Examples of recent questions relating to the Bradford & Bingley Solicitor Panel from members of the public
Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer is not identified on the Bradford & Bingley Conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 3 reasons are as follows: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for Bradford & Bingley.
My conveyancer has uncovered a discrepancy when comparing the assumptions in Bradford & Bingley’s home valuation survey and what is revealed within the conveyancing documents. My solicitor says that as he is on the Bradford & Bingley conveyancing panel he must check that the bank is OK with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my conveyancer’s approach correct?
A precondition to being on the Bradford & Bingley approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Bradford & Bingley) 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.
I see that you have a post code search directory identifying firms on the Bradford & Bingley conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I appoint them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Bradford & Bingley conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
Can you clarify what the consequences are if my solicitor is suspended from the Bradford & Bingley Solicitor panel in advance of the moving date as agreed at exchange of contracts?
The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have ti instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by the regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on a house. My mortgage broker suggested a solicitor I paid an upfront payment of 200. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the Bradford & Bingley conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Bradford & Bingley panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, the seller does however have a dependent purchase. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What should be my next step? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Bradford & Bingley?
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 Bradford & Bingley 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 Bradford & Bingley and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.
Me and my partner are purchasing a terraced house in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon are about to beinstructed. My agentadvised that we check that the conveyancer in Hendon is on the Bradford & Bingley panel. Surely I don't need to do this, do I?
A limited percentage of Hendon conveyancing practices are on the Bradford & Bingley conveyancing panel. 7 people a month use our search tool to find a Hendon conveyancing practitioner on the on the Bradford & Bingley solicitors pane.
