Q and A’s regarding the Britannia Solicitor Panel from members of the public
A solicitor my husband and I had intended to instruct on a purchase said he will levy higher legal fees if my mortgage is with Britannia due to their difficult processes! Am I likely to be frustrated using Britannia? Is Britannia conveyancing so much more difficult?
Britannia conveyancing requirements for their panel are no better or no more complicated than most lenders.
It is the case now the CML Handbook, the "bible" used by solicitors to establish lender requirements, is different for each lender.
It is not clear if your lawyer is on the Britannia conveyancing panel. If they are not, this does add further risk of delay as Britannia will appoint their own solicitors to look after their interest.
I am purchasing a brand new duplex and my solicitor is informing me that she has to reveal incentives from the seller as her firm is on the Britannia conveyancing panel. I am nearing the developer’s deadline to sign contracts and my preference is not to delay matters. Can I insist on an exchange regardless of what my lawyer says about being on the Britannia panel?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on the Britannia approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Britannia). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
Do banks and building societies provide you with an approved list of solicitors? How do you know who is on the Britannia conveyancing panel?
The law firm practices themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Britannia conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Britannia directly.
I am attempting to get my former partner taken off the mortgage deeds. Can Britannia really insist on which solicitor I can or can not retain?
You can use any solicitor you like but Britannia then has the right to appoint a different solicitor to act for them at your expense. It might be more cost effective and quicker to instruct a lawyer who is on the Britannia solicitors panel
Hi, thinking about buying a house off my mate. Once we agree a price, what’s the best way to move forward? I plan to obtain a mortgage with Britannia. Is there anyway to cut out the solicitors to save us both money? My father said that years ago it was possible to take the documents into the local Land Registry office and they did the rest
If you are getting a mortgage with Britannia involved you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Britannia conveyancing panel. We would not encourage you to both use the same solicitors' firm. There are clear conflict of interest issues and it's not going to make a huge difference to the speed of the overall process. So as not to hold things us you should pass on your solicitors details to Britannia. Feel free to use our search tool to look for a licensed conveyancer or solicitor on the Britannia conveyancing panel.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat. I have a mortgage offer with Britannia. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event if you are getting a mortgage with Britannia you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Britannia conveyancing panel.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a solicitor having made sure that they are on the Britannia conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
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I've digested plenty of mortgage guides,I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Britannia conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Britannia will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Britannia will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey.
You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
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Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Britannia you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.