Frequently asked questions relating to the Banks and Clients Solicitor Panel from members of the public
My mortgage broker has asked me for my lawyer’ panel member for the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have e-mailed my local Banks and Clients branch but they have not responded to me.
Have you tried speaking to your lawyer about this?. A law firm is likely to keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable their conveyancing panel details for Banks and Clients.
Much to my surprise my lawyer has informed me that he requires personal identification documents saying that this is part of his legal duty as a solicitor on the Banks and Clients Conveyancing panel. This is news to me - can I refuse?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that Banks and Clients also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with Banks and Clients CML Handbook requirements last updated on Banks and Clients
I am Googling for conveyancing quotes online. Can I be confident that all the law firms that are identified on your website are on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel?
The solicitor and licensed conveyancing practices on our directory have assured us via an online form that they are on the Banks and Clients panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Banks and Clients panel. To date we have not been informed by either a lender or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel is not accurate.
My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the property. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £5k. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Banks and Clients , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this possible?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Banks and Clients will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Banks and Clients 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 Banks and Clients 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 Banks and Clients mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
Are all solicitors on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel regulated by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Banks and Clients conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
My ex -wife’s name is on the Banks and Clients 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 Banks and Clients mortgage in order to sell?
In terms of the Banks and Clients 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 Banks and Clients 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.
Banks and Clients 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 Banks and Clients or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. Banks and Clients will tell you what documents they want. Banks and Clients 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. Banks and Clients 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.
