FAQs for the Cambridge Building Society Conveyancing Panel from members of the public
Is the fact that my solicitor is not identified on the Cambridge Building Society Solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of his work?
That would more than likely be a wrong assumption to make. 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 most common reasons for removal are: (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 Cambridge Building Society.
My partner and I changing mortgage lender for our penthouse with Cambridge Building Society. We have a son 19 who lives with us. The solicitor on the Cambridge Building Society conveyancing panel has asked us to disclose anyone over the age of 17 other than ourselves who lives in the flat. Our lawyer has now e-mailed a document for our son to sign, waiving any legal rights in the event that the property is forfeited by the lender. I have a couple of questions (1) Is this form unique to the Cambridge Building Society conveyancing panel as he never had to sign this form when we remortgaged 4 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?
On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Cambridge Building Society .This is solely used to protect the Cambridge Building Society if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave.
It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Cambridge Building Society had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Cambridge Building Society conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Cambridge Building Society approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the Cambridge Building Society conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the Cambridge Building Society solicitor panel.
My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the property. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £4500. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Cambridge Building Society , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this allowed?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Cambridge Building Society will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Cambridge Building Society 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 Cambridge Building Society 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 Cambridge Building Society mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
My wife and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from Cambridge Building Society as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the Cambridge Building Society conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Cambridge Building Society do not ordinarily appoint firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they did require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Cambridge Building Society panel
Can I register a complaint to Cambridge Building Society about the lawyers being on the Cambridge Building Society conveyancing panel?
Complaining to Cambridge Building Society about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. Usually one can find this information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.
The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is addressed by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.
If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.
I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed
to by Cambridge Building Society. Is it usual for Cambridge Building Society to only issue the offer once my
solicitor is approved on their conveyancing panel?
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Cambridge Building Society to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Cambridge Building Society conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.