National Counties Building Society Conveyancing Panel Information

We only know of a couple of lenders that operate a separate approved solicitors panel where the mortgage advance is over a certain level. You should nevertheless check directly with National Counties Building Society. At one stage HSBC would only allow Sole practitioners to act for them where the mortgage was below £150,000. We are not sure if HSBC still operate such a condition. In your case it is best to check with National Counties Building Society

In the same way that there is a unique National Counties Building Society 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.

The key here is the caveat ‘more onerous’. You have to try and take an objective view as to whether the Terms relating to the National Counties Building Society conveyancing appointment (or other terms for other lenders) are ‘more onerous’ than the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Conditions. Depending on the Terms you may need to provide details on your renewal form. If you are in any doubt please call your broker to discuss before moving forward on this question.

14 potential conveyancing clients search for a property lawyer on the National Counties Building Society panel each month in Hendon. The lenderpanel directory service team who will show you how your firm can be found by those searching for conveyancing in Hendon.

The Law Society’s CQS membership gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a prerequisite for firms wishing to remain on their panels. Some Lenders now use CQS as the starting point for Panel acceptance as is the case with Santander.

You should get in touch with National Counties Building Society to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook has an express question for lenders to establish who to contact to obtain standard documents. National Counties Building Society in their Part 2’s state: Don’t forget to disclose the firm’s National Counties Building Society solicitors panel number.