Find a Law Firm
approved by FirstDirect
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the FirstDirect list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Find an Approved Solicitor on the First Direct Conveyancing Panel
Q and A’s regarding the First Direct Solicitor Panel
How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find one who is on the First Direct conveyancing panel. Is it practical to instruct different lawyers?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
My solicitor has informed me that he requires identification documents asserting that this forms part of his obligations as a conveyancer on the First Direct Conveyancing panel. Can this be correct?
Due to Money Laundering Regulations your conveyancing lawyer is duty bound to confirm positively your identification when entering into a business relationship with you. It is a criminal offense if your lawyer not do this. If you do not provide ID early in the transaction the solicitor must refuse to act for you. It’s unlikely a lawyer will turn you away if you come to the first meeting without relevant ID but you will have to produce it at some point so you might as well bring it with you to the initial meeting so the lawyer can tick the ID verification box and start sorting out the conveyancing straight away. If you are getting a mortgage with First Direct your lawyer also has to check ID documents to satisfy First Direct
Is it necessary during the course of the conveyancing process to have a meeting at the offices of the First Direct conveyancing panel solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Newcastle
so that I can pop in to their offices when needed.
As opposed to 15 years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Newcastle
.
We're in Birmingham, FTBs buying with a mortgage (lender is First Direct , but our lawyer is on the First Direct conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the First Direct conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
When it comes to mortgage companies such as First Direct do solicitors have to be pay a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are not aware of any lender fees to be on their panel although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.
My wife and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from First Direct as we wish to carry out alterations or improvements our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the First Direct conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
First Direct would not normally instruct a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they did require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the First Direct panel
I am buying a property where the roof has a solar panel. First Direct have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that your lender is First Direct your lawyer must to check the First Direct conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for First Direct . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to First Direct where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. Requirements for Scotland are due in the near future.