FAQs for the Platform Home Loans 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 Platform Home Loans 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 property lawyer has requested from me personal identification documents stating that this forms part of his requirements as a conveyancer on the Platform Home Loans Solicitor panel. Can this be correct?
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 Platform Home Loans 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 Platform Home Loans CML Handbook requirements last updated on Platform Home Loans
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Platform Home Loans 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 Platform Home Loans 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 Platform Home Loans solicitor panel.
We're in Wales, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is Platform Home Loans , but our solicitor is on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Platform Home Loans 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 was thinking of purchasing my friend’s property. Assuming we can agree a figure, what’s the best way to proceed? I hope to get a mortgage with Platform Home Loans. Is it possible to avoid using solicitors to save on the costs? My dad reckons back in the day he did a lot of it himself, just went into the land registry office and providing them with the info they needed himself
If you are getting a mortgage with Platform Home Loans involved you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel. We would not encourage you to both use the same solicitors' firm. There are clear conflict of interest issues and it's not going to make a huge difference to the speed of the overall process. So as not to hold things us you should pass on your solicitors details to Platform Home Loans. Feel free to use our search tool to look for a licensed conveyancer or solicitor on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel.
Completion of my purchase has taken place with a loan from Platform Home Loans. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about Platform Home Loans. How does one go about formally complaining?
Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the Platform Home Loans branches or the Customer Care Team at Platform Home Loans head office. In most cases complaints to Platform Home Loans are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel that the matter is not resolved you can write to the
Financial Ombudsman Service at South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a solicitor having made sure that they are on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
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I've read lots of mortgage guides,I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Platform Home Loans conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Platform Home Loans will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Platform Home Loans will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey.
You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
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Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Platform Home Loans you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.