FAQs for the Holmesdale Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public
I appointed a firm of solicitors to conduct the legal paperwork on my remortgage 5 weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Holmesdale Building Society. The firm reassured me that they are on Holmesdale Building Society conveyancing panel and advised me their panel reference. Holmesdale Building Society then called me to say that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What happens next? Do I instruct a different law firm listed on the conveyancing panel for Holmesdale Building Society?
The answer depends on whether you still have confidence in the said solicitors and how long it will take for the firm to be reinstated on the Holmesdale Building Society conveyancing panel You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the Holmesdale Building Society as to how long they think it will take to get the firm to get back on the panel.
We are getting closer to an exchange and my mum and dad having sent the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to make a notification to my lender Holmesdale Building Society. Apparently, being on the Holmesdale Building Society conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Holmesdale Building Society if the balance of the mortgage advance is coming from anyone other than me. I disclosed to the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the mortgage so is it really necessary for him to raise this?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Holmesdale Building Society to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to Holmesdale Building Society if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
I require the services of a Holmesdale Building Society panel solicitor in Belfast. Could you help me?
Unfortunately it’s not apparent why you need a Holmesdale Building Society panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to Holmesdale Building Society to find out which solicitors in Holmesdale Building Society are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. After all the cost is only one £1 a month
The solicitors that I appointed last week on my house acquisition in Brighton has without warning shut down. I chose them because I needed a solicitor on the Holmesdale Building Society conveyancing panel and my previous lawyer was not. I paid them £200 on account. What do I do now?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Holmesdale 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 solicitors may be able to assist
Is it the case that all conveyancing lawyers on the Holmesdale Building Society conveyancing panel work on a no move no charge basis?
In the main there are no requirements by lenders for their firms to operate on a no-sale-no-fee basis. There a small number of lenders who operate a very restricted conveyancing panel managed by a third party company (often termed in the industry as a ‘gatekeeper’). That third party may impose certain conditions such as non-sale-no fee on the panel firms. If you require this as a condition of your conveyancing then you should check with the conveyancing firm that this is part of their package
I previously instructed online conveyancers based in Bristol who are on the Holmesdale Building Society solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me a separate fee of £195 for dealing with the Holmesdale Building Society mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Holmesdale Building Society?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your solicitors can charge a fee for this. This fee is not set by Holmesdale Building Society but by your lawyers. Some firms on the Holmesdale Building Society will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.
My ex -wife’s name is on the Holmesdale 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 Holmesdale Building Society mortgage in order to sell?
In terms of the Holmesdale 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 Holmesdale 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.