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Mortgage Express Conveyancing Panel: Recently Asked Questions
Do Mortgage Express or the CML run CPD Courses for the
Mortgage Express approved solicitor panel in the same way that CQS run CPD Courses for accredited firms?
No such training is arranged by the CML however they do host a number of general legal related conferences which are attended by firms on the Mortgage Express conveyancing panel. It is our intention to run specific lender focused seminars in the coming months including a webinar on Mortgage Express’s Part 2 obligations. Law firms on the Mortgage Express conveyancing panel are welcome. Information about the webinar will be made available as part of the LENDERmonitor P2 change Notifications.
Mortgage Express would like me to conduct due diligence for them alone on a residential conveyancing transaction , using the CML Lender’s Handbook. The borrower has his own solicitor (not on the
Mortgage Express conveyancing panel) How does this operate and are there different instructions from Mortgage Express in this situation?
The CML, together with
Mortgage Express and other stakeholders created a standard set of requirements where a conveyancer is acting for a lender such as Mortgage Express alone in a residential conveyancing matter.
These obligations are contained at Part 3 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook and are to be followed in conjunction with Parts 1 & 2.
The CML have published an example requirements letter to the borrower’s conveyancing solicitor for use by the lender's conveyancer, and sets out to the borrower's conveyancer, the documentary and information requirements of the lender's panel conveyancer.
Can you give me an example of some of the reports available via COMPLETIONmonitor to support my application to be on the Mortgage Express conveyancing 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)
- Average mortgage advance
- Number of conveyancing cases by lender
- Analysis as to the nature of clients (e.g.existing/new/seen in person)
- Disclosure/Notification to Lender analysis indicating frequency and nature of disclosures - to include benchmarking analysis against aggregate data
I rarely receive a copy of a valuation from a lender these days. Do my Mortgage Express conveyancing panel obligations extend to checking the valuation details where I am acting on a purchase with
Mortgage Express as the lender?
There are various requirements you need to follow if you wish to comply with your lender client’s instructions as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. First, You must take reasonable steps to verify that there are no discrepancies between the description of the property as valued and the title and other documents which a reasonably competent conveyancer should obtain, and, if there are, you must tell
Mortgage Express immediately. (II) You should take reasonable steps to verify that the assumptions stated by the valuer about the title (for example, its tenure, easements, boundaries and restrictions on its use) in the valuation and as stated in
Mortgage Express’s mortgage offer are correct. If they are not, please let
Mortgage Express know as soon as possible as it will be necessary for
Mortgage Express to check with the valuer whether the valuation needs to be revised.
Mortgage Express conveyancing panel solicitors are not expected to assume the role of valuer.
Mortgage Express are simply trying to ensure that the valuer has valued the property based on correct information. Thirdly, Mortgage Express recommend that you should advise the borrower that there may be defects in the property which are not revealed by the inspection carried out by their valuer and there may be omissions or inaccuracies in the report which do not matter to them as a lender but which would matter to the borrower.
Mortgage Express recommend that, if we send a copy of a valuation report that
Mortgage Express have obtained, you should also advise the borrower that the borrower should not rely on the report in deciding whether to proceed with the purchase and that he obtains his own more detailed report on the condition and value of the property, based on a fuller inspection such as a homebuyers survey or structural survey.
If you do not receive a copy of the valuation you can always ask for a copy of one from
Mortgage Express or the borrower. You still need to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Requirement relating to valuation reports even if you don't receive one directly. Failure to comply not only runs the risk of facing a claim by the lender but also being removed from the
Mortgage Express conveyancing panel
St Giles’ PII renewal form asks if my practice had been excluded from any lender panels in the last 12 months.
I just found out that the firm is no longer on the
Mortgage Express solicitor panel? Will that effect my PII premium?
The best placed professionals to answer this question are your insurance brokers.
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 Mortgage Express solicitor panel
membership. Please remember that it is always important that you
complete your insurance forms accurately.
Our practice is on the
Mortgage Express
conveyancing panel and scheduled to complete a purchase within the next few weeks. My file does not contain a Legal Charge for the client to execute.
Who do I contact at Mortgage Express to obtain duplicate documents?
You should contact Mortgage Express
to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook contains a specific section for lenders to reveal who to contact to obtain standard documents.
Mortgage Express in their Part 2’s state:
Don’t forget to disclose the firm’s Mortgage Express solicitors panel number.
Find a Lawyer on the Mortgage Express Conveyancing Panel
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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Mortgage Express
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 Mortgage Express Firms
- Draft Report on Title precedent for Mortgage Express borrowers
- Draft Anti Money Laundering PolicyTemplate for Mortgage Express panel firms to consider
- Dealing with Lender Policy Template panel for CQS accredited firms on the Mortgage Express lender panel
- Buy-to-Let help for Mortgage Express
- Consent-to-Let help for Mortgage Express
- Contractor Mortgages with Mortgage Express