Frequently asked questions relating to the National Westminster Bank Solicitor Panel from members of the public
What is the rationale as to why all property lawyers aren't included on the National Westminster Bank Conveyancing panel?
National Westminster Bank and other banks ordinarily imposes restrictions either the type or the number of conveyancing practices on their panel. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that National Westminster Bank have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of National Westminster Bank Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of conveyancing panels a few years ago and whilst there are differing views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms only carry out one or two conveyances a year. Those supporting conveyancing panel cuts ask why law firms should have the right to be on a Lender panel when clearly, Conveyancing is not their speciality? To put it another way; would you want a conveyancing solicitor to represent you if you were charged with a crime; probably not.
We are due to exchange on the purchase a house but as a result of damage from the recent storms I have agreed compensation from the seller of £3k approx by way of a reduction in the price. This was going to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process but my mortgage company National Westminster Bank will not agree to this. Why was National Westminster Bank even consulted?
Your lawyer being on the National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel is duty bound to inform National Westminster Bank of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your lawyers to disclose the reduction to National Westminster Bank then they would have to discontinue acting for you and National Westminster Bank.
How do I search for a local solicitor on the National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel up to 25 miles to meet the conveyancer.
You can use the find a conveyancing panel search on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of lawyer located nearest you. Alternatively you can type in the name of your proposed law firm and see if they are listed as being on the National Westminster Bank solicitor panel.
We're in Wales, FTBs buying with a mortgage (lender is National Westminster Bank , but our lawyer 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
I have paid off my 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.
On the whole I have been dissatisfied with the level or service received from my lawyer. Is there a National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel complaints department or do I complain directly to the law firm?
Complaining to National Westminster Bank about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. All solicitors and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.
The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is addressed by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.
If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.
My husband and I are remortgaging a penthouse in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon are about to beretained. My agentsuggested that we enquire that the solicitor in Hendon is on the National Westminster Bank panel. Surely I don't need to do this, do I?
It is not that case that all Hendon conveyancing firms are on the National Westminster Bank conveyancing panel. 5 people a month use our search tool to locate a Hendon conveyancing lawyer on the on the National Westminster Bank approved list of lawyers.