FAQs : The ASTRA mortgages Solicitor Panel from members of the public
My fiance and I are novices when it comes to buying a property. Within the last couple of days our conveyancer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. ASTRA mortgages have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our lawyer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?
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 Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyers should contact ASTRA mortgages and see if they can apply for membership of the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable ASTRA mortgages will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
Please assist. For no fault of my lawyer but, the conveyancing for my house purchase has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from ASTRA mortgages was dated random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on 6 months + 3. My lawyer informs me that as she is on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel she needs to redo the searches as they are no longer valid.
One of the many conditions to being on the ASTRA mortgages approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 obligations (last updated for this lender on ASTRA mortgages)which states that a local authority search be not more than half a year old. You should nevertheless ask your lawyer to check whether something called ‘search validation’ indemnity insurance is acceptable to ASTRA mortgages.
Do lenders provide you with an approved list of solicitors? How do you know who is on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel?
The firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from ASTRA mortgages directly.
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the ASTRA 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.
We have had an offer accepted on a flat I spoke to a solicitor previously used by my brother and he suggested instructing a solicitor approved by ASTRA mortgages. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked ASTRA mortgages if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. ASTRA mortgages suggested that either firm can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of ASTRA mortgages 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Enquire of ASTRA mortgages for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Lenders have them all over the country. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet ASTRA mortgages’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
I am selling my house. I had a double glazing fitted in month 2010 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, ASTRA mortgages are being difficult. The solicitor who is on the ASTRA mortgages conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but ASTRA mortgages are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do ASTRA mortgages have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that ASTRA mortgages have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why ASTRA mortgages may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing correctly and safely installed. It merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
ASTRA mortgages have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on house has been accepted, now what?
The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (make sure these solicitors are on the lenders panel). Call up ASTRA mortgages or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. ASTRA mortgages will tell you what documents they want. ASTRA mortgages will instruct a valuer. The valuer will get in touch with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes about week to get a mortgage offer. ASTRA mortgages will issue the offer to you and your lawyer. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing.
