Bank conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Ahli United Bank . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Ahli United Bank where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. The CML are developing guidance for Northern Ireland and Scotland.
I have paid off my mortgage with Ahli United Bank. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the Ahli United Bank panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Ahli United Bank mortgage they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Ahli United Bank mortgage from the register. Ahli United Bank,and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
but are not moving to another property
where the Ahli United Bank has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
the Ahli United Bank has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your Ahli United Bank mortgage has been paid off.
At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What should be my next step? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Ahli United Bank?
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 Ahli United Bank 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 Ahli United Bank and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.