Common questions asked concerning the Bluestone Mortgages Solicitor Panel from members of the public
My fiance and I are purchasing a 1 bedroom apartment in Hackney with a mortgage from Bluestone Mortgages. We like our solicitor but Bluestone Mortgages says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the Bluestone Mortgages panel solicitors 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 Bluestone 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. A further alternative is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Bluestone Mortgages
Can you help?. My lawyer is not to blame but, my purchase conveyancing has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from Bluestone Mortgages was date stamped random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on Tues etc. My solicitor has advised that as she is on the Bluestone Mortgages conveyancing panel she needs to reorder the searches as they are now out of date.
A precondition to being on the Bluestone Mortgages approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 obligations (last updated for this lender on Bluestone Mortgages)which specifies 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 Bluestone Mortgages.
I have been Googling for online conveyancing estimates. Can I be assured that all the practices that are identified on your directory are on the Bluestone Mortgages conveyancing panel?
The solicitor and licensed conveyancing practices listed on our site have advised us that they are on the Bluestone Mortgages panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Bluestone Mortgages 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 Bluestone Mortgages conveyancing panel is not accurate.
I was supposed to move into my flat last Thursday. My solicitor is on the Bluestone Mortgages solicitors panel but has moved offices 8 weeks ago and had not informed Bluestone Mortgages of their new address. Bluestone Mortgages is now refusing to release my funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is as unusual as it is unlucky. Most lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local Bluestone Mortgages branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can assist.
Is it the case that all conveyancing solicitors on the Bluestone 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 package
I had instructed online conveyancers based in Manchester who are on the Bluestone Mortgages solicitor panel. They are now charging me a separate fee of £150 for the legal aspects of the Bluestone Mortgages mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by Bluestone Mortgages?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your solicitors can charge a fee for this. This fee is not set by Bluestone Mortgages but by your lawyers. Some firms on the Bluestone Mortgages will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of firms include it on their overall fee.
Next month my fiance and I are buying a house in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon need to beappointed. My fatherrecommended that we double-check that the property lawyer in Hendon is on the Bluestone Mortgages panel. Surely I don't need to do this, do I?
Not all Hendon conveyancing firms are on the Bluestone Mortgages conveyancing panel. Use the above search tool to locate a Hendon conveyancing solicitor on the on the Bluestone Mortgages panel.
