Handelsbanken Conveyancing Panel Information

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (or the BSA) do not involve themselves in training but they do organise a number of useful conveyancing related conferences which are attended by firms on the Handelsbanken conveyancing panel. Lexsure intend to run specific lender focused seminars in the near future including a webinar on Handelsbanken’s Part 2 requirements. Law firms on the Handelsbanken conveyancing panel are welcome. Information about the webinar will be made available as part of the LENDERmonitor P2 change Notifications.

The CML, together with Handelsbanken and other stakeholders created a standard set of requirements where a solicitor is acting for a lender such as Handelsbanken alone in a residential conveyancing transaction. These legal instructions are contained at Part III of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook and are to be followed together with Parts 1 & 2. The CML have published an example requirements letter to the borrower’s lawyer for adaptation by the lender's conveyancer, and sets out to the borrower's conveyancer, the documentary and information requirements of the lender's panel solicitor.

In the same way that there is a unique Handelsbanken 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.

With mortgage companies and property lawyers working so closely with one another it is surprising that there has not been much call for the introduction of a bit of transparency regarding not just the figures for the Handelsbanken conveyancing panel but for all bank panel listings

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 firm’s application but gives the CQS team a complete picture of what has occured.

You would be advised to communicate with Handelsbanken to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook incorporates a specific section for lenders to set out who to contact to obtain standard documents. Handelsbanken in their Part 2’s state: Please remember to disclose your Handelsbanken conveyancing panel reference.