Ipswich Building Society Conveyancing Panel Information

The information on this page is designed to keep solicitors and licensed conveyancers abreast of latest requirements changes by Ipswich Building Society and to assist in remaining on the Ipswich Building Society Approved Conveyancing Solicitors Panel.

Ipswich Building Society Solicitor Panel Assistance:

What are the Ipswich Building Society conveyancing panel criteria?
Unlike the CML the Building Society Mortgage Instructions deal with this. Section A.12 states ‘In order to act on our behalf your firm or company must be a member of our conveyancing panel provided we are a society that operates one – see specific requirements for details of our arrangements. The Special Requirements state:

The Society operates a Conveyancing Panel and in order for Firms to act for the Society you must be appointed to this panel. To be appointed to the panel you should apply at:-
 www.lms.com/lenderpanels
 

You must also comply with the terms and conditions of your Ipswich Building Society solicitor panel appointment.

Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a online directory to to identify law firms on the Ipswich Building Society conveyancing panel ?
We have not been informed any intention on the part of the BSA to develop such a search facility .
Am I obliged, being on the Ipswich Building Society conveyancing panel, to carry out a Lawyer Checker Search, an HS2 search?
Ipswich Building Society make no specific obligation to carry out any of the searches listed. The BSA Mortgage Instructions simply states that ‘you must ensure that any other searches which may be appropriate to the particular property, taking into account its locality and other features are carried out’.

Please note that most ‘less usual searches’ (as described in the Law Society’s Conveyancing Handbook) are not optional as far as Ipswich Building Society are concerned if they are ‘appropriate’. Most lenders will not require environmental searches (you should Check the Ipswich Building Society Specific Requirements of BSA Handbook to be sure), but you are obliged to explain risks and availability to the client.

Ground stability, Plansearch,flood searches as well as the searches listed in the question are optional – but only to the extent that you have allowed the borrower client to make an informed choice. Regardless of whether there is a mortgage, If you have not advised the client that these (and other) searches are available and what risks they cover, then you will be liable if the client suffers loss through not conducting one.

My firm is not on the Ipswich Building Society approved panel as well other lenders . My clients, who are getting a mortgage with Ipswich Building Society still want me to act for them even though I am not on the Ipswich Building Society panel. Is it fine for me to use a local to represent Ipswich Building Society 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 at liberty 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 must appoint a panel firm to carry out its instructions and to liaise with the borrower's conveyancer. You also need to make the costs implications and potential for delay very clear to your client.
I recently attended a seminar arranged via my PI broker where it was mentioned that solicitors are being sued for non-compliance with BSA Mortgage Instructions. I am on the Ipswich Building Society conveyancing panel. Can you tell me how many Specific Requirement changes took place by Ipswich Building Society during 2013?
During this period 1 sections of the BSA Mortgage Instructions were changed by Ipswich Building Society. Some changes are more important than others but as a firm on the Ipswich Building Society conveyancing panel you are of course obliged to comply with individual lender requirements. Locktons have recently pointed out in an article that non-compliance with lender requirements account for a number of high value claims, and it is therefore important to be aware of any particularly onerous terms that an individual lender may impose.

Remember: BSA requirements are not guidelines; they are the lender client’s instructions.

Marsh’s PI Insurance renewal form questions if my practice had been removed off any mortgage panels in the last 12 months . I recently discovered that the firm is no longer on the Ipswich Building Society conveyancing panel? Will that impact my PII premium?
Your insurance brokers are your best port of call to address this question. The chances are that on the basis that you have not been removed for fraud or negligence reasons that there will be little or no impact. The main reason why a firm would be removed off of a lender panel is due to low volume of conveyancing cases although there may be a number of criteria for Ipswich Building Society solicitor panel membership. Please remember that it is always important that you complete your insurance forms accurately.
The CML Handbook includes instructions for a roof with a solar panel. Ipswich Building Society do not set out obligations via the BSA Mortgage Instructions. Is this right?
The BSA Mortgage Instructions don't specifically deal with Solar Panels but it would be prudent as approved solicitors for Ipswich Building Society to raise the issue with them (as you would if the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook applied). In any event you need to raise the appropriate questions for your buyer client.
What lender panels do you receive the most questions about?
BSA lenders do not come within the top 20 lenders in terms of frequency of questions. The most popular lender panels in terms of questions are as follows:

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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Ipswich Building Society
This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.
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* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor