Frequently asked questions relating to the Yorkshire Bank Solicitor Panel from members of the public
I am in the process of selling my apartment and the EA has just e-mailed to warn that the purchasers are switching property lawyer. The reason given is that Yorkshire Bank will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a big named mortgage company only engage with specific solicitors?
Lenders have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Santander, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.
Banks blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been tightened and a smaller panel should be easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels, or have other concerns about them. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyer’s case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.
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 Yorkshire Bank will not agree to this. Why was Yorkshire Bank even consulted?
Your lawyer being on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel is duty bound to inform Yorkshire Bank of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your lawyers to disclose the reduction to Yorkshire Bank then they would have to discontinue acting for you and Yorkshire Bank.
I see that you have a search directory listing law firms on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for my own house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. it might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently at the moment.
We were going to get a DIP from Yorkshire Bank this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc).Do the Yorkshire Bank recommend a solicitor on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer
You will need to appoint solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and the Yorkshire Bank through the process.
Completion of my remortgage has taken place with a mortgage from Yorkshire Bank. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about Yorkshire Bank. How do I make a complaint?
Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the Yorkshire Bank branches or the Customer Services Team at Yorkshire Bank head office. In most cases complaints to Yorkshire Bank are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is resolved you can write to the
Financial Ombudsman Service at South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.
Planning on purchasing a flat with a mortgage with Yorkshire Bank. I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel
