St James Place Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public
My IFA has says he needs my lawyer’ panel member for the St James Place conveyancing panel. What is the best way to obtain this. I have contacted my local St James Place branch but they have not got back to me yet.
the sensible thing to do is ask for this information from your solicitor. A law firm is likely to keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable their conveyancing panel details for St James Place.
I do hope you can help me. My conveyancer is advising me that she is duty-bound to order a Local Authority search stemming from the fact that the firm are on the St James Place solicitor panel. Do I not have a choice here?
You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a mortgage with St James Place your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of St James Place’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated St James Place. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
I am Googling for conveyancing quotes online. Can I be confident that all the firms that are identified on your website are on the St James Place conveyancing panel?
The law firms listed on our site have assured us via an online form that they are on the St James Place panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the St James Place panel. To date we have not been informed by either a mortgage company or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the St James Place conveyancing panel is incorrect.
My grandmother passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the house. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to St James Place , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this possible?
If you intend to re-mortgage then St James Place will insist on your using a conveyancer on the St James Place conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your St James Place conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the St James Place mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with St James Place. Solicitors have been chosen? What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from St James Place?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have St James Place completed the valuation? Have you advised St James Place as your lawyers details and checked that your lawyer is on the St James Place conveyancing panel? sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued
Is it common for St James Place to withdraw a mortgage offer and what would be the reasoning?
Banks and Building Societies such as St James Place can revoke their mortgage offer although this is unusual. If St James Place withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are many potential reasons but here are 5 examples:
- If the borrower informs St James Place of a change in the loan amount agreed
- Amendments if purchase price adjusted and the loan to value limits exceeded by this. Please note that St James Place conveyancing panel solicitors would be obliged to notify St James Place of a change in the price of the property.
- Where to proceed with the Mortgage offer would be unlawful
- If the lender reasonably suspects that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;
- If the lender reasonably believe that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is insolvent or is about to become insolvent or has or will have a petition presented or if any one or all enter into any arrangement with their creditors generally or if any one or all should suffer a material change in their financial circumstances
I have instructed a lawyer having made sure that they are on the St James Place conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
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Having read lots of house buying,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 St James Place conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
St James Place will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually St James Place 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 St James Place you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.