Q and A’s regarding the Harpenden Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public
How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find one who is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. Is it advisable to appoint a new law firm?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
My conveyancer has identified a difference when comparing the surveyor’s assumptions in Harpenden Building Society’s home valuation survey and what is revealed within the title deeds. My solicitor says that as he is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel he must ensure that the lender is happy with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my conveyancer’s approach appropriate?
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 have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Harpenden 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 Harpenden 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 Harpenden Building Society solicitor panel.
I am considering refinancing my property does my lawyer have to be on the Harpenden Building Society Solicitor panel?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel, but Harpenden Building Society would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.
Is there a list of Harpenden Building Society panel solicitors on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online.
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?
As regards 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.
At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, the seller does however have a dependent purchase. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What should be my next step? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Harpenden Building Society?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Harpenden Building Society and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.
