Halifax Conveyancing Panel : Questions and Answers from members of the public
My lawyer has never been on on the Halifax Solicitor Panel. Can I still use my preferred solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the Halifax panel?
You have a number of options available to you here:
- Carry on with your preferred solicitors but Halifax will need to instruct a lawyer on the Halifax conveyancing panel. This will result in additional cost and potential delay.
- Get a new solicitor to act in the purchase, obviously checking they are on the Halifax conveyancing panel.
- Convince your lawyer to do everything within their powers to join the Halifax conveyancing panel
My lawyer has identified a discrepancy between the surveyor’s assumptions in Halifax’s valuation report and what is in the conveyancing documents. My solicitor has advised that as he is on the Halifax conveyancing panel he needs to check that the bank is with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my lawyer’s course or action legitimate?
A precondition to being on the Halifax approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Halifax) 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.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Halifax conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Halifax 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 Halifax 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 Halifax solicitor panel.
My solicitors in Leeds have advised me that they can not locate my conveyancing file. To assist with my purchase I took out a mortgage with Halifax. Is it case that being on the Halifax 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 Halifax Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting Halifax directly.
My existing mortgage is with Halifax. My grandfather retired last week and wants to pay off the mortgage left on the property. After Halifax is paid, I want to transfer the property to my mother's name; How long does the process take? Do we need two separate solicitors on the Halifax conveyancing panel? I do not intend to live at the property once the Halifax mortgage is discharged.
Although you do need to retain the services of a lawyer they dont
need to be on the Halifax panel.
You will need a solicitor to draw up the transfer and
to deal with the Land Registry formalities. The only thing you need to
consider is that by selling at an undervalue so ask your lawyer about
the implications. There could be an inheritance tax issue if you die
within 7 years of this. There's no capital gains tax for you as it is
your main residence.
Completion of my remortgage has taken place with a loan from Halifax. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about Halifax. How does one go about formally complaining?
All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the Halifax branches or the Customer Care Department at Halifax head office. In most cases complaints to Halifax are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel that the matter is not resolved you can write to the
Financial Ombudsman Service at South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.
Intending to buy a flat with a mortgage with Halifax. I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Halifax conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the Halifax conveyancing panel