Common questions asked concerning the National Westminster Bank Conveyancing Panel from members of the public
My partner and I are novices when it comes to buying a property. Within the 48 hours our property lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to sign with a detailed report in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. National Westminster Bank have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Is this a problem?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is usual for the purchaser's solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender.
In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitors should contact National Westminster Bank and see if they can apply for membership of the National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable National Westminster Bank will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.
Much to my surprise my conveyancer has requested from me ID documents asserting that this is part of his legal duty as a solicitor on the National Westminster Bank Solicitor panel. Am I being spun a yarn?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Client Care letter that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that National Westminster Bank also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with National Westminster Bank CML Handbook requirements last updated on National Westminster Bank
I am looking to buy a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Birmingham who is on the National Westminster Bank conveyancing. Can you recommend a local solicitor?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for National Westminster Bank . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
We're in London, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is National Westminster Bank , but our solicitor is on the National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
My brother and I have agreed a price on a apartment I spoke to a solicitor previously used by my brother and he recommended instructing a property lawyers approved by National Westminster Bank. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked National Westminster Bank if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. National Westminster Bank suggested that either practice can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of National Westminster Bank 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Ask National Westminster Bank for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Lenders have them all over the country. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the National Westminster Bank 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 National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet National Westminster Bank’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 National Westminster Bank. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the National Westminster Bank panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm
If you have finished paying off your National Westminster Bank 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 National Westminster Bank mortgage from the register. National Westminster Bank,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 National Westminster Bank has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
the National Westminster Bank has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your National Westminster Bank mortgage has been paid off.
I currently have a mortgage with with National Westminster Bank. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform National Westminster Bank?
Your original mortgage agreement with National Westminster Bank will provide that you need their approval prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of National Westminster Bank’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact National Westminster Bank directly. You need not do this via a National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel solicitor.
