Q and A’s regarding the Together Personal Finance Solicitor Panel from members of the public
I instructed a law firm to work on my remortgage 5 weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Together Personal Finance. The firm confirmed to me that they are on Together Personal Finance conveyancing panel and provided me their panel reference. Together Personal Finance then called me to say that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What do I do from here? Should I appoint a new solicitor listed on the conveyancing panel for Together Personal Finance?
The answer depends on whether you still have confidence in the said solicitors and how long it will take for the firm to be reinstated on the Together Personal Finance conveyancing panel You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the Together Personal Finance as to how long they think it will take to get the firm to get back on the panel.
I do hope you can help me. My conveyancer is assuring me that he has to conduct a Local Authority search because the firm are on the Together Personal Finance conveyancing panel. Do I not have a choice here?
You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a mortgage with Together Personal Finance 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 Together Personal Finance’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated Together Personal Finance. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
I require the services of a Together Personal Finance panel solicitor in Belfast. Could you help me?
Unfortunately it’s not apparent why you need a Together Personal Finance panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to Together Personal Finance to find out which solicitors in Together Personal Finance are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. At a fee of one pound per month it is not expensive to register on the site
My uncle passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the property. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Together Personal Finance , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this allowed?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Together Personal Finance will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Together Personal Finance 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 Together Personal Finance 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 Together Personal Finance mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Together Personal Finance. Solicitors have been instructed? What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Together Personal Finance?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Together Personal Finance done the survey? Have you advised Together Personal Finance as your lawyers details and checked that your lawyer is on the Together Personal Finance conveyancing panel? sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued
I am about to exchange contracts on a purchase with a mortgage from Together Personal Finance. The report from my solicitor mentions that Together Personal Finance could withdraw their offer before completion. Is this right?
Banks and Building Societies such as Together Personal Finance can revoke their mortgage offer although this is unusual. If Together Personal Finance withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to their reasoning. There are many potential reasons but here are a number of examples:
- Where information comes to Together Personal Finance ‘s attention regarding the customers or the security that they were not aware of prior to offer that affects their original decision to lend
- Situations where information provided by the borrower that enabled the lender to make a lending decision is fraudulent, incorrect or misleading.
- Where the sale is not at arms length for value to unconnected persons
- 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 solicitor on the Together Personal Finance conveyancing panel acting for the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor cannot comply with Together Personal Finance ‘s instructions
Can I register a complaint to Together Personal Finance about the lawyers being on the Together Personal Finance conveyancing panel?
Complaining to Together Personal Finance about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. Every solicitor firm 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 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.