Hampden Conveyancing Panel Information

In the same way that there is a unique Hampden conveyancing panel most building societies, operate a conveyancing panel for solicitors and other conveyancers that the lender will instruct. Terms and Conditions and criteria for inclusion on a building society conveyancing panel vary from lender-to-lender. Having CQS accreditation may be a requirement. Institutional lenders, such as a building society, is a client and is entitled to instruct the solicitor or conveyancer of its choosing (who, in turn, is free to accept or refuse instructions). Therefore, if lender and borrower cannot agree which solicitor or conveyancer should represent them jointly, they would usually proceed on a separate representation basis. The BSA have not published the equivalent of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Part 3s.

Please tread carefully here as what you are proposing may not be acceptable to the lender. It is possible that you (as a non-panel firm) or the mortgage applicant are not at liberty instruct a panel firm of your choice. Lenders such as Nationwide BS make it clear to their panel firms that where a non-panel member firm is instructed by one of their mortgage applicants, the lender must appoint a panel firm to carry out its instructions and to liaise with the borrower's conveyancer. You also need to make the costs implications and potential for delay very clear to your client.

With banks and solicitors working so closely with one another it is surprising that there has not been much call for the introduction of a bit of transparency regarding not just the figures for the Hampden conveyancing panel but for all mortgage panels

Your insurance brokers are your best port of call to address this question. The chances are that on the basis that you have not been removed for fraud or negligence reasons that there will be little or no impact. The main reason why a firm would be removed off of a lender panel is due to low volume of conveyancing cases although there may be a number of criteria for Hampden solicitor panel membership. Please remember that it is always important that you complete your insurance forms accurately.

You should get in touch with Hampden to obtain standard documents. The The Council of Mortgage Lenders Handbook has a specific section for banks to establish who to contact to obtain standard documents. Hampden in their Part 2’s state: It helps to disclose your Hampden solicitors panel reference.