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Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the BirminghamBank list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
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How does my firm apply to be on the Birmingham Bank Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Birmingham Bank Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Birmingham Bank Conveyancing Panel
Q and A’s regarding the Birmingham Bank Solicitor Panel
I instructed a firm of solicitors to conduct the legal paperwork on my purchase six weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Birmingham Bank. The law firm assured me that they are on Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel and gave me their panel reference. Birmingham Bank then called me to say that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What happens next? Should I appoint a new solicitor listed on the approved panel for Birmingham Bank?
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 Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the Birmingham Bank as to how long they think it will take to get the firm to get back on the panel.
We are only a couple days away from an exchange and my parents having sent the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to make a notification to my lender Birmingham Bank. I am advised that, being on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Birmingham Bank if the balance of the mortgage advance is not just from me. I informed the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the mortgage so is it really necessary for this now to be an issue?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Birmingham Bank 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 Birmingham Bank if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
Do all the firms listed on your search have online case tracking as I was under the impression that this was a precondition of being on the Birmingham Bank solicitor panel?
No. There is no CML Part 2 or Building Society Association requirement relating to online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
What happens if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Birmingham Bank Solicitor panel in advance of completion?
First, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have ti instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by the regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.
Can you point me to a directory of Birmingham Bank panel conveyancers on the CML Handbook Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online.
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 Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel requirements are different to Birmingham Bank’s conveyancing panel requirements.
My brother and I are buying a penthouse in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon are about to beappointed. My fatheradvised that we check that the property lawyer in Hendon is on the Birmingham Bank list of approved conveyancing firms. Is this really necessary?
Far from all Hendon conveyancing practices are on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel. Use the above search tool to find a Hendon conveyancing lawyer on the on the Birmingham Bank panel.
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Transfer of Equity for Birmingham BankPlease note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors