Separate Representation Solicitors / Acting for Your Lender
Separate representation when your conveyancer cannot act for your mortgage lender. This is common when changing lender midway through a conveyancing process.
Separate Lender Representation Solicitors
Finding out that your conveyancer cannot also act for your mortgage lender can be frustrating, especially when your purchase is already under way. You may have paid for searches, answered questions and started planning your move, only to be told that another conveyancer is needed.
This does not always mean that you need to change conveyancer or start again. If your lender allows it, Mounteney Conveyancers Ltd may be able to act for the lender while your current conveyancer continues to act for you.
This is called separate lender representation. You may also hear it called sole lender representation. It is often needed when a buyer changes mortgage lender during the purchase, or when their conveyancer is not approved to act for that lender.
Our job is to deal with the lender’s legal work, check the documents it needs us to review and work with your conveyancer as the purchase moves forward.
The first question is whether we can act for your lender. You can check our current lender panel information below. We will still need to confirm that we can act in your particular transaction before we accept the work.
Which mortgage lenders can we act for?
Our ability to accept an instruction depends on the mortgage lender, its current panel requirements and the circumstances of the transaction.
Lenders we may be able to act for
- Aldermore
- April Mortgages
- Atom Bank
- Bank of Ireland
- Barclays
- Birmingham Bank / Better Homeownership
- Bluestone
- Buckinghamshire Building Society
- Cambridge Building Society
- Chorley Building Society
- Clydesdale
- Co-operative Bank Group (a.k.a. Platform)
- Coventry Building Society / Godiva
- Cynergy Bank
- Danske Bank
- Darlington Building Society
- Dudley Building Society
- Ecology Building Society
- Fleet Mortgages
- Family Building Society
- Furness Building Society
- Generation Home
- Godiva
- Hanley Economic Building Society
- Halifax
- Harpenden Building Society
- Help to Buy: ISA
- Hinckley and Rugby Building Society
- HSBC / First Direct
- Hodge Bank
- Ipswich Building Society and Suffolk Building Society
- Kent Reliance
- Leeds Building Society
- Leek Building Society
- LiveMore Capital
- Lloyds
- Loughborough Building Society
- Market Harborough Building Society
- Mansfield Building Society
- Marsden Building Society
- Melton Mowbray Building Society
- Metro Bank
- Moda Mortgages
- Monmouthshire Building Society
- Mortgage Express
- Mortgage Lender
- Mortgage Works (UK) plc
- Mpowered
- NRAM
- National Counties
- Nationwide
- NatWest
- Newbury Building Society
- Newcastle Building Society
- Nottingham Building Society
- Paragon Group
- Pepper Money
- Perenna
- Precise Mortgages
- Principality
- RBS
- Saffron Building Society
- Santander
- Scottish Building Society
- Skipton Building Society
- Stafford Railway Building Society
- Suffolk Building Society
- Tipton & Coseley Building Society
- Together Money
- Vernon Building Society
- Virgin Money
- West Bromwich Building Society
- Yorkshire Bank
- Yorkshire Building Society
Lenders we are currently unable to act for
- TSB
- Kensington Mortgages
Lender panel information
These lender panel lists were last checked on [DD Month YYYY]. Panel membership and individual lender requirements can change, so the information above should be treated as a guide only.
Being included on the list does not guarantee that we can accept every instruction from that lender. Our ability to act may depend on the property, mortgage product, type of transaction and the lender’s instructions.
What is separate lender representation?
Separate lender representation is an arrangement in which one conveyancer acts for the buyer and another acts for the mortgage lender.
The buyer’s conveyancer advises the buyer on the purchase, including the contract, title, searches, enquiries and the legal implications of proceeding. The lender’s conveyancer acts separately to protect the lender’s interests and check that its requirements have been addressed.
The UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook for England and Wales contains Part 3 instructions for transactions where a conveyancer represents the lender but not the borrower. These instructions are read alongside the general and lender-specific requirements in Parts 1 and 2.
You may also hear this service described as:
- Sole lender representation
- Lender-only representation
- Separate mortgage representation
- Acting for the lender only
These terms generally describe the same practical arrangement: the buyer keeps their own conveyancer and another firm is instructed to represent the lender.
How does separate lender representation work?
Initial enquiry
You, your conveyancer or your mortgage broker can contact us with the essential details. We will need to know who the lender is, which property you are buying and why separate representation is required.
We will also ask how far the transaction has progressed and whether any exchange or completion dates are being discussed.
Eligibility and conflict checks
Before accepting the matter, we must check whether we can act for the lender. This includes confirming the relevant panel position, considering the lender’s requirements and carrying out our usual conflict and compliance checks.
We will tell you if further information is needed before we can make that decision.
Quote and payment on account
If the matter is suitable, we will provide clear information about our proposed fee, VAT and any known third-party charges.
A payment on account will be required before substantive work begins. We will explain who is responsible for making that payment and what must happen before the file can be opened.
Formal lender instructions
As the lender is our legal client, we will need the appropriate authority or formal instructions before we can carry out the lender’s legal work.
An initial enquiry does not, by itself, mean that we have been instructed or that we can begin acting for the lender.
Documents and review
We will contact the relevant parties to obtain the transaction papers and information required for our review. Your conveyancer remains responsible for advising you and for the work being carried out on your behalf.
If we require further documents or clarification, we will communicate this to the appropriate party.
Reporting and completion
Once we have the necessary information, we will deal with the lender’s reporting requirements and any outstanding matters within the scope of our instruction.
Completion will depend on both conveyancers completing their respective work and on the lender being satisfied with the position. We cannot guarantee that a proposed completion date will be achievable, but we will communicate clearly about our part of the process.
Can you continue using your existing conveyancer?
You may be able to keep your existing conveyancer if your lender agrees to separate representation.
This can be particularly helpful where your conveyancer has already reviewed the contract, ordered searches, raised enquiries or built up a detailed understanding of the property. Changing firms at that stage could mean transferring the file and asking a new conveyancer to become familiar with work already completed.
Separate representation allows your conveyancer to continue advising you while Mounteney deals with the lender’s requirements. It does not mean that the two firms work in isolation. Relevant documents and information will need to be shared, and each firm must understand what the other is expected to provide.
UK Finance has developed an example requirements letter to help the lender’s conveyancer set out the documents and information needed from the buyer’s conveyancer. UK Finance explains that separate representation is not the typical arrangement in residential transactions, so a clear division of responsibilities can help the firms work together efficiently.
Whether this arrangement is available will depend on the lender and the circumstances of your purchase. We will need to check the position before confirming that we can act.
Money Matters
Separate Lender Representation (£1,800)
Once we have received the payment on account and the lender’s formal instructions, we will contact your conveyancer for the documents and information we need. We will review the title to the property, the mortgage papers and any other points the lender requires us to check. If anything is missing or unclear, we will raise this with your conveyancer.
When we are satisfied that the lender’s requirements have been met, we will report back to the lender and deal with any final points it raises. We will then work with your conveyancer to prepare for completion and carry out any remaining work required for the lender after the purchase completes.
If you have any questions, require any further information, or would like to engage us on the T&Cs linked Our Terms in the footer below, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.
Conveyancing Estimate
FAQs
Can my conveyancer or mortgage broker contact you on my behalf?
Yes. Your conveyancer or mortgage broker can make the initial enquiry and provide details of the lender and transaction.
We may still need information or documents from you, and formal instructions will need to be arranged with the lender before we can act. We will explain what is required once we have reviewed the enquiry.
What happens if my mortgage lender changes after you are instructed?
Tell both conveyancing firms immediately if you decide to change lender or mortgage product.
A new lender may have different panel requirements and legal instructions. We will need to check whether we can act for the replacement lender and whether any work already carried out can be used. A further fee may be payable if the change creates additional work, and we will explain the position before proceeding.
Can you act on leasehold, new-build or shared ownership purchases?
We may be able to consider these transactions, but acceptance will depend on the lender, the property and the work required.
These purchases can involve additional documents and lender requirements. Please describe the type of property when making your initial enquiry so that we can assess the instruction and provide an appropriate quotation.
Contact Us
Since 2005, the Mounteney team has supported residential property transactions with clear advice, responsive communication and a practical understanding of the lender’s legal requirements. From our offices in Bramhall, Cheadle, Hazel Grove and Heald Green, we act on qualifying transactions throughout England and Wales, working closely with the buyer’s existing conveyancer to help the process move forward.
Contact our Separate Lender Representation Solicitors today to confirm whether we can act for your lender, discuss our fees and find out what information we need to get started. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team.
