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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.
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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
Examples of recent questions relating to the Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel
My Conveyancer is not on the Harpenden Building Society Approved Panel. Is it possible for me to use my family solicitor even though they are not on the Harpenden Building Society panel?
You will need to have a conveyancer complete the legal work required when you take out a Harpenden Building Society mortgage to buy your property. They’ll carry out all the necessary legal checks on the property, make sure that you’re properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is in place. You can instruct a conveyancing firm of your choice. However, if the firm selected is not a member of the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel additional costs will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by Harpenden Building Society. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so if your conveyancer has not previously applied for membership they can do so.
I am buying a newly built flat and my lawyer is informing me that she is duty bound to reveal incentives from the seller as her firm is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. I am under pressure to exchange and my preference is not to prolong the conveyancing. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on the Harpenden Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Harpenden Building Society). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I see that you have a post code search directory identifying solicitors on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I retain them for my own conveyancing?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
Can you clarify what the consequences are if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the Harpenden Building Society Solicitor panel prior to the completion date?
The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. 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.
We expect to receive a DIP from Harpenden Building Society this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc).Do the Harpenden Building Society recommend a solicitor on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer
You will need to appoint solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and the Harpenden Building Society through the process.
Completion of my purchase has taken place with a loan from Harpenden Building Society. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about Harpenden Building Society. How does one go about formally complaining?
Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the Harpenden Building Society branches or the Customer Care Team at Harpenden Building Society head office. We understand that complaints to Harpenden Building Society are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is resolved you can write to the
Financial Ombudsman Service at South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.
At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What do I do now? When should I get the mortgage app going with Harpenden Building Society?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Harpenden Building Society and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.