Find an Approved Solicitor on the Birmingham Bank
Conveyancing Panel
Birmingham Bank Solicitor Panel Example Support Desk Enquires
My wife and I are novices when it comes to buying a property. Within the 48 hours our property lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. Birmingham Bank have this evening contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is usual for the purchaser's solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender.
In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
Your property lawyers should contact Birmingham Bank and see if they can apply for membership of the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable Birmingham Bank will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
We are getting closer to an exchange and my mum and dad 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. Apparently, 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 coming from anyone other than me. I disclosed to the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the mortgage so is it really necessary for him to raise this?
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.
I have been searching for conveyancing quotes online. Can I be confident that all the firms that are listed on your directory are on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel?
The solicitor and licensed conveyancing practices listed on our site have advised us that they are on the Birmingham Bank panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Birmingham Bank 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 Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel is incorrect.
We're in Birmingham, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is Birmingham Bank , but our lawyer is on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
Can I be sure that the solicitor on the Birmingham Bank panel is any good?
Getting recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always suggest that you speak with the solicitor carrying out your transaction
We are getting a further advance on our mortgage from Birmingham Bank as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Birmingham Bank do not ordinarily appoint firms on their conveyancing panel to deal with such a matter. If they did require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Birmingham Bank panel
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat. I have a mortgage agreed with Birmingham Bank. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?
It is not advisable proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event if you are getting a mortgage with Birmingham Bank you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Birmingham Bank conveyancing panel.