Zephyr Mortgages Conveyancing Panel Information

The information on this page is designed to keep solicitors and licensed conveyancers abreast of latest requirements changes by Zephyr Mortgages and to assist in remaining on the Zephyr Mortgages Conveyancing Panel.

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How does my firm apply to be on the Zephyr Mortgages Conveyancing Panel?

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How can my firm be reinstated onto the Zephyr Mortgages Conveyancing Panel?

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Zephyr Mortgages Conveyancing 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 suffering if their clients start out on the buying process using a solicitor 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.

What sort of information are Lenders such as Zephyr Mortgages are asking for when it comes to applying to be on their approved conveyancing panel?

Criteria differ from lender to lender. We do not hold specific requirements relating to the questions raised as part of the application to be on the Zephyr Mortgages conveyancing panel. Typically lenders need to have full knowledge of a firm including (but not limited to):

Full career history for each solicitor including admission date to the relevant Law Society

Firm name, address and contact details including all branches (including evidence of existence through risk-based physical visits and Google Streetview checks)

Full complaints history for each conveyancing solicitor

Charge registration history

Areas of Law covered by the firm

and Conveyancing Quality Scheme

SRA or equivalent regulator registration number where applicable

Full disciplinary history for each licensed conveyancer

conveyancer client account(s) details

List of fee-earners who are foreign qualified

I understand that Zephyr Mortgages could request or audit my files as I am on the Zephyr Mortgages conveyancing panel. How should I respond in the event of such a demand?

We can't comment specifically on Zephyr Mortgages. Many major lenders are now introducing ‘file auditing’ as standard practice in relation to completed matters. This raises questions of confidentiality in relation to the borrower and the purpose to which the results of such audits will be put. The starting point is to remember that the file does not belong to your firm, it belongs to the ‘client’. But, of course, we will normally have two clients – the buyer and the lender - and you will owe a duty of confidentiality to each. So basically, you have to separate the file and just send the lender the parts solely relating to themselves. But, of course, as this will basically be correspondence with the lender, mortgage instructions etc.

Check with your COLP but a firm should not send the complete conveyancing file without the buyer client’s express consent – and if he is in arrears with the lender she is hardly likely to agree. However, if the lender can establish a prima facie case of fraud, then you may be under an obligation to disclose the whole file.

The emerging convention is that lenders are including an authority to disclose in loan application forms to counter this problem. Mortgage Express v Sawali, [2010] EWHC 3054 (Ch) indicates that such provisions are valid. Please click here for more information about that case.

I have been a solicitor for approximately 30 years with an exemplary claims record and have been refused acceptance on the Zephyr 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 Zephyr Mortgages conveyancing panel to see if you are entitled to a reason.

My post-completion clerk has left my firm unexpectedly. I urgently need to prioritise making sure that charges are registered. That said, how quickly do I need to send deeds to Zephyr Mortgages once the charge is registered before my firm runs the risk of being suspended off the conveyancing panel for Zephyr Mortgages?

Zephyr Mortgages will likely expect the deeds to be sent to them within 10 days of you receiving the TID (unless their specific P2 requirements specifically state that they you are not to send them anything). Most COTs refer to complying with the Certificate of Title referred to in IB (3.7) of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011, published by the Law Society which states that you ‘will despatch to you such deeds and documents relating to the Property as you require with a list of them in the form prescribed by you within ten working days of receipt by us of the title information document from the Land Registry’ As to whether the lender will suspend your panel status this very much varies according to the lender’s own internal policies The more cases you have the more risk you face. Some lenders may take action if there records show that the deeds are outstanding for more than 3 matters. The fact is that if you keep within the time frame then you will have more chance of remaining on the Zephyr Mortgages conveyancing panel.

Does CQS acceptance secure my firm’s acceptance on to lenders conveyancing panels?

The Law Society’s CQS membership gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a prerequisite for firms wishing to join their panels. Some mortgage companies now use the Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation as the starting point for Panel approval such as Astra Mortgages.

Our practice is on the Zephyr Mortgages conveyancing panel and scheduled to complete a remortgage within the next few weeks. I can not locate a Mortgage Deed for the client to sign. Who do I contact at Zephyr Mortgages to request substitute deeds?

You should contact Zephyr Mortgages to obtain standard documents. The The Council of Mortgage Lenders Handbook includes an explicit section for banks to set out who to contact to obtain standard documents. Zephyr Mortgages in their Part 2’s state:

Always remember to disclose the firm’s Zephyr Mortgages solicitors panel reference.

Find a Lawyer on the Zephyr Mortgages Conveyancing Panel

Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Zephyr Mortgages

This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.

Year	Days*
2025	[no data]
2024	[no data]
2023	[no data]
2022	[no data]
2021	[no data]
2020	[no data]

* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor

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Please note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors