Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel Example Support Desk Enquires from members of the public
My property lawyer has never been on on the Harpenden Building Society Solicitor Panel. Can I still continue with my family solicitor even though they are not on the Harpenden Building Society panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?
You have a number of options available to you here:
- Carry on with your preferred solicitors but Harpenden Building Society will need to instruct a lawyer on the Harpenden Building Society 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 Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel.
- Urge your lawyer to apply to join the Harpenden Building Society lender panel
My solicitor has spotted an inconsistency between the information in Harpenden Building Society’s valuation survey and what is in the conveyancing documents. My solicitor has advised that as he is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel he needs to ensure that the bank is happy with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my conveyancer’s stance legitimate?
A precondition to being on the Harpenden Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Harpenden Building Society) 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.
I see that you have a post code search directory listing solicitors on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for my own conveyancing?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
My solicitors in London have advised me that no longer have my conveyancing file. To assist with my purchase I took out a mortgage with Harpenden Building Society. Is it case that being on the Harpenden Building Society 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 Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting Harpenden Building Society directly.
In what circumstances might Harpenden Building Society amend or withdraw their mortgage offer?
Lenders such as Harpenden Building Society can revoke their mortgage offer although this rarely happens. should Harpenden Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are many potential reasons but here are 5 examples:
- Many mortgage offers have an expiry date. Your lawyer should check this. Harpenden Building Society may amend or withdraw an offer before the end of its validation period if an offer extension is requested and following a re-evaluation of the property the value of the security is below a level which is acceptable to them.
- If the financial circumstances of the borrower have changed to the detriment and the Harpenden Building Society has been notified
- Amendments if purchase price adjusted and the loan to value limits exceeded by this. Please note that Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel solicitors would be obliged to notify Harpenden Building Society of a change in the price of the property.
- Where the Lender’s right to possession is fettered in some way
- If the lender reasonably suspects that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;
I'm in the throws of viewing flats and now considering a potential offer. Is it best to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a mortgage with Harpenden Building Society
It would be sensible to have your start your search soon rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on the the estate agent. As you are getting a mortgage with Harpenden Building Society , make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel.
My ex -wife’s name is on the Harpenden Building Society mortgage of my property but not on the land registry. The apartment was transferred to me on our divorce many years ago by way of a sealed court order. Does my ex still have a say on the sale even though the land registry showing the property in my name alone? Will I be required to take her name of the Harpenden Building Society mortgage in order to sell?
In terms of the Harpenden Building Society mortgage, it is unusual that your ex-wife’s name remains on the mortgage but not on the title. It is conceivable that this is an oversight on the part of your conveyancers to ensure that her name was removed or even an administrative error on the part of Harpenden Building Society in failing to update their data. In any event, it should cause difficulty providing her name no longer appears on the Land Registry title and you have a court order ordering that the property is transferred to you.