Chelsea Building Society Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public
I am getting a mortgage with Chelsea Building Society. I intend to use a Licensed Conveyancer. Does the Chelsea Building Society Solicitor panel allow for conveyancers regulated by the CLC
Chelsea Building Society’s conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders associated to the CML or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.
I am buying a brand new flat and my lawyer is telling me that she has to reveal incentives from the builder as her practice is on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel. I am under pressure to exchange contracts and I dont want to delay matters. Can I insist on an exchange regardless of what my lawyer says about being on the Chelsea Building Society panel?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on the Chelsea Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Chelsea Building Society). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Chelsea 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 Chelsea 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 Chelsea Building Society solicitor panel.
The solicitors that just started acting on my house acquisition in London has without warning closed. I chose them because I had to have a solicitor on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel and my previous lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £175 for searches. What are my options?
Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know immediately so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to help
We have had an offer accepted on a flat I spoke to a solicitor previously used by my mum and he suggested using a law firm approved by Chelsea Building Society. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Chelsea Building Society if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Chelsea Building Society pointed out that either practice can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of Chelsea Building Society 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Ask Chelsea Building Society to suggest a law firm in your location. Most banks have lawyers on their panel throughout the UK. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Chelsea Building Society’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
On the whole I have been dissatisfied with the level or service received from my lawyer. Is there a Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel complaints department or do I complain directly to the law firm?
Complaining to Chelsea Building Society about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get 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 properly dealt with 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 am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in month 2010 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Chelsea Building Society are being difficult. The solicitor who is on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Chelsea Building Society are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Chelsea Building Society have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Chelsea Building Society have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Chelsea Building Society may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing correctly and safely installed. It merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.