Newcastle Building Society Conveyancing Panel Information

The information on this page is designed to keep solicitors and licensed conveyancers abreast of latest requirements changes by Newcastle Building Society and to assist in remaining on the Newcastle Building Society Solicitors Panel.

Newcastle Building Society Conveyancing Panel Information:

What are the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel criteria?
Unlike the CML the Building Society Mortgage Instructions deal with this. Section A.12 states ‘In order to act on our behalf your firm or company must be a member of our conveyancing panel provided we are a society that operates one – see specific requirements for details of our arrangements. The Special Requirements state:

The Society outsources management of its conveyancing panel to Legal Marketing Services Limited (“LMS”).

Firms may apply for inclusion to the Society’s conveyancing panel by visiting www.lms.com/lenderpanels

You must also comply with the terms and conditions of your Newcastle Building Society solicitor panel appointment.

Are Newcastle Building Society Conveyancing panel solicitors at risk of the society amending or withdrawing the loan offer?
Newcastle Building Society ‘s answer to this question can be found at section B.3 of their BSA specific requirements which states:

• Where there is: -

o A cashback;

o An incentive;

o An indirect incentive;

o Where the sale is not at arms length for value to unconnected persons.

o Where there is a restriction or a right of pre-emption which is not at market value

o Where the Society‘s right to possession is fettered in some way.

o If we reasonably suspect that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;

o If we reasonably believe that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is insolvent or is about to become insolvent or has or will have a petition presented or if any one or all enter into any arrangement with their creditors generally or if any one or all should suffer a material change in their financial circumstances.

o If the mortgage transaction does not complete within 3 months of the date of the offer.

o If the solicitor acting for the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor cannot comply with our instructions.

o If there is a material change in the circumstances of the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor between issue of the offer and prior to completion.

o If any of the terms of the mortgage offer cannot be satisfied.

o If for any reason an insurer is not prepared to agree satisfactory building insurance for the property being charged as security.

o If we have doubts about the effectiveness of the valuation as a result of subsequent events or information received post valuation but pre completion.

In the first instance you must notify the Mortgage Operations Department, Newcastle Building Society, 1 Cobalt Park Way, Wallsend, NE28 9EJ and await further instructions before doing anything further on the file.

Is it possible that Newcastle Building Society will instruct an alternative firm on the Newcastle Building Society solicitor panel for a further advance during the mortgage term ?
The BSA Mortgage Instructions applicable to a solicitor on the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel indicates that when a further advance is required for alterations or improvements to the property we will not normally instruct a member of the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel but if you are instructed the appropriate provisions of the BSA mortgage instruction must be followed .
Is it the case that the Law Society has advised that firms check their status on the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel?
The Law Society of Scotland has advised that solicitors should check their lender panel status before accepting client instructions to act. The advice is lender-agnostic as it does not relate specifically to solicitors on the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel. The suggestion arises from the practice of a number of mortgage lenders who remove solicitors from their panels without prior notice as part of their panel management system, which can lead to some solicitors discovering this only once instructed. This is sensible advice as a client finding out midway through a transaction that their lawyer is not on the approved lender panel is very frustrating and can lead to complaints. Many online consumer forums contain posts where someone is complaining about finding that their lawyer is not on a lender conveyancing panel. Such forums include mumsnet.com
Do you have any idea what Lenders such as Newcastle Building Society are asking for when it comes to applying to be on their approved conveyancing panel?
Each lender has different criteria. We do not hold specific requirements relating to the questions raised as part of the application to be on the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel. Typically lenders need to have full knowledge of a firm including (but not limited to):
  • Full disciplinary history for each licensed conveyancer
  • Full complaints history for each conveyancing solicitor
  • The percentage of the firm’s business which is conveyancing broken down into sale
  • Firm name, address and contact details including all branches (including evidence of existence through risk-based physical visits and Google Streetview checks)
  • SRA or equivalent regulator registration number where applicable
  • Full disciplinary history for each conveyancing solicitor
  • Conveyancer client account(s) details
  • Whether the firm is able to operate in other jurisdictions
  • Full complaints history for each licensed conveyancer
  • Structure of firm and, where applicable, its group
I noticed the following question on my PI renewal form this year ‘Has your Firm been asked by a lender to agree to more onerous terms and conditions than provided for in the BSA Mortgage Instructions?’ My firm is on numerous bank panels including the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel. We have Terms and Conditions of appointment which we are duty bound to comply with. Am I supposed to mention these Conditions?
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 Newcastle Building Society conveyancing appointment (or other terms for other lenders) are ‘more onerous’ than the BSA Mortgage Instructions. 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 completing the answer.

Can the BSA help me join the Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel?
The BSA has no role in influencing what conveyancers Newcastle Building Society instructs. If you want to be admitted onto Newcastle Building Society conveyancing panel you should contact Newcastle Building Society directly.
What lender panels do you receive the most questions about?
BSA lenders do not come within the top 20 lenders in terms of frequency of questions. The most popular lender panels in terms of questions are as follows:

Find a Lawyer on the Newcastle Building Society Solicitors Panel

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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Newcastle Building Society
This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.
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* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor