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April Mortgages Solicitor Panel: Recently Asked Questions
I am hearing that agents are using online checkers to see if a firm is on a lender panel. Why?
The fact of the matter is that estate agents are feeling the pain if their clients start out on the conveyancing process having appointed a conveyancer who is not on the panel with the purchaser’s chosen lender. Many
conveyancing firms are only discovering when they begin working on a
case that they are no longer able to work with that lender. Given
the inevitable resultant delays in the transaction the chances of an
abortive deal increases dramatically. in the circumstances there is
understandable anguish on the part of the estate agent as a result of
the lost time should the client have to change lawyers.
A recent SRA survey reveals that 76% of
solicitors have been removed from a lender conveyancing panel. April Mortgages and other lenders have restricted their panel over
the years. Why?
In operating open conveyancing panels, lenders such as April Mortgages
face a number of fraud and negligence risks. While
there is no authoritative source of data on lender exposure to
solicitor–led mortgage fraud, anecdotal evidence from lenders
indicates exposure on individual cases are often in the millions of
pounds. The National Fraud Authority estimates that £1bn per year is
lost in mortgage -related frauds in total, which is seen as a
conservative estimate.
These risks are exacerbated by the lack of a comprehensive set of data on all conveyancing firms (which, for the avoidance of doubt, would include solicitors and conveyancers across the UK) which is in a readily accessible format. Currently, lenders vet the suitability of their panel firms against a variety of disparate, incomplete and potentially inaccurate sets of information. One top 5 lender pointed out to us that it is almost impossible to track individual fraudsters who move from firm to firm, especially where they are no longer registered or no longer hold a valid practicing certificate.
April Mortgages and other lenders are in varying stages of reviewing their approach to vetting firms on their conveyancing panels, to ensure their ongoing exposure to unsuitable firms is reduced. There is also regulatory impetus on lenders to ensure that they have satisfactory oversight of their third party panels, including a due-diligence process.
I have been a sole practitioner for nearly 25 years without a single claim against me and have been refused acceptance on the
April Mortgages conveyancing panel with no explanation. Am I not entitled to to know why?
For most lenders participation on the lender's panel of conveyancers is at the absolute discretion of the the lender. Many lenders reserve the right to accept or reject any application without giving any reason. You should check your original application to join the
April Mortgages conveyancing panel to see if you are entitled to a reason.
In carrying out leasehold title investigations do
April Mortgages conveyancing panel lawyers have to consider if there is an absentee freeholder?
Given that your practice in is on the
April Mortgages conveyancing panel and you are representing them in relation to a leasehold property, you must report to them if it becomes apparent that the landlord is either absent or insolvent. If
April Mortgages are to lend, they may require indemnity insurance. In any event,you will need to check
April Mortgages’s specific requirements. Notwithstanding whether
April Mortgages will lend in such circumstances you still need to advise the borrower (unless you are acting for
April Mortgages alone) as to the risks of buying a property with an insolvent or absentee freeholder.
Every so often I read a LENDERmonitor notification but I rarely see change of note. By way of illustration, Fortunately my practice on the
April Mortgages conveyancing panel and get an alerts only advising of a change of address. Does that matter?
Yes it does matter because sending a communication or deeds to the wrong address can cause delays that might not only affect your borrower client but also affect your ability to remain on the
April Mortgages solicitor panel. Is possible next month that April Mortgages change their requirements as to where the post completion documents should be sent.
Do you update the details in your case management system? Is this recorded anywhere? Is this information passed on to secretaries and assistants? In your Certificate of Title to April Mortgages you are giving assurances that you will forward the deeds within 10 days of receiving the Title Information Document. Putting to one side the academic question as to whether you are technically breaching an undertaking in sending it to the wrong address, you run the risk of
April Mortgages suspending you off the panel because they are not receiving the deeds in accordance with the COT. It will not be a valid excuse to say that you sent it to an out of date postal address or DX details.
my firm’s membership of the
April Mortgages conveyancing panel was revoked but was reinstated on appeal, do I need to include this information on my application for CQS accreditation?
You should supply details of the date of removal, information on the reason for
removal, date of appeal and any reason given for reinstatement. This
should not negatively affect your application but gives the Law Society viability as to what has happened.
Our practice is on the
April Mortgages
conveyancing panel and due to complete a purchase shortly. My papers do not include a Mortgage Deed for the client to sign.
Who do I contact at April Mortgages to obtain duplicate documents?
You need to communicate with April Mortgages
to obtain standard documents. The The Council of Mortgage Lenders Handbook has an explicit question for banks to reveal who to contact to obtain standard documents.
April Mortgages in their Part 2’s state:
Always remember to quote the firm’s April Mortgages conveyancing panel reference.
Find a Lawyer on the April Mortgages Conveyancing Panel
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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of April Mortgages
This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.
| Year | Days* |
|---|---|
| 2026 | [no data] |
| 2025 | [no data] |
| 2024 | [no data] |
| 2023 | [no data] |
| 2022 | [no data] |
| 2021 | [no data] |
* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor
Other related topics:
- CQS policy templates and procedures for accredited April Mortgages Firms
- Draft Report on Title precedent for April Mortgages borrowers
- Draft Anti Money Laundering PolicyTemplate for April Mortgages panel firms to consider
- Dealing with Lender Policy Template panel for CQS accredited firms on the April Mortgages lender panel
- Buy-to-Let help for April Mortgages
- Consent-to-Let help for April Mortgages
- Contractor Mortgages with April Mortgages
