My husband and I are planning to acquire a 1 bedroom apartment in Chelsea with a mortgage. We like our Chelsea conveyancer, however the lender advise she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have little option but to instruct one of the bank panel firms or continue with our Chelsea property lawyer and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. We regard this is inequitable; can we not demand that the bank use our Chelsea lawyer ?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your Chelsea conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
The Chelsea conveyancing firm handling our Chelsea conveyancing has identified a difference between the surveyor’s assumptions in the valuation report and what is revealed within the title deeds. My lawyer informs me that he is duty bound to ensure that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is content to go ahead. Is my solicitor’s stance correct?
Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
We note that you have a post code search directory listing firms on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for our own conveyancing in Chelsea?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Nottingham conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Chelsea.
I am helping my aunt sell her house in Chelsea. Does the conveyancer arrange the energy performance certificate or should I organise this?
After the abolition of Home Packs, energy performance certificates became a compulsory component of moving house. An energy performance certificate should be to hand in advance of the property being put on the market. This is not a task that solicitors ordinarily organise. If you are instructing a Chelsea conveyancing practitioner they may help arrange energy performance certificates given their contacts with long established local energy assessors
Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Chelsea. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?
Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.
I had an offer accepted on a house in Chelsea on 15/4/2026, valuation was booked 3 days later, received a clean bill of health. Conveyancer instructed, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to TSB and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the TSB 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 TSB to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the TSB conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
I used Arc property Solicitors a few years ago for my conveyancing in Chelsea. I now require my file but the law firm has closed. What do I do?
Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Chelsea of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
My cousin has recommend that I instruct his conveyancing solicitors in Chelsea. Should I use them?
There are no two ways about it the ideal way to find a conveyancing practitioner is to get feedback from friends or relatives who have experience in using the conveyancer that you are are thinking of instructing.