I am selling my apartment in Crawcrook and Ryton and the estate agent has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are changing their conveyancer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only engage with property lawyers on their approved list. Why would a major mortgage company only engage with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Crawcrook and Ryton ?
Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few years big names such as Santander, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 25 years.
Banks point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Crawcrook and Ryton. My lender is Accord Mortgages
Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 23/6/2025, the requirements read as follows :
I have been advised by my lawyer that breach of easement insurance is needed on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Crawcrook and Ryton conveyancing?
The appropriate level of breach of easement indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Accord Mortgages Ltd and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.
We had selected solicitors located in Crawcrook and Ryton on the Santander solicitor approved list. They are now charging me a supplemental charge for the legal aspects of the Santander mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by Santander?
Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your solicitor is entitled to charge a fee for this. This fee is not set by Santander but by your Crawcrook and Ryton lawyer. Numerous firms on the Santander panel will quote an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.
I have paid off my mortgage with Bank of Ireland. I assume I don't need a Crawcrook and Ryton conveyancing practitioner on the Bank of Ireland panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Bank of Ireland mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Bank of Ireland mortgage from the register. Bank of Ireland, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Bank of Ireland has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Bank of Ireland has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I have been advised by two or three local property agents in Crawcrook and Ryton to select a solicitor on your site. What’s the financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your site over and above a competitor’s?
We don’t make any commission for sending work our way. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission as home movers will think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.
I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Crawcrook and Ryton for my home move. Is there any facility to review a firm’s record with the legal regulator?
Anyone can review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from investigations from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded telephone calls for training reasons.
Some weeks ago I was advised by my mortgage company that their approved solicitors work on no sale no fee basis for conveyancing in Crawcrook and Ryton. Our purchase fell through nevertheless the conveyancers want search fees! They are stating that the fees are seperate!
By promising "no sale no fee" Crawcrook and Ryton conveyancing firms are waiving their charges for any work done. We should point out that this does not constitute an insurance scheme. Disbursements aren’t covered – where the property lawyer have to pay money out to third parties, for example Crawcrook and Ryton local search fees