Examples of recent questions relating to the Rely Mortgages Conveyancing Panel from members of the public
It has come to my attention via my estate agent that my property lawyer is not on the Rely Mortgages Solicitor panel. What can I do to be sure that this is correct?
You need to contact your conveyancer. You lawyer should advise you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a firm that is on the conveyancing panel for Rely Mortgages.
We are approaching an exchange and my parents having transferred the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to disclose this to my lender Rely Mortgages. Apparently, being on the Rely Mortgages conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Rely Mortgages if the balance of the mortgage advance is coming from anyone other than me. I informed the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the home loan so is it really necessary for him to raise this?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Rely Mortgages 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 Rely Mortgages if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
I am purchasing a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in who is on the Rely Mortgages approved. Can you recommend a local firm?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Rely Mortgages . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
The firm that I recently instructed on my house acquisition in Brighton has without warning shut down. I only went with them because I had to have a lawyer on the Rely Mortgages conveyancing panel and my preferred lawyer was not. I gave them a cheque for £150 in advance. What should be my next steps?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know straight away so that they can let the sellers know 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 should appoint new lawyers that are on the Rely Mortgages 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 lawyers may be able to assist
Do the majority of lenders operate their own panel of solicitors?
Many lenders do operate a restricted conveyancing panel but a lot of lenders allow any solicitors to join their panel so long as they meet their criteria. Each lender sets their own criteria. For example the Rely Mortgages conveyancing panel requirements are different to Rely Mortgages’s conveyancing panel criteria.
I have paid off my mortgage with Rely Mortgages. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the Rely Mortgages panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Rely Mortgages 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 Rely Mortgages mortgage from the register. Rely Mortgages,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 Rely Mortgages has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
the Rely Mortgages has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your Rely Mortgages mortgage has been paid off.
I have not been happy with the level or service received from my lawyer. Is there a Rely Mortgages conveyancing panel complaints department or do I complain directly to the law firm?
Complaining to Rely Mortgages about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. All solicitors and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. Usually one can find this 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 properly dealt with 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.