Find a Law Firm
approved by Harpenden BS
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the Harpenden BS list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Looking for information about your firm's panel status?
How does my firm apply to be on the Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel
Common questions asked concerning the Harpenden Building Society Solicitor Panel
My Solicitor has never been on on the Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel. Can I still retain my preferred solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the Harpenden Building Society panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?
You have a number of options available to you here:
- Complete the purchase with your preferred lawyers but Harpenden Building Society will need to instruct a lawyer on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. This will result in additional cost and potential delay.
- Get a new solicitor to act in the purchase, obviously checking they are on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel.
- Urge your lawyer to apply to join the Harpenden Building Society lender panel
We are approaching 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 disclose this to my lender Harpenden Building Society. I am advised that, being on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Harpenden Building Society 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 home loan so is it really necessary for him to raise this?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Harpenden Building Society 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 Harpenden Building Society if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Harpenden Building Society 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 Harpenden Building Society 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 Harpenden Building Society solicitor panel.
My house is up for sale and I have a buyer. Does my solicitor have to be on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. it might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently at the moment.
My brother and I have had an offer accepted on a apartment I spoke to a conveyancer recommended by my uncle and he advised instructing a law firm approved by Harpenden Building Society. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Harpenden Building Society if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Harpenden Building Society suggested that either practice can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of Harpenden Building Society 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Ask Harpenden Building Society for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Most banks have lawyers on their panel throughout the UK. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the Harpenden Building Society 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 Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Harpenden Building Society’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.
On the whole I have been dissatisfied with the level or service received from my lawyer. Is there a Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel complaints department or do I complain directly to the law firm?
Complaining to Harpenden Building Society about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.
The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is addressed by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.
If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.
I have instructed a lawyer having made sure that they are on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Or
I've read lots of mortgage guides,I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Harpenden Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Harpenden Building Society will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey.
You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
or
Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Harpenden Building Society you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.