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How does my firm apply to be on the First Direct Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the First Direct Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the First Direct Conveyancing Panel
FAQs : The First Direct Conveyancing Panel
I need to swap lawyers as my lawyer is not on the First Direct panel of conveyancing solicitors. Is it practical to instruct different lawyers?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
Can you clarify something for me?. For no fault of my lawyer but, the conveyancing for my house purchase has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from First Direct was dated random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on 6 months + 3. My lawyer has advised that as she is on the First Direct conveyancing panel she needs to reorder the searches as they are no longer acceptable to the lender.
One of the many conditions to being on the First Direct approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 obligations (last updated for this lender on First Direct)which states that a local authority search be not more than half a year old. You should nevertheless ask your lawyer to check whether something called ‘search validation’ indemnity insurance is acceptable to First Direct.
I have been Googling for competitive conveyancing fees. Can I be confident that all the law firms that are listed on your website are on the First Direct conveyancing panel?
The solicitor and licensed conveyancing practices on our directory have advised us that they are on the First Direct panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the First Direct panel. To date we have not been informed by either a lender or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the First Direct conveyancing panel is not accurate.
Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the First Direct Conveyancing panel in advance of the completion date?
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.
I have agreed a price on a flat I spoke to a conveyancer previously used by my brother and he recommended instructing a law firm approved by First Direct. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked First Direct if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. First Direct suggested that either practice can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of First Direct 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Enquire of First Direct for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Lenders have them all over the country. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the First Direct conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto First Direct conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet First Direct’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their lawyers I paid an upfront payment of 150. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the First Direct conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the First Direct panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Me and my partner are buying a 1st floor apartment in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon are about to beretained. My agentadvised that we check that the property lawyer in Hendon is on the First Direct panel. Aren't all lawyers on the First Direct panel?
A limited percentage of Hendon conveyancing firms are on the First Direct conveyancing panel. 8 people a month use our search tool to find a Hendon conveyancing lawyer on the on the First Direct panel.
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