FAQs for the Yorkshire Bank Solicitor Panel from members of the public
It has come to my attention via my lender that my property lawyer is not on the Yorkshire Bank Solicitor panel. How can I be sure that this is correct?
The first thing you need to do is to contact your lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a firm that is on the the approved Yorkshire Bank solicitor panel.
Much to my surprise my lawyer has informed me that he requires identification documents saying that this forms part of his requirements as a conveyancer on the Yorkshire Bank Conveyancing panel. Is this right?
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 Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that Yorkshire Bank 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 Yorkshire Bank CML Handbook requirements last updated on Yorkshire Bank
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Yorkshire Bank 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 Yorkshire Bank 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 Yorkshire Bank solicitor panel.
I was scheduled to move into my first house last Friday. My lawyer’s firm is on the Yorkshire Bank solicitors panel but has changed address 8 weeks ago and had not advised Yorkshire Bank of their new address. Yorkshire Bank has locked down the release of mortgage funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is as unusual as it is unlucky. The majority of lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local Yorkshire Bank branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can help.
Are all Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel?
A selection of banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of firms.
When it comes to lenders such as Yorkshire Bank do lawyers have to be pay a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?
We are not aware of any lender fees to be on their panel although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.
Is it the case that all solicitor firms on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel overseen by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Yorkshire Bank conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
