April Mortgages Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public
We are buying a 1 bedroom flat in Newcastle with a mortgage from April Mortgages. We have a solicitor but April Mortgages says he's not on their "panel". It seems we have little choice but to instruct one of the April Mortgages 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 April 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 solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for April Mortgages
My lawyer has spotted a difference when comparing the assumptions in April Mortgages’s valuation survey and what is in the conveyancing documents. My lawyer informs me that as he is on the April Mortgages conveyancing panel he must ensure that the bank is with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my conveyancer’s stance legitimate?
A precondition to being on the April Mortgages approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on April Mortgages) 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.
Your search tool is useful but there are many lawyers listed near London on the April Mortgages conveyancing panel. It would be a lot more helpful if you could recommend a specific firm on the April Mortgages approved panel?
We do not recommend specific firms as the right firm for you depends on where your priorities lie. For example you may require a local firm with local knowledge or you might be looking for the low cost conveyancing. Before you appoint your lawyer we advise you to speak to two or three of the firms listed to gain comfort as to which one is right for you..
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the April Mortgages conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the April 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.
Can I be sure that the solicitor on the April Mortgages panel is any good?
obtaining recommendations is a good start. 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 advocate that you speak with the lawyer conducting your conveyancing
I currently have a mortgage with with April Mortgages. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform April Mortgages?
April Mortgages must be informed of your intention prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of April Mortgages’s mortgage conditions. It may be that April Mortgages will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact April Mortgages directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a April Mortgages conveyancing panel firm.
My ex -wife’s name is on the April Mortgages mortgage of my property but not on the land registry. The apartment was transferred to me on our divorce many years ago by way of a sealed court order. Does my ex still have a say on the sale even though the land registry showing the property in my name alone? Will I be required to take her name of the April Mortgages mortgage in order to sell?
As regards the April Mortgages mortgage, it is unusual that your ex-wife’s name remains on the mortgage but not on the title. It is conceivable that this is an oversight on the part of your conveyancers to ensure that her name was removed or even an administrative error on the part of April Mortgages in failing to update their data. In any event, it should cause difficulty providing her name no longer appears on the Land Registry title and you have a court order ordering that the property is transferred to you.