Paragon Mortgages Ltd Conveyancing Panel Information

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

Looking for information about your firm's panel status?

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

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

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Paragon Mortgages Ltd Conveyancing Panel: Recently Asked Questions

Can a firm register a complaint to the CML about being suspended from the Paragon Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel?

The CML is an association rather than a regulator and therefore do not advise on complaints against lenders. You can of course contact Lexsure to see if we can help.

What can you suggest we do if we wish to appeal being removed from the Paragon Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel?

If you are removed from the Paragon Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel and you are unaware of or disagree with the reasons for your removal you should: (a) Contact Paragon Mortgages Ltd directly. (b) If there is an appeals process detailed on your letter you should follow the process.

In appealing a decision by Paragon Mortgages Ltd, it may be useful to provide the following information:

Comprehensive disclosure of your transaction history
A copy of your COMPLETIONmonitor reports if you use that service
Your recent claims history
Full details of all employees in your firm and their role.
Note down if a solicitor has been admitted to the role on completion of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
Supply duplicate practising certificates, the firm's current professional indemnity policy and your accountant's certificate, confirming what % of the firm's gross fee income is generated from residential conveyancing transactions

It is encouraging that some conveyancing firms have been able to regain membership to panels notwithstanding the policy by the respective lenders to refuse panel membership to firms with certain profiles or characteristics. The success is primarily due to the firms’ ability to persuade the lender to make an exception if there is sufficient evidence to reassure them that the firm is a ‘low risk’.

Being on the Paragon Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel how long am I obliged to archive the complete conveyancing file?

The CML Part II requirements of Paragon Mortgages Ltd are silent on this. Most mortgage companies deal with the issue of file retention via their Terms of panel appointment where they generally provide that for evidential purposes, the firm must keep the file for at least of 6 years from the date of the mortgage. Data imagining is normally suitable compliance with this requirement. Many lenders point out in that it is the practice of some fraudsters to demand the conveyancing file on completion in order to destroy evidence that may later be used against them. It is therefore important to retain these documents to protect Paragon Mortgages Ltd’s interest. To be absolutely sure of Paragon Mortgages Ltd requirements in this regard please check the Terms and Conditions of Paragon Mortgages Ltd’s conveyancing panel membership.

A recent SRA survey reveals that 76% of solicitors have been removed from a lender conveyancing panel. Paragon Mortgages Ltd and other lenders have restricted their panel over the years. Why?

In operating open conveyancing panels, lenders such as Paragon Mortgages Ltd face a number of fraud and negligence risks. While there is no authoritative source of data on lender exposure to solicitor–led mortgage fraud, anecdotal evidence from lenders indicates exposure on individual cases are often in the millions of pounds. The National Fraud Authority estimates that £1bn per year is lost in mortgage -related frauds in total, which is seen as a conservative estimate.

These risks are exacerbated by the lack of a comprehensive set of data on all conveyancing firms (which, for the avoidance of doubt, would include solicitors and conveyancers across the UK) which is in a readily accessible format. Currently, lenders vet the suitability of their panel firms against a variety of disparate, incomplete and potentially inaccurate sets of information. One top 5 lender pointed out to us that it is almost impossible to track individual fraudsters who move from firm to firm, especially where they are no longer registered or no longer hold a valid practicing certificate.

Paragon Mortgages Ltd and other lenders are in varying stages of reviewing their approach to vetting firms on their conveyancing panels, to ensure their ongoing exposure to unsuitable firms is reduced. There is also regulatory impetus on lenders to ensure that they have satisfactory oversight of their third party panels, including a due-diligence process.

Are the Council of Licensed Conveyancers taking any action to ensure that licensed conveyancers remain on lender conveyancing panels?

As is the case with the Law Society the Council of Licensed Conveyancers has initiated dialogue with lenders and their representative bodies to see whether and how the risks that lenders wish to mitigate could be addressed through the regulatory framework rather than via ad hoc arrangements that can differ from lender to lender. It is likely that that the CLC have been in touch with lenders such as Paragon Mortgages Ltd as well as the CML.

my firm’s membership of the Paragon Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel was revoked but was reinstated on appeal, do I need to include these details on my application for CQS accreditation?

You should supply details of the date of removal, information on the reason for removal, date of appeal and any reason given for reinstatement. This should not negatively affect your application but gives the Law Society viability as to what has gone on.

Our practice is on the Paragon Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel and scheduled to complete a remortgage within the next few weeks. My file does not contain a Mortgage Deed for the client to sign. Who do I contact at Paragon Mortgages Ltd to request substitute deeds?

You should contact Paragon Mortgages Ltd to obtain standard documents. The The Council of Mortgage Lenders Handbook includes an individual question for banks to cite who to contact to obtain standard documents. Paragon Mortgages Ltd in their Part 2’s state:

Please remember to disclose the firm’s Paragon Mortgages Ltd solicitors panel reference.

Find a Lawyer on the Paragon Mortgages Ltd Conveyancing Panel

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

This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.

Year	Days*
2025	[no data]
2024	[no data]
2023	41.8
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