FAQs for the Kensington Mortgage Solicitor Panel from members of the public
My mortgage broker has asked me for my solicitor’s panel reference for the Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I find this out. I have tried my local Kensington Mortgage office but they don't know it.
You are best placed to get this information from your conveyancing lawyer. They should have a central record lender panel numbers including the Kensington Mortgage panel reference.
My conveyancer has identified an inconsistency when comparing the assumptions in Kensington Mortgage’s valuation survey and what is revealed within the conveyancing documents. My solicitor says that as he is on the Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel he needs to ensure that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my solicitor’s approach legitimate?
A precondition to being on the Kensington Mortgage approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Kensington Mortgage) 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 you.
I see that you have a post code search directory listing law firms on the Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I appoint them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
My house is up for sale and I have a buyer. Does my solicitor have to be on the Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. it might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently at the moment.
I have had an offer accepted on a apartment I spoke to a lawyer previously used by my brother and he advised instructing a solicitor approved by Kensington Mortgage. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Kensington Mortgage if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Kensington Mortgage suggested that either firm can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of Kensington Mortgage 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Ask Kensington Mortgage for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Most banks have lawyers on their panel throughout the UK. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto Kensington Mortgage conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Kensington Mortgage’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
I have today made my last payment due on mortgage with Kensington Mortgage. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the Kensington Mortgage panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm
If you have finished paying off your Kensington Mortgage mortgage they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Kensington Mortgage mortgage from the register. Kensington Mortgage,and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
but are not moving to another property
where the Kensington Mortgage has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
the Kensington Mortgage has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your Kensington Mortgage mortgage has been paid off.
My offer on house has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What do I do now? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Kensington Mortgage?
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 Kensington Mortgage 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 Kensington Mortgage and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.