Find an Approved Solicitor on the LendInvest
Conveyancing Panel
FAQs for the LendInvest Solicitor Panel
My wife and I are first time buyers. Within the 48 hours our property lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. LendInvest have this afternoon contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. Is this a problem?
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 Accreditation Scheme.
Your solicitors should contact LendInvest and see if they can apply for membership of the LendInvest conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable LendInvest will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the LendInvest conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.
Can you clarify something for me?. For no fault of my lawyer but, my purchase conveyancing has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from LendInvest was date stamped random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on 6. My solicitor informs me that as she is on the LendInvest conveyancing panel she needs to reorder the searches as they are now out of date.
A precondition to being on the LendInvest approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 obligations (last updated for this lender on LendInvest)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 LendInvest.
Do I need to visit the offices of the LendInvest conveyancing panel solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will appoint a lawyer who conducts conveyancing in Leeds
so that I can pop in to their offices when needed.
Whereas this was necessary twenty years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Leeds
.
I am trying to get my former partner taken off the mortgage deeds. Can LendInvest really insist on which solicitor I can or can not retain?
You can use any solicitor you like but LendInvest then has the right to appoint a different solicitor to act for them at your expense. It might be more cost effective and quicker to instruct a lawyer who is on the LendInvest solicitors panel
My brother and I have had an offer accepted on a apartment I spoke to a conveyancer recommended by my mum and he recommended retaining a solicitor approved by LendInvest. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked LendInvest if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. LendInvest pointed out that either firm can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of LendInvest '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 LendInvest to suggest a law firm in your location. 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 LendInvest 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 LendInvest conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet LendInvest’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 have a mortgage with LendInvest. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform LendInvest?
LendInvest must be informed of your intention before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of LendInvest’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact LendInvest directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a LendInvest conveyancing panel lawyer.
I had an offer accepted on an apartment on the 12th February 2014, valuation was booked 4 days after, received a clean bill of health. Conveyancer retained, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to LendInvest and chasing them on my offer I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the LendInvest conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for LendInvest to deal with your lawyers application to be on the LendInvest conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.