FAQs for the Fleet Mortgages Solicitor Panel from members of the public
What is the rationale as to why all solicitors aren't included on the Fleet Mortgages Conveyancing panel?
Fleet Mortgages and other banks ordinarily restrict either the type or the number of conveyancing practices on their panel. Typical examples of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that Fleet Mortgages have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of Fleet Mortgages Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of conveyancing panels a few years ago and whilst there are differing views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms only carry out one or two conveyances a year. Those supporting conveyancing panel cuts ask why law firms should have the right to be on a Lender panel when clearly, Conveyancing is not their speciality? To put it another way; would you want a conveyancing solicitor to represent you if you were charged with a crime; probably not.
My nephew is about to exchange on a house that has just been built with a home loan from Fleet Mortgages. His lawyer has said that there is a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. Who needs to receive the form?
The document is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Fleet Mortgages conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when requested.
The Developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it.
The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Fleet Mortgages conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.
What tools are available to find a local solicitor on the Fleet Mortgages conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel up to 25 kilometers to meet the conveyancer.
Feel free to make use of the find a conveyancing panel tool on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of lawyer located nearest you. Alternatively you can type in the name of your proposed law firm and see if they are listed as being on the Fleet Mortgages solicitor panel.
My solicitors in Leeds have advised me that no longer have my conveyancing file. At the time of my purchase I took out a mortgage with Fleet Mortgages. Is it case that being on the Fleet Mortgages conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a number of years?
It very much depends from lender to lender but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the Fleet Mortgages Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting Fleet Mortgages directly.
Do most banks operate their own panel of solicitors?
Many lenders do operate a restricted conveyancing panel but a lot of lenders allow any solicitors to join their panel so long as they meet their criteria. Each lender sets their own criteria. For example the Fleet Mortgages conveyancing panel requirements are different to Fleet Mortgages’s conveyancing panel requirements.
My husband and I are spending time looking at flats and am about to put in an offer. Should I already have a conveyancer appointed at this stage? I will be getting a mortgage with Fleet Mortgages
It would be sensible to have your start your search soon rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on the the EA. As you are getting a mortgage with Fleet Mortgages , make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Fleet Mortgages conveyancing panel.
Fleet Mortgages have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on house has been accepted, now what?
The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (make sure these solicitors are on the lenders panel). Call up Fleet Mortgages or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. Fleet Mortgages will tell you what documents they want. Fleet Mortgages will instruct a valuer. The valuer will get in touch with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes about week to get a mortgage offer. Fleet Mortgages will issue the offer to you and your lawyer. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing.
