Looking for information about your firm's panel status?
Hodge Conveyancing Panel: Recently Asked Questions
Do Hodge or the Council of Mortgage Lenders run professional training Courses for the
Hodge approved solicitor panel in much the same way that the Law Society run cases for CQS firms?
This not something that the CML would traditionally get involved with however they do host a number of general conveyancing related conferences which are attended by firms on the Hodge conveyancing panel. Lexsure intend to run specific lender focused seminars in the coming months including a webinar on Hodge’s Part 2 obligations. Practitioners on the Hodge conveyancing panel are welcome. Further details will be communicated as part of the LENDERmonitor Alerts.
What can you suggest we do if we wish to appeal being removed from the
Hodge approved solicitor list?
If you are removed from the
Hodge conveyancing panel and you are unaware of or disagree with the reasons for your removal you should: (a) Contact
Hodge directly. (b) If there is an appeals process detailed on your letter you should follow the process.
In appealing a decision by Hodge, it may be useful to provide the following information:
- Full account of your firm’s conveyancing history
- Your COMPLETIONmonitor reports, assuming you use the Lexsure software
- Your recent claims history
- comprehensive details of all employees in your firm and their position.
- Note down if a solicitor has been admitted to the role on completion of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
- Forward 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
It is encouraging that some 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. 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 well risk-managed.
Do you have any idea what Lenders such as
Hodge 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
Hodge conveyancing panel. Typically lenders need to have full knowledge of a firm including (but not limited to):
House price discrepancies (declared to lender vs. registered at Land Registry)
Whether the firm has ever applied for accreditation and the outcome of the application
Charge registration history
Areas of Law covered by the firm
conveyancer client account(s) details
Firm name, address and contact details including all branches (including evidence of existence through risk-based physical visits and Google Streetview checks)
Full career history for each licensed conveyancer including registration date with Council of Licensed Conveyancers
Full complaints history for each licensed conveyancer
Full disciplinary history for each conveyancing solicitor
List of fee-earners who are foreign qualified
Can you give me an example of some of the reports available via COMPLETIONmonitor to support my appeal to be reinstated on the Hodge solicitor panel?
There are many reports available, five of which are as follows:
- The percentage of the firm’s business which is conveyancing (broken down into sale/purchase and remortgage)
- Number of conveyancing cases by lender
- Evidence of undertaking logs
- Current and historic missed priority dates
- Buy to Let transactions
Do banks such as
Hodge operate a separate conveyancing panel for buy to let mortgages?
Most lenders do not operate a specific buy to let conveyancing panel but we are hearing about a few that do. We do not know what the position is with
Hodge as at todays date. If you're about to receive instructions from a client on a buy to let purchase with a mortgage from
Hodge we suggest that you call
Hodge to check the position.
We had our Hodge panel membership terminated but we have not yet been given an explanation yet.
I am completing a CQS application form what information should I report?
In this situation please explain on the form what steps you have taken to find out the reasons behind cancellation of your
Hodge panel status.
In particular please provide details if you have received communications from the lender. E.G. before cessation of your panel membership did you receive any letters or calls from the lender informing you as to why they reached this decision?
Our practice is on the
Hodge
conveyancing panel and due to complete a remortgage within the next few weeks. I can not locate a Legal Charge for the client to execute.
Who do I contact at Hodge to request substitute deeds?
You need to get in touch with Hodge
to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook has an explicit question for lenders to establish who to contact to obtain standard documents.
Hodge in their Part 2’s state:
It helps to disclose the firm’s Hodge conveyancing panel reference.
Find a Lawyer on the Hodge Conveyancing Panel
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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Hodge
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
Other related topics:
- CQS policy templates and procedures for accredited Hodge Firms
- Draft Report on Title precedent for Hodge borrowers
- Draft Anti Money Laundering PolicyTemplate for Hodge panel firms to consider
- Dealing with Lender Policy Template panel for CQS accredited firms on the Hodge lender panel
- Buy-to-Let help for Hodge
- Consent-to-Let help for Hodge
- Contractor Mortgages with Hodge
