Gen H Conveyancing Panel Information

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

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How can my firm be reinstated onto the Gen H Conveyancing Panel?

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Gen H Solicitor Panel: Recently Asked Questions

As the nominated COLP for my firm what do I need to consider in terms of disclosures to the SRA if my firm is removed off the Gen H solicitor panel?

The answer to this question really depends on the reason that your firm has been removed off the Gen H conveyancing panel. The top 3 reasons are as follows:

lack of transactions
the lawyer is a sole practitioner
as part of the HSBC panel reduction.

In these three circumstances it is unlikely that you would expected to take any action. Disclosure and other compliance considerations are more likely to be relevant if the reason for removal is due to breaches of lender requirements or allegations of fraud or negligence. Whether the reasoning should trigger a disclosable 'material' breach will depend on the firm and the circumstances around possible failures to comply with the SRA Authorisation Rules, and the SRA will judge each case on its own merits. Factors such as the detriment or risk of detriment to clients, the scale of the issue and overall impact on the firm will need to be considered in deciding whether a failure is 'material'. As the COLP you will need systems to identify patterns of breaches. Even if you don't consider there to be regulatory implications the firms COFA should give some thought to whether she/he needs to take any action as result of being removed from the Gen H conveyancing panel.

Who do building societies allow to be on their Conveyancing Panels?

In the same way that there is a unique Gen H 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.

My practice have never been on the Gen H conveyancing panel as well other banks. My clients, who are getting a mortgage with Gen H still want me to act for them even though I am not on the Gen H panel. Is it fine for me to use a firm down the road to act for Gen H on mortgage aspect of the conveyancing?

You need to be careful here as what you are intending may not be acceptable to the mortgage company. It is possible that you (as a non-panel firm) or the mortgage applicant are not entitled instruct a panel firm of your choice. Many lenders make it clear to their panel firms that where a non-panel member firm is instructed by one of their mortgage applicants, the lender will appoint a panel firm to carry out its instructions and to liaise with the borrower's conveyancing firm. You also need to make the costs implications and potential for delay very clear to your client.

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 UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook?’ My firm is on a number of bank panels including the Gen H conveyancing panel. We have Terms and Conditions of appointment which we are duty bound to comply with. Am I supposed to mention these Terms ?

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 Gen H 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.

The firm that I work for is on the Gen H conveyancing panel. I am dealing with Gen H mortgage on a purchase. My borrower client is asking not to disclose an issue to Gen H. What do I do in this conflict situation?

When a solicitor is acting for both Gen H and borrower there is potential for conflicts to arise. You owe duties to both clients. All information received by you from your client is confidential and cannot be disclosed without the client’s consent. In the situation you find yourself in if the purchaser will not consent to the information being passed on to the lender the solicitor must cease to act for the Gen H and it may well be prudent you to cease to act for the purchaser as well. You can not tell the Gen H the reason for termination of the retainer over and above the fact that a conflict has arisen. The fact that you can no longer act should alert even the most somnambulistic of lenders that something is wrong with the borrower and/or purchase. The fact that you have disinstructed yourself should not affect your Gen H conveyancing panel status.

Our membership of the Gen H conveyancing panel was terminated but was reinstated on appeal, do I need to disclose this information on my CQS application?

You should provide details of the date of removal, information on the reason for removal, date of appeal and any reason given for reinstatement. This should not adversely impact your application but gives the Law Society viability as to what has happened.

My firm is listed on the Gen H conveyancing panel and all set to complete a purchase within the next week. I dont have a Legal Charge for the client to execute. Who do I contact at Gen H to obtain duplicate documents?

You would be advised to get in touch with Gen H to obtain standard documents. The The Council of Mortgage Lenders Handbook has an individual inquiry for lenders to cite who to contact to obtain standard documents. Gen H in their Part 2’s state:

Please remember to disclose the firm’s Gen H conveyancing panel reference.

Find a Lawyer on the Gen H Conveyancing Panel

Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Gen H

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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