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approved by GenH
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the GenH 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 Gen H Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Gen H Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Gen H Conveyancing Panel
Common questions asked concerning the Gen H Solicitor Panel
On what basis would a law firm be excluded from the Gen H solicitor panel?
A survey recently commissioned by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority found that three quarters of solicitor practices had been excluded from a lender panel. The top reasons in order are :
- lack of transactions
- the lawyer is a sole practitioner
- as part of the HSBC panel reduction
- regulatory contact by SRA
- accidental removal. We are not aware of the specific or common criteria for removal by Gen H
Please assist. My lawyer is not to blame but, the conveyancing for my house purchase has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from Gen H was date stamped random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on 6. My lawyer informs me that as she is on the Gen H conveyancing panel she needs to redo the searches as they are no longer valid.
One of the many conditions to being on the Gen H approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Gen H)which specifies 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 Gen H.
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 Gen H solicitor panel?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders or BSA do not require online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
The firm that I recently instructed on my house acquisition in London has suddenly closed. They were on acting for me because I needed a firm on the Gen H conveyancing panel and my preferred lawyer was not. I gave them a cheque for £150 in advance. What should be my next steps?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Gen H conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers should be in a position to help
I previously instructed online solicitors located in Birmingham who are on the Gen H solicitor panel. They are now charging me a separate fee of £135 for the legal aspects of the Gen H mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Gen H?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your solicitors can charge a fee for this. This fee is not set by Gen H but by your lawyers. Some firms on the Gen H will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.
We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Gen H. Solicitors have been appointed? What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Gen H?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Gen H done the survey? Have you advised Gen H as your lawyers details and checked that your lawyer is on the Gen H conveyancing panel? sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued
We have agreed to purchase a house.One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Gen H have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Gen H your lawyer must to check the Gen H conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Gen H . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Gen H where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. Requirements for Scotland are due in the near future.
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Transfer of Equity for Gen HPlease note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors