Legal & General Home Finance Conveyancing Panel Information

Legal & General Home Finance make no specific obligation to carry out any of the searches listed. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook 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’.

Remember that most ‘less usual searches’ (as described in the Law Society’s Conveyancing Handbook) are not optional as far as Legal & General Home Finance are concerned if they are ‘appropriate’. Most lenders will not require environmental searches (you should Check Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook to be sure), but you are obliged to explain risks and availability to the borrower.

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. Is this covered within your Terms of Engagement or Report on Title?

One search provider lists over 70 conveyancing searches – do you know what all of them are and when they may be relevant? If you are unsure as to which searches are appropriate based on location call your search provider or call one of the leading search companies such as STL.

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 Legal & General Home Finance 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.

For most lenders participation on the lender's panel of conveyancers is at the absolute discretion of the the lender. Many lenders reserve the right to accept or reject any application without giving any reason. You should check your original application to join the Legal & General Home Finance conveyancing panel to see if you are entitled to a reason.

With lenders and solicitors 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 Legal & General Home Finance conveyancing panel but for all lender panel listings

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 CQS team a complete picture of what has gone on.

You need to communicate with Legal & General Home Finance to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook incorporates an explicit inquiry for banks to set out who to contact to obtain standard documents. Legal & General Home Finance in their Part 2’s state: Don’t forget to quote your Legal & General Home Finance solicitors panel reference.